Posted on 04/21/2012 11:20:43 PM PDT by Publius804
A breakaway group of traditionalist Catholics may be on the verge of returning into full communion with Rome, bringing a 24-year rift to an end and fulfilling a key goal of Benedict XVI’s pontificate.
Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi told journalists April 18 that the Society of St. Pius X had taken an encouraging “step forward” by clarifying its response to a “doctrinal preamble,” a Vatican document that has become the basis of any reconciliation.
The society insisted “a step and not a conclusion” had been reached and stressed its clarifications, submitted by the society’s superior general, Bishop Bernard Fellay, must now be examined by the Vatican and the Pope.
“We are all praying and hoping for reconciliation,” said Toni Brandi, a worshiper at an SSPX church in Rome. “Most members want it and we don’t think Fellay will make any compromises.”
Some Catholics and members of the society remain pessimistic, however, seeing the society in particular as unable to make necessary sacrifices, and internally split. They also argue that such hopes for reconciliation have emerged before, only to be dashed at the last minute.
The society, founded by French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre in 1969, broke away from Rome over the Second Vatican Council reforms of the 1960s. The council helped foster warmer relations with members of other faiths and Christian denominations, and allowed celebration of the Mass in languages other than Latin.
But the SSPX believes that the council’s declarations on religious freedom, ecumenism, interreligious dialogue and the liturgy, have represented a surrender to modernity that has wreaked havoc on the faithful. The consequence, they argue, has been a crisis of faith that has led to a collapse in vocations and Church attendance in the West, and the adoption of modern, irreverent liturgical practices.
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Ping!
Is this another recent sign of the Catholic church moving right?
What was the other one or two in the last couple of months?
Will this have an effect in America?
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“Is this another recent sign of the Catholic church moving right?”
The Catholic Church moves neither right nor left, in the manner you mean. Not politics. It’s moving toward the salvation of souls. Different direction altogether, since it is not of the world, with it’s mind so much upon it, as it is in this world, with it’s mind upon the next.
“What was the other one or two in the last couple of months?” Hmm? I’m sorry, but I do not underatand.
“Will this have an effect in America?” Yes. If the Holy Father accepts the changes in the papers presented, one of the most likely possibilities would be what is termed a personal prelature, or possibly an ordinariate. Others know far more about that than I. But yes, ansel12, if the SSPX is regularized, the process will be valid worldwide. If, by your question (and I’m justing guessing here), you mean, will all the rest of the priests, brothers, deacons begin to be more traditional? In all honesty, no, although that is to be wished for.
Overall, if this happens, it is a great benefit to the Church.
“Is this another recent sign of the Catholic church moving right?”
No. It cannot move left or right since those are American political considerations and not part of the gospel.
This is a sign that the SSPX is undergoing an epiphany.
I think the other — which started in Advent — was the return to an older missal’s translations of the Mass. Most of the words match up with the 1966 Missal. Now that’s for the English Novus Ordo Mass. It’s become quieter, more reverent, and more meaningful.
It’s wonderful to watch.
Yes, the pendulum had swung to the far left, but noe is going back to the right.
A couple more factors — maybe five or six years ago (time flies) the Vatican sent teams to inspect the seminaries, and now the seminaries have moved to the right and are bulging with want-to-be priests.
Just this last week an announcement was made that a team will be visiting the women’s religious convents and doing a similar study. I expent convents to be bulging in ten years or so when all the nuns are wearing habits and following the rules.
We’ll have to wait and see on that one.
Something is right and left, because Catholics have always been a very solid democrat vote for instance Obama in 2008 which meant a vote for abortion, homosexuality, against guns, for immigration, feminism, unions, etc, etc.
Does any of this mean that the Catholic vote will be moving right?
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