Posted on 06/10/2010 9:42:53 AM PDT by NYer
BERLIN — The controversial Society of St. Pius X plans to consecrate three priests June 26 in Germany, a move the local bishop called a "provocation" that could upend a tentative peace with the Vatican.
The conservative society, which rejects many of the Catholic Church's modernizing reforms, has long had a difficult relationship with the Vatican. A decision to consecrate four bishops against the orders of Pope John Paul II in 1988 led to excommunications that were lifted in 2009.
The Vatican was deeply embarrassed after one of the rehabilitated bishops, Richard Williamson, turned out to be a vocal denier of the Holocaust.
Regensburg Bishop Gerhard Ludwig Mueller, in whose diocese the ordination for three deacons from Sweden, the Czech Republic and Italy is set to occur, said that until the group's status is clarified, any such ceremonies should "only be attempted with clear direction and permission from the pope."
Ping!
I thought the problem was the consecration of Bishops, not the consecration of Priests.
That's speculation on that bishop's part. I'm sure that issue has been discussed at the meetings that have been taking place between the Vatican and the SSPX.
You’d think the Church would have better things to concentrate on than the Society of Pius X. Let them do their thing.
Are these folks stuck on stupid?
They can’t consecrate anyone until their ordinations are sorted out.
And yes, until they are recognised as Bishops, they can’t consecrate priests.
Uh, there is no SSPX anymore. :)
That’s the problem.
Well, they’re3 still functioning as if they were. This is the LeFebvre group no?
They may not ordain priests without the approval of Rome and before its official status is clarified. They did the same thing last year in June: SSPX to ordain new priests despite Vatican warning
Yes, but they agreed to rejoin with the RC church. That was their choice, and they need to abide with what the RC church needs for them to do. This means no consecrations.
They keep saying, “their order will die if they don’t,” but they completely miss the point. You have no order anymore. You’ve given that up. Now the Pope decides what status you have and where you’ll go and where you serve. It would be to his wisdom to consecrate all of them properly and then reassign.
Oh! I see! Thanks!
It’s Bishop Williamson, btw.
Oy vey. Why does this continue?
He has the right to object and invoke penalties, but you’re right
Are the bishops that are going to do the ordination among those consecrated irregularly by Archbishop Lefevbre, or are they themselves regularly consecrated prior to the 1988 constroversy?
Apparently because nobody can charge them with any error.
Huh?
The four bishops of the SSPX are valid bishops - however, despite the lifting of their excommunications, they remain suspended a divinis. Therefore any Sacramental actions that they perform are illicit, and any priests that they ordain are automatically suspended a divinis.
Even so - their new deacons really are deacons, their new priests really are priests. Were they to go and consecrate one or more new bishops the new bishops would be validly bishops - though that would be the end of any discussions and would mean (re-)excommunication for any of the bishops involved.
The only exception for the licety of a Sacrament would be Confession for one in grave danger of death - which any priest (even a laicized priest or a validly ordained non-Catholic priest) can administer both licitly and validly.
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