Ecclesia Dei is the document Pope John Paul II issued on 2 July 1988 in reaction to the Ecône consecrations , in which four priests of the Society of Saint Pius X were ordained as bishops despite an express prohibition by the Holy See . The consecrating bishop and the four priests consecrated were excommunicated. John Paul called for unity and established the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei to foster a dialogue with those associated with the consecrations who hoped to maintain both loyalty to the papacy and their attachment to traditional liturgical forms.
142-472: As is customary for such a papal document, it takes its name from the opening words of its Latin text, Ecclesia Dei , meaning "God's Church". Ecclesia Dei is also the name an Italian Traditionalist weekly published by the Society of Saint Pius X and later founded in the 1990s. The SSPX is an association of priests that Marcel Lefebvre founded in 1970. Its members distrusted the changes then taking place in
284-516: A religious institute or society of apostolic life . (Since 1983, the term " Association of the Christian faithful " has replaced "pia unio" .) The Society of Saint Pius X was formally founded, adhering to all canonical norms, and receiving the episcopal blessing and encouragement of the local ordinary . Some Swiss laymen offered the International Seminary of Saint Pius X at Écône to
426-511: A universal indult whereby all priests would be allowed to use the former rite even publicly without seeking any specific authorisation. International monthly 30Days interviewed Castrillón Hoyos , President of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei , the body charged with overseeing the implementation of the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum , who commented on 30Days 's question whether, even after publication of
568-593: A "Filial Correction" of Pope Francis. In twenty-five-page document, which was made public in September after receiving no reply from the Holy See, they criticized the Pope for allegedly promoting heresy through various words, actions and omissions during his pontificate. In August 2012, Bishop Richard Williamson , one of those illicitely consecrated by Lefebvre, administered the sacrament of confirmation to about 100 laypeople at
710-620: A "special section" within the CDF. Society of Saint Pius X The Society of Saint Pius X ( SSPX ; Latin : Fraternitas Sacerdotalis Sancti Pii X , FSSPX ) is a canonically irregular traditionalist Catholic priestly fraternity founded in 1970 by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre . Lefebvre was a leading traditionalist at the Second Vatican Council with the Coetus Internationalis Patrum and Superior General of
852-495: A Mass celebrated by an SSPX priest, or, if no priest in good standing can receive the couple's consent, to give the faculty instead to an SSPX priest. Fr. John Zuhlsdorf commented that suspended priests cannot receive faculties: If the SSPX priests can receive faculties, and they have, all over the place, then they are not suspended. On 20 November 2016, Pope Francis personally and indefinitely extended an allowance he created during
994-561: A bishop without a pontifical mandate and the person who receives the consecration from him incur a latae sententiae excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See" (the phrase latae sententiae means automatically by force of the law itself, at the very moment a law is broken). The reservation indicates that only the Pope can lift it. Pope John Paul II went on to make "an appeal both solemn and heartfelt, paternal and fraternal, to all those who until now have been linked in various ways to
1136-519: A deadline to declare his submission, instead of which he published an "open letter" asking for the resignation of the Superior General . On 4 October 2012, the Society expelled Williamson in a "painful decision" citing the failures "to show respect and obedience deserved by his legitimate superiors". In May 2019, the SSPX announced that Vitus Huonder , Bishop emeritus of Chur , Switzerland, as per
1278-694: A form of encounter with the mystery of the Eucharist particularly suited to them." In view of fears expressed while the document was in preparation, he took pains to emphasize that his decision in no way detracts from the authority of the Second Vatican Council and that, not only for juridical reasons, but also because the requisite "degree of liturgical formation and some knowledge of the Latin language" are not found very often, "the Missal published by Paul VI and then republished in two subsequent editions by John Paul II, obviously
1420-451: A form with some of the faithful. The clarification (n.19) according to which the faithful who request the celebration in forma extraordinaria "must not in any way support or belong to groups that show themselves to be contrary to the validity or legitimacy of forma ordinaria " and/or authority of the Pope, is most important. This would be in flagrant contradiction to the motu proprio 's very aim of "reconciliation". Priests must have
1562-418: A group of the faithful attached to the previous liturgical tradition stably exists, the parish priest should willingly accede to their requests to celebrate Holy Mass according to the rite of the 1962 Roman Missal" and should "ensure that the good of these members of the faithful is harmonised with the ordinary pastoral care of the parish, under the governance of the bishop" (Article 5). Regarding public Masses,
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#17330861392621704-471: A large pilgrimage to Rome for the "Great Jubilee" of 2000 . Nine years later, on 21 January 2009, the Holy See remitted the excommunications of the society's bishops that it had declared at the time of the 1988 consecrations and expressed the hope that all members of the society would follow this up by speedily returning to full communion with the Church. Discussions since then have been complex, stemming from
1846-536: A letter of encouragement from Cardinal John Wright , prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy , but there was no approval from the Holy See congregation responsible for raising an association to the level desired by Lefebvre. Cardinal Wright's letter, dated 18 February 1971, said concerning the field of competence of Cardinal Wright's own Congregation, that the association "will be able to contribute much to accomplishing
1988-644: A long-stated intention, had retired to one of the society's houses in order "to dedicate himself to prayer and silence, to celebrate the traditional Mass exclusively, and to work for Tradition, the only way of renewing the Church." In 2015, Bishop Huonder was sent by the former prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and one of Pope Francis' top advisers in the Vatican, Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller to dialogue with
2130-547: A pastoral concern which the bishops of Scotland share," sharing the Pope's "concern about the unity of the Church." An atypical reaction was that of Chilean bishop Juan Ignacio González Errázuriz , who said the document was aimed not so much at "putting an end to the schism of Archbishop Lefebvre and his followers" as at promoting unity among Chinese Catholics. However, even the parts of the Catholic Church in China that were under
2272-577: A penance employed in its place if the delict was committed [...] by a person who thought in culpable error that one of the circumstances mentioned in can. 1323, nn. 4 or 5 was present." Some members of the SSPX disassociated themselves from the society as a result of Lefebvre's actions and, with the approval of the Holy See, formed a separate society called the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter . Bishop Antônio de Castro Mayer resigned as Bishop of Campos on 20 August 1981; he later participated in
2414-428: A press release: We acknowledge that the Church's liturgy is an internal Catholic matter and this motu proprio from Pope Benedict XVI is based on the permission given by John Paul II in 1988 and thus, on principle, is nothing new. However we are naturally concerned about how wider use of this Tridentine liturgy may impact upon how Jews are perceived and treated. We appreciate that the motu proprio actually limits
2556-448: A recognized society of apostolic life, it has nonetheless benefited from some significant allowances normally granted only to recognized orders and societies. On 27 March 2017, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith communicated that Pope Francis granted local ordinaries the right to give to a priest in good standing the faculty to preside at the marriage of the society's followers, immediately after which they will participate in
2698-568: A schismatic act", and that, by virtue of canon 1382 of the Code, it entailed ipso facto excommunication for all the bishops involved. Lefebvre argued that his actions had been necessary because the traditional form of the Catholic faith and sacraments would become extinct without Traditionalist clergy to pass them on to the next generation. He called the ordinations 'opération survie' ("Operation Survival"), citing in his defense canons 1323 and 1324 of
2840-497: A schooling in Latin, a training in a certain culture. Yet for these people, to have the love and tolerance to let them live with this liturgy seems to me a normal requirement of the faith and pastoral concern of any Bishop of our Church. There is no opposition between the liturgy renewed by the Second Vatican Council and this liturgy." With the approval of Pope Benedict XVI, the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei issued
2982-416: A sign of Divine Providence . Charrière granted Lefebvre's request and, with a document predated by six days to 1 November 1970, he established the Society of St. Pius X as a pia unio (Latin, for "pious, or holy, union") on a provisional ( ad experimentum ) basis for six years. Pia unio status was the first stage through which a Catholic organisation passed prior to gaining official recognition as
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#17330861392623124-400: A standard aimed at testing the priests' loyalty to the pope". Cardinal Castrillón responded to this concern by pointing out that the motu proprio does not oblige any priest to use the 1962 Missal: all that the parish priest or rector of a church is asked to do is to permit a stable group adhering to the earlier tradition and who have a priest disposed to use that Missal to celebrate Mass in
3266-534: A sufficient knowledge of Latin and know the rite to be celebrated. Bishops are therefore encouraged to make proper formation for this purpose available in seminaries, and the possibility of recourse, if there are no other suitable priests, to the collaboration of priests from the Institutes set up by the Ecclesia Dei Commission (which normally use the forma extraordinaria ) is also indicated. The use of
3408-600: A tragic accident on 28 September 2024, when he fell on the stairs of the Ecône seminary, causing a skull fracture and an internal haemorrhaging; he was promptly brought to the Hospital at Martigny and placed into an induced coma. He died on 8 October 2024, after 10 days of coma; his funeral was held at the International Seminary of Saint Pius X, on 18 October. The deaths of Bishops Huonder and Tissier de Mallerais, coupled with
3550-476: A very grave matter and of supreme importance for the unity of the Church, such as is the ordination of bishops whereby the apostolic succession is sacramentally perpetuated. Hence such disobedience – which implies in practice the rejection of the Roman primacy – constitutes a schismatic act (cf. Code of Canon Law , can. 751). In performing such an act, notwithstanding the formal canonical warning sent to them by
3692-582: Is a question of religious liberty, collegiality, ecumenism, the new Mass, or even the new rites of the sacraments [...] And now all of a sudden, on these points that have been stumbling blocks, the emissaries from Rome tell us that they are open questions. In the same month of March 2017, Archbishop Guido Pozzo, the prelate in charge of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei , the Roman Curia 's organ for traditionalist societies, stated that
3834-614: Is and continues to be the normal Form – the Forma ordinaria – of the Eucharistic Liturgy." In his cover letter to the bishops, Pope Benedict declared unfounded two fears that had been expressed with regard to the change that he was making: that the change would detract from the authority of the Second Vatican Council; and that it would lead to disarray or even divisions within parish communities. He recognised that "there have been exaggerations and at times social aspects unduly linked to
3976-652: Is building on the foundation laid by his predecessor Pope John Paul II in his 1988 motu proprio Ecclesia Dei Adflicta . The Latin Mass Society of England and Wales said: "Thirty-seven years ago, the Latin Mass Society was denounced by The Universe newspaper for its attachment to the Traditional Latin Rite under the banner headline, 'Latin Madness'. Today, the loyalty, determination and sufferings of
4118-550: Is that, unlike other Catholic sacraments, both confession and marriage require canonical jurisdiction for their validity . While its critics claim the society's priests were not explicitly granted the requisite jurisdiction, it contends that they possessed "supplied jurisdiction" for confessions due to a " state of necessity ". In 2022, the society states it has over 700 priestly members, with 1,135 total members. Several religious institutes , mostly based in France, are associated with
4260-470: Is the Reverend Davide Pagliarani , who succeeded Bishop Bernard Fellay in 2018. Several organisations derive from the SSPX such as the mostly American and effectively sedevacantist Society of Saint Pius V (SSPV) and the canonically regular Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter (FSSP), that Pope John Paul II made into a society of apostolic life in 1988. Tensions between the society and
4402-521: The motu proprio Ecclesia Dei of 1988, which had allowed individual bishops, under certain conditions, to establish places where Mass could be said using the 1962 Missal . It granted greater freedom for priests to use the Tridentine liturgy in its 1962 form, stating that all priests of the Latin Church may freely celebrate Mass with the 1962 Missal privately. It also provided that "in parishes where
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4544-430: The motu proprio Traditionis custodes which established the new circumstances for celebration of the 1962 Roman Missal. The Roman Rite of Mass has undergone, especially in the early centuries , various developments . In response to Sacrosanctum Concilium , the 1963 document of the Second Vatican Council , it was systematically revised, leading to the publication, in 1970, of Pope Paul VI's revision of
4686-455: The motu proprio , "a small minority of believers may impose the Mass of Saint Pius V on the parish". He stated: "Those who say that obviously haven't read the motu proprio . It's clear that no parish priest will be obliged to celebrate the Mass of Saint Pius V. Only that if a group of the faithful, having a priest disposed to say it, asks to celebrate this Mass, the parish priest or the rector of
4828-747: The Congregation of the Holy Spirit , a missionary order of priests. In September 1970, shortly after his retirement as Superior General of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, Lefebvre was approached by eleven members of the Pontifical French Seminary in Rome . They sought Lefebvre's advice on a conservative seminary where they could complete their studies. He directed them to the University of Fribourg , in Switzerland . In late 1970, at age 65, urged by
4970-662: The Holy Ghost Fathers until 1968. The society was established as a pious union of the Catholic Church with the permission of François Charrière , the Bishop of Lausanne, Geneva and Fribourg in Switzerland . The society is named after Pope Pius X , whose anti- Modernist stance it stresses, retaining the Tridentine Mass and pre-Vatican II liturgical books in Latin for the other sacraments . The society's current Superior General
5112-598: The Holy See climaxed in 1988 with the Écône consecrations : Archbishop Lefebvre consecrated four bishops without the Apostolic Mandate and against a personal warning by Pope John Paul II, resulting in Rome declaring that the bishops who consecrated or were consecrated had incurred latae sententiae (automatic) excommunication . Though the SSPX denied that the bishops incurred any penalty, who, citing canon law , argued that
5254-524: The Personal Apostolic Administration of Saint John Mary Vianney , with the same territory as the Diocese of Campos . Discussions between the Holy See and the Society of Saint Pius X towards an eventual reconciliation have been ongoing. For years after the 1988 consecrations, there was little if any dialogue between the SSPX and the Holy See. This state of affairs ended when the society led
5396-537: The Roman Missal , in the form known as the Tridentine Mass or Traditional Latin Mass) and administer most of the sacraments in the form used before the liturgical reforms that followed the Second Vatican Council . The document was dated 7 July 2007 and carried an effective date of 14 September 2007. Pope Benedict released an accompanying explanatory letter at the same time. It granted greater freedom for priests to use
5538-476: The Roman Missal , which some Traditionalist Catholics claimed constituted a rupture with what went before. Such concerns led French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre to found a seminary and society of priests – the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) – dedicated to the exclusive celebration of sacraments according to the traditional Roman Rite, in 1970. Canonically suspended by the Holy See in 1976, Lefebvre continued negotiations with Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II over
5680-665: The Russian Orthodox Church would not have been able to resist the period of persecution." The Jewish Anti-Defamation League (ADL) attacked the document, because the text of the Good Friday Prayer for the Jews in the 1962 Missal includes a request to God to "lift the veil" from Jewish hearts and to show mercy, according to one translation, " even to the Jews" (or " also to the Jews"), and refers to "the blindness of that people" (to Christ). Other objections were raised in
5822-473: The Tridentine Mass . By this time, the SSPX had opened additional seminaries in Armada, Michigan (1973), and Rome (1974). The first sign of curial intervention was a Vatican meeting on 26 March 1974. By June 1974, a commission of cardinals had been formed to inquire into the SSPX, and decided on a canonical visitation of the seminary by two Belgian priests, held 11–13 November 1974. Franz Schmidberger , later
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5964-450: The abbot of Hauterive Abbey and the Dominican theologian Father Marie-Dominique Philippe to teach the seminarians personally, Lefebvre, feeling too old to undertake such a large project, told them he would visit François Charrière , Bishop of Lausanne, Geneva and Fribourg , with a request to set up a religious society. He told them, if he said to go through with it, he would see in it
6106-444: The typical edition of 1962 ". In this the Pope expanded the scope of permission already granted under the 1984 special indult Quattuor Abhinc Annos . The conditions indicated in the document to which Pope John Paul referred were replaced on 7 July 2007 by those indicated in the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum , which Pope Francis in turn replaced with the far more restrictive Traditionis Custodes . Pope Benedict XVI gave
6248-550: The "favorable climate established by the Holy See" will "make it possible to consider more serenely the disputed doctrinal issues" and that the decree of excommunication which still affects its bishops be withdrawn. Fellay adds: "The letter which accompanies the Motu Proprio does not hide however the difficulties that still remain", then stated that the Society is eager "after the decree of excommunication which still affects its bishops has been withdrawn—to consider more serenely
6390-454: The "value and holiness" of celebration according to the new books. Most internal official reactions emphasised the wish of unity and reconciliation within the Church. Archbishop José Horacio Gómez of San Antonio said in a press statement that he believed the letter "will open up great possibilities for reconciliation and unity with those who have shown great devotion to the Roman liturgy prior to
6532-543: The 1962 forms of conferring Holy Orders is permitted only in those institutes that exclusively celebrate the 1962 Missal that are under the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei . Article 8 specified the aims of Summorum Pontificum as: Other sections include: 14. It is the task of the Diocesan Bishop to undertake all necessary measures to ensure respect for the forma extraordinaria of
6674-448: The 1983 Code of Canon Law, the first of which says that "a person who acted coerced by grave fear, even if only relatively grave, or due to necessity or grave inconvenience unless the act is intrinsically evil or tends to the harm of souls" is not subject to penalty for violating a law or precept, while the other says "the perpetrator of a violation is not exempt from a penalty, but the penalty established by law or precept must be tempered or
6816-622: The 1988 Écône consecrations, declaring "my presence here at this ceremony is a matter of conscience: It is the duty of a profession of the Catholic Faith before the entire Church." After his retirement, Bishop Mayer founded the Priestly Union of Saint John Mary Vianney (SSJV). Under the leadership of his successor, Bishop Licínio Rangel , the SSJV was reconstituted in January 2002 by Pope John Paul II as
6958-623: The Benedictine Monastery of the Holy Cross in Nova Friburgo , Brazil, during an unauthorised visit to the State of Rio de Janeiro . The society's South American district superior, interlanguage Christian Bouchacourt, protested against his action on the SSPX website, saying that it was "a serious act against the virtue of obedience." In early October 2012, the leadership of the SSPX gave Williamson
7100-476: The Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops on 17 June last, Mons. Lefebvre and the priests Bernard Fellay , Bernard Tissier de Mallerais , Richard Williamson and Alfonso de Galarreta have incurred the grave penalty of excommunication envisaged by ecclesiastical law (cf. Code of Canon Law , can. 1382)." According to the 1983 Code of Canon Law , can. 1382: "A bishop who consecrates some one
7242-518: The Church in the years following the Second Vatican Council . On 30 June 1988, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre and Bishop Antônio de Castro Mayer consecrated four priests as bishops at the seminary of the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) in Écône , Switzerland . Referring to these consecrations, the Pope wrote in Ecclesia Dei : "In itself, this act was one of disobedience to the Roman Pontiff in
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#17330861392627384-651: The Commission additional functions with respect to the use of Tridentine liturgy in Summorum Pontificum on 7 July 2007. On 8 July 2009, in Ecclesiae unitatem , he modified its position within the Roman Curia by making the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) the ex officio head of the Commission. On 17 January 2019, Pope Francis abolished the Commission and transferred its responsibilities to
7526-457: The Council accompanied this response with the observation that a stable group of the faithful attached to the older form has a right to assist at Mass in the extraordinary form, a website that published the response interpreted it as not requiring the existence of such a stable group. In his accompanying letter, Pope Benedict explained that his action was aimed at broadly and generously providing for
7668-465: The Ecclesia Dei Commission. It clarifies the concept of coetus fidelium (in short "group of faithful") stabiliter existens ("stable") whose desire to participate in the celebration of the forma extraordinaria must be welcomed and accepted by pastors. While leaving the assessment of the number of people required for its establishment to the wise judgement of pastors, it states that
7810-469: The Faith and the future Pope Benedict XVI . On Pope John Paul II 's instructions, Cardinal Ratzinger replied to Lefebvre on 30 May, insisting on the observance of the May 5 agreement and adding that, if Lefebvre carried out unauthorized consecrations on 30 June, the promised authorization for the ordination to the episcopacy would be withdrawn. On 3 June, Lefebvre wrote that he intended to proceed. On 9 June,
7952-512: The Holy Father's call for unity within the Church and especially toward those who are very attached to celebrating the Mass according to the Missal of 1962." Writer Damian Thompson, Editor-in-chief of the Catholic Herald and Telegraph journalist and blogger, wrote on 16 November 2007 that, as a result of the publication of Pope Benedict's document of 7 July 2007, "Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor
8094-440: The Holy See and the society were close to an agreement regularizing the society's status. In a letter of the same month it was announced that Pope Francis authorized diocesan bishops to grant to SSPX priests faculties to officiate at a marriage valid in the Catholic Church in cases where no priest in good standing could do so. In July 2017 Bishop Fellay signed a document along with a number of other clergy and academics labelled as
8236-469: The Holy See had led to permission for the society to licitly ordain priests: This summer it was confirmed that the Superior General can freely ordain the priests of the society without having to ask permission from the local bishop. In 2022, Bishop Athanasius Schneider said that the SSPX was not schismatic as it prays for the Pope during Mass. Bishop Schneider states clearly that Catholics can attend
8378-414: The Holy See of its sacramental and pastoral activities, with papal recognition extended indefinitely in 2017 to confessions heard by its priests, and local ordinaries allowed to grant delegation to its priests for officially witnessing marriages . In addition, the Holy See named SSPX bishop Fellay as judge in a canonical trial against one of the society's priests. The significance of these recognitions
8520-561: The Holy See or the bishop, to celebrate the Mass in the ancient rite. And this holds true for all priests. It is the parish priests who must open the doors to those priests that, having the faculty [to do so], go to celebrate. It is not therefore necessary to ask any other permission." Article 2 of the motu proprio applies, without distinction, to priests of the Latin Rite, all of whom are therefore authorized to use, in Masses celebrated without
8662-520: The Holy See. On the following day, 2 July, Pope John Paul II issued an apostolic letter known as Ecclesia Dei in which he condemned the Archbishop's action. The Pope stated that, since schism is defined in the 1983 Code of Canon Law as "withdrawal of submission to the Supreme Pontiff or from communion with the members of the Church subject to him" (canon 751), the consecration "constitute[d]
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#17330861392628804-673: The Holy Year of 2015 for penitents confessing to priests affiliated with the SSPX: For the Jubilee Year I had also granted that those faithful who, for various reasons, attend churches officiated by the priests of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X, can validly and licitly receive the sacramental absolution of their sins. During an interview with TV Libertés on 29 January 2017, Bishop Fellay announced that theological discussions with
8946-425: The Missal of Bl. John XXIII must be qualified to do so". One of these was Bishop Donald W. Trautman of the Diocese of Erie, Pennsylvania , who indicated that those priests who celebrate such a Mass would first need to show that they have the requisite knowledge of its rubrics and of Latin . Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor , archbishop of Westminster , said: "On behalf of the bishops of England and Wales, I welcome
9088-404: The Mystery of the Most Holy Eucharist, particularly suited to them." Due to this continuing appeal of the ancient form of the Mass across generational groups, it was felt that cases should no longer be decided on a case-by-case basis, and that instead the need had arisen for "clearer juridical regulation which had not been foreseen" in the past. The Pope stressed: "There is no contradiction between
9230-404: The Pontifical Commission, to which also a bishop who does not have the means to respond to their wish can have recourse for advice and assistance. The motu proprio allows what some traditionalists would call the novelty of proclaiming the Scripture readings "also" in the vernacular language in Masses with a congregation, and in the accompanying letter the Pope said that "new Saints and some of
9372-404: The Pontifical Council Ecclesia Dei responded positively to a question whether a parish priest (pastor) or another priest may on his own initiative publicly celebrate the extraordinary form, along with the customary regular use of the new form, "so that the faithful, both young and old, can familiarize themselves with the old rites and benefit from their perceptible beauty and transcendence". Although
9514-417: The Pope also mentioned that, immediately after the promulgation of the new form of the Mass, it was presumed that "requests for the use of the 1962 Missal would be limited to the older generation which had grown up with it", but recognizes that "in the meantime it has clearly been demonstrated that young persons too have discovered this liturgical form, felt its attraction and found in it a form of encounter with
9656-623: The Pope asked parish priests and rectors of churches to permit, at the request of a group of the faithful attached to the previous liturgical tradition stably existing in the parish , celebration of a Tridentine Mass on weekdays, but also one such Mass on Sundays and feasts , by a priest who is qualified and who is not excluded by law, and to grant permission also if requested "in special circumstances such as marriages, funerals or occasional celebrations, e.g. pilgrimages". Apart from celebration of Mass, Pope Benedict authorised parish priests to grant, "after careful consideration" and "if advantageous for
9798-409: The Pope replied with a personal letter, appealing to him to abandon a design that "would be seen as nothing other than a schismatic act , the theological and canonical consequences of which are known to you." Lefebvre did not reply, and the letter was made public on 16 June. On 30 June 1988, Archbishop Lefebvre proceeded to ordain to the episcopate four priests of the SSPX. Antônio de Castro Mayer ,
9940-404: The Pope's motu proprio . These actions mask behind them, on one hand, prejudices of an ideological kind and, on the other, pride, one of the gravest sins. I repeat: I invite all to obey the Pope." Making a comparison between bishops attending a Mass celebrated by a visiting cardinal and attendance at the launch of a new book, Thompson also "passed on a rumour" that Pope Benedict was annoyed at
10082-417: The Protocol signed on 5 May last by Cardinal Ratzinger and Mons. Lefebvre", a protocol that Archbishop Lefebvre later repudiated. The Pope stated: "Respect must everywhere be shown for the feelings of all those who are attached to the Latin liturgical tradition, by a wide and generous application of the directives already issued some time ago by the Apostolic See for the use of the Roman Missal according to
10224-521: The Roman Missal, which was promulgated by Blessed John XXIII in 1962", as "never abrogated". In the letter he specified this as "never juridically abrogated". In article 2 he stated that, "in Masses celebrated without a congregation, any Catholic priest of the Latin rite, whether secular or regular, may use either the Roman Missal published in 1962 by Blessed Pope John XXIII or the Roman Missal promulgated in 1970 by Pope Paul VI, and may do so on any day, with
10366-459: The Roman Pontiff. He was enjoined, within ten days of receipt of the letter, to take steps "to repair the scandal caused." In a letter of 17 July to Pope Paul VI, Lefebvre declared that he judged his action of 29 June to be legitimate. The Pope considered this response inadequate, and on his instructions, the Congregation for Bishops, on 22 July 1976, suspended Lefebvre for an indefinite time from all exercise of holy orders—he could not confer any of
10508-720: The Roman Rite, according to the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum . 19. The faithful who ask for the celebration of the forma extraordinaria must not in any way support or belong to groups which show themselves to be against the validity or legitimacy of the Holy Mass or the Sacraments celebrated in the forma ordinaria or against the Roman Pontiff as Supreme Pastor of the Universal Church. 20. With respect to
10650-417: The SSPX. After four years Bishop Huonder was permitted to go and live at the society's houses by Pope Francis. He became a big supporter of the society, reporting back positive things to Pope Francis and even producing a video titled "My journey to the SSPX – with Bishop Vitus Huonder" on Youtube. In that video, Bishop Vitus Huonder said that Pope Francis personally told him that the SSPX is not in schism. He
10792-444: The Sacraments, save Reconciliation or Baptism in an emergency (suspension a divinis ). A central controversy surrounding the SSPX concerns the consecration by Archbishop Lefebvre and Brazilian bishop Antônio de Castro Mayer of four SSPX priests as bishops in 1988, in violation of the orders of Pope John Paul II . By 1987, Archbishop Lefebvre was 81. If he had died at that point, the SSPX could have their members ordained to
10934-422: The Second Vatican Council. A reform for which many people worked, with great sacrifice and only inspired by the desire to renew the Church, has now been cancelled." Others expressed concern that the loosening of the restrictions for celebration of the Mass would cause practical problems for parish priests who might be pressured to offer the Mass according to the 1962 Missal, and that such pressure would "seem like
11076-472: The Traditional faithful have been vindicated by Pope Benedict XVI's wise and pastoral motu proprio . This [decision] puts an end to the discrimination, marginalisation and exclusion which, too often, Traditional Catholics have suffered. ...However, now is the time for the 'interior reconciliation in the heart of the Church' for which Pope Benedict calls". The Priestly Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX), which
11218-426: The Tridentine liturgy in its 1962 form, stating that all priests of the Latin Church may freely celebrate Mass with the 1962 Missal privately. It also provided that "in parishes where a group of the faithful attached to the previous liturgical tradition stably exists, the parish priest should willingly accede to their requests to celebrate Holy Mass according to the rite of the 1962 Roman Missal" and should "ensure that
11360-571: The absence of any English bishop at the Pontifical High Mass that Cardinal Darío Castrillón Hoyos , head of Ecclesia Dei , celebrated in Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor's own Westminster Cathedral on 14 June 2008. After the Mass, Cardinal Castrillón Hoyos spoke with journalists. To an unnamed conservative journalist who insisted vehemently that some bishops in England were denying permission for
11502-440: The actual situation of the communities of the faithful." After saying in his letter to bishops, with which he accompanied the motu proprio , that "in the movement led by Archbishop Lefebvre, fidelity to the old Missal became an external mark of identity", Pope Benedict added: "The reasons for the break which arose over this, however, were at a deeper level." Apart from the question of reconciliation with traditionalist groups,
11644-481: The appeal. From this point onward, the SSPX was no longer recognised as a canonical organization. Lefebvre and the society's leadership always maintained that he was treated unfairly by the Roman Curia , that the suppression of the SSPX was unjust, and that the procedures violated the 1917 Code of Canon Law . The SSPX continued to operate in spite of its discountenance. In the consistory of 24 May 1976, Pope Paul VI rebuked Archbishop Lefebvre by name—reportedly
11786-496: The attitude of the faithful attached to the ancient Latin liturgical tradition." To avoid the situation whereby the desire to recover the old form of liturgy "occurred above all because in many places celebrations were not faithful to the prescriptions of the new Missal, but the latter actually was understood as authorising or even requiring creativity, which frequently led to deformations of the liturgy which were hard to bear ... caus[ing] deep pain to individuals totally rooted in
11928-545: The cardinals on 13 February and 3 March. Lefebvre was surprised by their hostility: at one point a French cardinal, Gabriel-Marie Garrone , reportedly called him a "fool". On 6 May 1975, with the cardinals' approval, Bishop Mamie withdrew the SSPX's pia unio status. Lefebvre instructed his lawyer to lodge appeals, and he ultimately petitioned the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura , which turned down
12070-400: The celebration of the 1962 Roman Missal and in particular declared that it is the exclusive right of the diocesan bishop with the approbation of the Holy See, not of individual priests, to authorize its use. Traditionis custodes further stated that now "the liturgical books promulgated by Saint Paul VI and Saint John Paul II, in conformity with the decrees of Vatican Council II , are
12212-576: The chapels of the SSPX. Summorum Pontificum Summorum Pontificum (English: 'Of the Supreme Pontiffs') is an apostolic letter of Pope Benedict XVI , issued in July 2007. This letter specifies the circumstances in which priests of the Latin Church could celebrate Mass according to what Benedict XVI called the " Missal promulgated by Blessed John XXIII in 1962 " (the latest edition of
12354-538: The church can't oppose it." The Society of St. Pius X , whose founder Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre was excommunicated in 1988 following the Ecône Consecrations , set permission to use the Tridentine Mass as a preliminary condition for engaging in any doctrinal dialogue with the Holy See . As is customary for papal documents, the motu proprio (which has no title) is referred to by its incipit ,
12496-418: The church. Only a limited number of priests actually know how to celebrate the Tridentine Mass, and a shortage of priests means that many priests already have full schedules on weekends. In response to these concerns, a number of Bishops announced their intentions to issue guidance on how best to implement Summorum Pontificum in their dioceses in line with the motu proprio 's rule that "Priests who use
12638-404: The consecrations were permissible due to a moral and theological crisis in the Catholic Church, making them permissible under canon law, the declared excommunication of the surviving bishops was at their request removed in 2009 in the hope of speedily reaching "full reconciliation and complete communion ". The society's canonical situation remains unresolved. The 2010s saw growing recognition by
12780-514: The control of the Government-created Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association had for years already been using the revised form of the Mass and in the vernacular, not the Tridentine Mass in Latin. Italian bishop Luca Brandolini said, "I can't fight back the tears. This is the saddest moment in my life as a man, priest and bishop. It's a day of mourning, not just for me but for the many people who worked for
12922-436: The deputy Secretary of State , wrote directly to Lefebvre, confirming, by the Pope's special mandate, the prohibition to administer the holy orders, and warning him of the canonical penalties for Lefebvre himself and those whom he would ordain. Lefebvre ignored the warnings and went ahead with the ordinations on 29 June 1976. In that occasion's sermon, Lefebvre explicitly recognized that he might be struck with suspension, and
13064-448: The disputed doctrinal issues." Patriarch Alexius II responded to the question, "The Pope has published a document restoring the possibility of using the Missal of Saint Pius V for celebrating the Eucharist. How do you judge this decision?", by saying: "Recovering and recognizing the value of ancient liturgical tradition is something we welcome. We hold very strongly to tradition. Without the faithful guardianship of liturgical tradition,
13206-502: The exception of the Easter Triduum ". For such a celebration with either Missal, the priest needs no permission from the Apostolic See or from his own Ordinary. In article 4, he said that these Masses celebrated without a congregation "may be attended also by members of the lay faithful who spontaneously request to do so, with respect for the requirements of law". The document superseded the letter Quattuor Abhinc Annos of 1984 and
13348-490: The expulsion of Bishop Williamson, means that Bernard Fellay and Alfonso de Galarreta are the only remaining Bishops affiliated to the SSPX, prompting Catholic media to speculate whether the Society will proceed to new consecrations. The canonical situation of the SSPX and of its clergy has been the subject of controversy since the 1988 Écône consecrations. While the society is not listed in Annuario Pontificio as
13490-416: The faith of the Church", he recommended faithful observance of the Missal of Paul VI: "The most sure guarantee that the Missal of Paul VI can unite parish communities and be loved by them consists in its being celebrated with great reverence in harmony with the liturgical directives. This will bring out the spiritual richness and the theological depth of this Missal." Benedict cited "interior reconciliation in
13632-558: The first time in 200 years that a pope had publicly reprimanded a Catholic bishop—and appealed to him and his followers to change their minds. Lefebvre announced that he intended to confer ordination on some of his students at the end of June 1976. On 12 June 1976, the Nuncio in Switzerland was given instructions to inform Lefebvre that, by special order of Pope Paul VI, he was forbidden to do so. On 25 June 1976, Archbishop Giovanni Benelli ,
13774-413: The following decade. While these negotiations did not produce a regularization of the SSPX, they did induce John Paul II to issue a decree in 1984, Quattuor Abhinc Annos , providing a limited permission, or indult, to celebrate the traditional Roman Rite. However, many traditionalists, frustrated with the unwillingness of most bishops to implement the indult in their dioceses, demanded what they called
13916-512: The good of souls", permission to use the older ritual in the administration of Baptism , Marriage , Penance , and Anointing of the Sick . He also allowed bishops, on the same condition, to use the earlier Pontifical in administering Confirmation , and permitted clergy to use the 1962 edition of the Roman Breviary . Bishops could establish "personal parishes" or appoint chaplains for administering
14058-600: The good of these members of the faithful is harmonised with the ordinary pastoral care of the parish, under the governance of the bishop ". The Tridentine, Latin-language form of the Pontificale Romanum was allowed for the celebration of all the seven sacraments (even if Holy Orders was not expressly mentioned). In the same article 9, it also allowed the Roman Breviary as revised under Pius X to clergymen ordained ( deacons , priests , bishops ). In July 2021, Pope Francis abrogated Summorum Pontificum with
14200-496: The group does not necessarily have to be composed of persons belonging to a single parish, but may result from people who come together from different parishes or even from other dioceses. While always taking into account compliance with wider pastoral needs, the Instruction proposes a spirit of "generous welcome" towards groups of faithful who request the forma extraordinaria or priests who request to occasionally celebrate in such
14342-457: The heart of the Church" as a "positive reason" for the motu proprio . Benedict, who himself led discussions with the SSPX during his tenure as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , gave as a reason for making the effort represented by his motu proprio the regretted fact that, "over the centuries ... at critical moments when divisions were coming about, not enough
14484-433: The instruction Universae Ecclesiae of 30 April 2011, feast of Saint Pius V , to clarify some aspects of Summorum Pontificum . The normative part of the document (nn.12-35) contains 23 brief points on various arguments. It reaffirms the competence of the diocesan bishops in implementing the motu proprio , recalling that in the event of a dispute about the celebration in forma extraordinaria judgement falls to
14626-414: The liturgical celebration", but that "the Missal published by Paul VI and then republished in two subsequent editions by John Paul II obviously is and continues to be the normal Form – the Forma ordinaria – of the Eucharistic Liturgy"; and that: "It is clearly seen that the new Missal will certainly remain the ordinary Form of the Roman Rite, not only on account of the juridical norms, but also because of
14768-460: The liturgical reforms that followed it which had been promulgated by Paul VI and John Paul II. He added that since Sacrosanctum Concilium "expresses the reality of the liturgy", he had stressed in Traditionis custodes that the reformed Vatican II liturgy is "the unique expression of the lex orandi of the Roman Rite". He stated he was determined to make it so that "unity be re-established in
14910-493: The meeting of the French episcopal conference at Lourdes in 1972 the seminary at Écône was nicknamed 'le séminaire sauvage' —the "wildcat seminary". By November 1974 the French episcopate indicated that they would not incardinate any of Lefebvre's priests in their dioceses which was the opposite of the desire to incardinate the society's priests by some Swiss bishops. They also publicly criticised Catholics who remained attached to
15052-554: The mind of the Secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments , Malcolm Ranjith , when he remarked that the document Summorum Pontificum , which had come into force on 14 September, had met with "criticisms and opposition, even from theologians, liturgists, priests, Bishops, and even Cardinals", and that "there have been, by some dioceses, even interpretative documents which inexplicably aim to limit
15194-508: The mistaken belief that the pre-1960 form of the Prayer for the Jews that was included in the original form of the Tridentine Mass was being restored, a form that spoke of "the faithless Jews" ( pro perfidis Iudaeis ), which some interpreted as meaning "the perfidious Jews". Pope John XXIII replaced this prayer in 1959, so that it does not appear in the missal permitted by Summorum Pontificum . The American Jewish Committee (AJC) stated in
15336-549: The movement of Archbishop Lefebvre, that they may fulfil the grave duty of remaining united to the Vicar of Christ in the unity of the Catholic Church , and of ceasing their support in any way for that movement. Everyone should be aware that formal adherence to the schism is a grave offence against God and carries the penalty of excommunication decreed by the Church's law (cf. Code of Canon Law , can. 1364)." Canon 1364 specifies that
15478-539: The new Prefaces can and should be inserted in the old Missal", a matter that he committed for study to the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei . The conditions for the use of the 1962 Missal previously in force were replaced by the following: In an interview on Vatican Radio , the then Cardinal President of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei Darío Castrillón Hoyos commented that "priests can decide, without permission from
15620-475: The new books. The total exclusion of the new rite would not in fact be consistent with the recognition of its value and holiness." The Pope clarified that, as a result of his motu proprio , "the last version of the Missale Romanum prior to the Council, which was published with the authority of Pope John XXIII in 1962 and used during the Council will now be able to be used as a Forma extraordinaria of
15762-456: The new priests with an irregularity that could theoretically prevent them from saying Mass. The next day, 1 July 1976, the Press Office of the Holy See declared that following canon 2373 of the then Code of Canon Law, Lefebvre was automatically suspended for one year from conferring ordination and that those whom he had ordained were automatically suspended from exercising the order received. It
15904-490: The newly formed group, and in 1971 the first 24 candidates entered, followed by a further 32 in October 1972. Normally, after a suitable period of experience and consultation with the Holy See , a bishop would raise a pia unio to official status at the diocesan level. Lefebvre attempted to bypass this stage and contacted three different Holy See departments to secure early recognition for his society. He successfully obtained
16046-462: The old Mass to be celebrated in their dioceses, the cardinal said such cases were few. He also met with Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor and, according to a statement issued by the English cardinal's office, "Cardinal Castrillón expressed his gratitude to his fellow cardinal for the generous way which the bishops of England and Wales had responded to an indult from Pope Paul VI allowing traditionalists to celebrate
16188-436: The old rite and for their reception of Pope Benedict's motu proprio ". Various advocates for the Tridentine Mass voiced cautious optimism for the future and prepared for the practical aspects of the decision. In a statement, The Latin Mass Society of Ireland said: "We are very grateful to the Pope for enriching the life of the Church in this way and for enhancing legitimate liturgical diversity. In doing this Pope Benedict
16330-434: The opening words of the ( Latin ) original text: Summorum Pontificum . " Supreme Pontiff " is a title of the popes, and the opening sentence states that it has always been a concern "of the Supreme Pontiffs" that the Church should offer fitting worship to God. Pope Benedict XVI released the document after "much reflection, numerous consultations, and prayer". In article 1 of the document, he spoke of "the typical edition of
16472-404: The opportunity to learn the forma extraordinaria of the Roman Rite. 27. With regard to the disciplinary norms connected to celebration, the ecclesiastical discipline contained in the Code of Canon Law of 1983 applies. 28. Furthermore, by virtue of its character of special law, within its own area, the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum derogates from those provisions of law, connected with
16614-490: The parish priest or Ordinary, in agreement with the qualified priest, should find some arrangement favourable to the good of souls, not excluding the possibility of a repetition of the celebration of the Sacred Triduum in the same church. On 16 July 2021, Pope Francis issued a motu proprio entitled Traditionis custodes and an accompanying letter that replaced the conditions delineated by Summorum Pontificum for
16756-593: The people, either the older (1962) or the newer (1970) form of the Roman Rite, even if they are also authorized to use another Latin liturgical rite , such as the Ambrosian Rite . It does not apply to priests of the Eastern Catholic Churches . It concerns only the Roman Rite and does not deal with use of older forms of other Latin liturgical rites, which is a matter for the authorities charged with regulating those rites. With letter 13/2007 of 20 January 2010
16898-539: The plan drawn up by this Congregation for worldwide sharing of clergy." Cardinal Wright was still recommending prospective seminarians to apply to Écône as late as 1973. The establishment of the SSPX was unwelcome to some churchmen, most notably the French bishops, whose theological outlook differed from Lefebvre's, and who had important connections with the Holy See Cardinal Secretary of State, Jean-Marie Villot . According to one defender of Lefebvre, at
17040-436: The prayer in the 1962 Missal with a newly composed prayer that makes no mention of blindness or darkness. In a 2008 interview in during his flight to France, Benedict XVI said Summorum Pontificum "is merely an act of tolerance, with a pastoral aim, for those people who were brought up with this liturgy , who love it, are familiar with it and want to live with this liturgy. They form a small group, because this presupposes
17182-550: The priesthood only at the hands of non-SSPX bishops, regarded by Lefebvre as unreliable and unorthodox. In June 1987, Lefebvre announced his intention to consecrate a successor to the episcopacy. He implied that he intended to do this with or without the approval of the Holy See . In the Catholic Church, a bishop requires the mandate of the Pope if he is to consecrate a bishop, and an unauthorized consecration automatically incurs excommunication . Earlier, Pope Pius XII , in his encyclical Ad Apostolorum principis , had described
17324-469: The question of the necessary requirements for a priest to be held idoneus ("qualified") to celebrate in the forma extraordinaria, the following is hereby stated: 21. Ordinaries are asked to offer their clergy the possibility of acquiring adequate preparation for celebrations in the forma extraordinaria . This applies also to Seminaries, where future priests should be given proper formation, including study of Latin and, where pastoral needs suggest it,
17466-479: The reform of 1970. ... People will be able to more clearly see the growth and progress we have realized since Vatican II, while at the same time preserving the rich heritage and legacy of the Church." The Bishops' Conference of Scotland said in a statement that the document "reflects the pastoral concern" of Benedict XVI "for those who find themselves drawn to that form of the Eucharistic celebration, ...
17608-434: The retired Bishop of Campos dos Goytacazes , Brazil , assisted in the ceremony. Those consecrated as Bishops were: Bernard Fellay , Bernard Tissier de Mallerais , Alfonso de Galarreta , and Richard Williamson . The following day, the Congregation for Bishops issued a decree declaring that Archbishop Lefebvre and the four newly ordained bishops had incurred the automatic canonical penalty of excommunication reserved to
17750-467: The rituals which nourished the faithful for centuries and at "coming to an interior reconciliation in the heart of the Church" with Traditionalist Catholics in disagreement with the Holy See , such as the members of the Society of St. Pius X . He stated that, while it had first been thought that interest in the Tridentine Mass would disappear with the older generation that had grown up with it, some young persons too have "felt its attraction and found in it
17892-413: The sacramental activity of bishops who had been consecrated without papal approval as "gravely illicit, that is, criminal and sacrilegious". The Roman authorities were grieved by Lefebvre's plan, but they began discussions with him and the SSPX, which led to the signing, on 5 May 1988, of a skeleton agreement between Lefebvre and Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of
18034-430: The sacraments according to the old form. The Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei , whose role the document confirmed, was given authority to ensure observance of the rules laid down in the document. Stable groups of the kind mentioned in article 5 whose parish priest does not grant them their request should inform the diocesan bishop, who is asked to satisfy their desire. If he does not wish to do so, they should inform
18176-404: The sacred Rites, promulgated from 1962 onwards and incompatible with the rubrics of the liturgical books in effect in 1962. 33. If there is a qualified priest, a coetus fidelium ("group of faithful") which follows the older liturgical tradition can also celebrate the Sacred Triduum in the forma extraordinaria . When there is no church or oratory designated exclusively for such celebrations,
18318-454: The same excommunication latae sententiae excommunication applies to an apostate, a heretic , or a schismatic. The Pope instituted the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei to assist those who had been associated with Archbishop Lefebvre but who wished "to remain united to the Successor of Peter in the Catholic Church, while preserving their spiritual and liturgical traditions, in the light of
18460-437: The society's insistence that the teachings of the Second Vatican Council on ecumenism , religious liberty , and collegiality are inconsistent with Catholic teaching and doctrine, a claim that the Holy See views as unacceptable, but recent discussions have indicated the possibility of an understanding. In an interview on 4 March 2017 with DICI, the official news organ of the society, Bishop Bernard Fellay stated: Whether it
18602-407: The society's superior general during 1983–1994, said that their report was favourable. However, the seminarians and staff at Écône were shocked by some liberal theological opinions expressed by the two priests. In what he later described as a mood of "doubtlessly excessive indignation", Lefebvre wrote a declaration denouncing what he considered liberal trends "clearly evident" in the council and in
18744-574: The society. Worldwide, there are an estimated 600,000 people who attend SSPX Mass centres. Like Traditionalist Catholicism in general, the SSPX was born out of opposition to changes in the Catholic Church that followed the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965). The founder and central figure of the society was the French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre , who had served the Catholic Church as Apostolic Delegate for French-speaking Africa, Archbishop of Dakar , and Superior General of
18886-485: The subsequent reforms. This document was leaked and published in January 1975, in the French Traditionalist Catholic journal Itinéraires . Lefebvre was in serious difficulties. In January 1975, Bishop Pierre Mamie of Fribourg wrote to Rome stating his intention to withdraw the pia unio status that his predecessor had granted. In the same month, Lefebvre was summoned to the Vatican, meeting with
19028-455: The two editions of the Roman Missal. In the history of the liturgy there is growth and progress, but no rupture. What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too, and it cannot be all of a sudden entirely forbidden or even considered harmful. It behooves all of us to preserve the riches which have developed in the Church's faith and prayer, and to give them their proper place." He continued by demanding recognition also of
19170-450: The unique expression of the lex orandi of the Roman Rite". This changes the position of the Mass of Paul VI from the "ordinary" expression of the Roman Rite to the only current expression. On 29 June 2022, Pope Francis's motu proprio Desiderio desideravi was released. In it, Francis explained he published Traditionis custodes because some people accepted Vatican II but rejected
19312-625: The use of the Latin Mass in the days prior to Easter, which addresses the reference in the Good Friday liturgy concerning the Jews. [...] However, it is still not clear that this qualification applies to all situations and we have called on the Vatican to contradict the negative implications that some in the Jewish community and beyond have drawn concerning the motu proprio . In response to such continued complaints, Pope Benedict XVI in 2008 replaced
19454-422: Was also announced that the Holy See was examining Lefebvre's disobedience to the Pope's orders. On 11 July 1976, Lefebvre signed a certificate of receipt of a letter from Cardinal Sebastiano Baggio , Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops , intimating that further penalties would be imposed per canon 2331 §1 of the then Code of Canon Law concerning obstinate disobedience to legitimate precepts or prohibitions of
19596-497: Was celebrated by Bishop Fellay, and Huonder was buried at the International Seminary of Saint Pius X in Écône next to the tomb of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre . Huonder's successor, Bishop Joseph Maria Bonnemain , attended the funeral, but did not take part in the celebration, due to the irregular canonical situation of the SSPX. Bishop Bernard Tissier de Mallerais , another of the Bishops illicitely consecrated by Lefebvre, suffered
19738-714: Was consulted by Pope Benedict during the process, said in a statement of the SSPX Superior General Bernard Fellay that it "extends its deep gratitude to the Sovereign Pontiff [Benedict] for this great spiritual benefit" and "rejoices to see the Church thus regain her liturgical Tradition, and give the possibility of a free access to the treasure of the Traditional Mass ... (for those) who had so far been deprived of it". The Society, however, points out that "difficulties still remain". It wishes that
19880-450: Was done by the Church's leaders to maintain or regain reconciliation and unity" and "omissions on the part of the Church have had their share of blame for the fact that these divisions were able to harden." However, he pointed out, in the same cover letter, that, "needless to say, in order to experience full communion, the priests of the communities adhering to the former usage cannot, as a matter of principle, exclude celebrating according to
20022-435: Was most displeased. Last week he hit back with a 'commentary' on Summorum Pontificum . According to Murphy-O'Connor, the ruling leaves the power of local bishops untouched. In fact, it removes the bishops' power to block the ancient liturgy; the cardinal is misrepresenting its contents." Thompson believed that Pope Benedict had a low opinion of the English bishops, and on 5 November 2007 suggested that three of them were in
20164-513: Was warmly received by the SSPX: "The Society of Saint Pius X appreciates Bishop Huonder’s courageous decision and rejoices to be able to provide him with the spiritual and priestly surroundings that he desires so deeply. May this example be followed by others, so as to 'restore everything in Christ'." Bishop Huonder died on 3 April 2024 at the age of 81, following serious illness. His funeral Mass on 17 April
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