Card. Castrillon: Bp. Fellay recognized Vatican II

The johnny-on-the-spot site Rorate has two good pieces you would do well to look at.

First, there is an entry called Cardinal Castrillón: Relevant declarations to Corriere della Sera   Also check Corriere.

Here is a salient point or two:

The Holy See did not know about SSPX Bp. Williamson’s interview with a Swedish TV station in which he spoke about the Holocaust.

Also… and this is HUGE…. HUGE:

Full communion will come. In our discussions, Bishop Fellay recognized the Second Vatican Council, he recognized it theologically. Only a few difficulties remain…

It is precisely about these difficulties that we must pray.  We must pray that people of good will can disagree about points which are not clear and still remain in unity.

Also check out New Fellay interview: "The eventual separations will be minimal"

Key points:

 

Did you expect, Your Excellency, this removal of the excommunication concerning you?

[Fellay:] I expected it since 2005,…

 

After that he dodges around a little, I think mostly for the hard-line followers, but his intention is clear enough.

It is the beginning of something, which had already begun with the Motu proprio [Summorum Pontificum]. I think that the Pope appreciates the work that we do.

And,

In this development, this movement, some have held that you departed too late. Do you believe today that others, especially inside the Fraternity of Saint Pius X, may hold that you are departing too soon?

I cannot rule out everything, but, in case there are separations, they will be extremely minimal.

And more importantly:

 

[Fellay] Up to now, our roadmap has been to clarify first the doctrinal problems – even if it does not mean settling everything, but obtaining a sufficient clarification – or we risk doing things incompletely. Or it may end up badly.

And do you believe that, beyond Rome, your contacts will intensify?

[Fellay] It is the goal, as I explained in Rome, by saying that the situation, as we propose it, is certainly temorary, but it is pacifying, and that it will allow all souls of good will to catch up. This will thus be done gradually. And this will also depend on the reaction on the other side. But there is no a priori, the only a priori is that of Truth and of Charity.

 

As I have been writing repeatedly for day… people of good will ought to be able to disagree on things which are not absolutely clear and still remain in union.   We need a sufficient agreement, not perfect agreement.

This is one of those situation in which we must not let the perfect be the enemy of the good!

Also, anyone truly interesting in the Truth, must be willing to sit and discuss in Charity.

I am very glad for what I have read here.

 

 

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15 Comments

  1. puella says:

    Deo gratias!!! God be praised for His blessings and graces!!!

  2. Gravitas says:

    I’m almost shocked at how cool the both of them are about it and how confident they are that full communion will come soon.

    God willing.

  3. This is just another great example of what humble submission to Rome can achieve.
    wonderful.

  4. Christopher Sarsfield says:

    I wonder if they have adopted the “Feeneyite” solution, ie get Rome to admit that your theology is orthodox, and is not contradicted by Vatican II, then work like heck to convince people of your position. Certainly, the Feeneyites would have preferred to be told by Rome that they are right, but realistically the best they could get was you are orthodox.

  5. Paul says:

    Fr. this is more good news

  6. Sid says:

    Is it time to start chilling some bubbly?

  7. TJM says:

    Very good news, indeed. The Church can only be strengthened in its mission by welcoming back such strong men devoted to the Church and its Sacred Tradition. Deo Gratias, Tom

  8. Ottaviani says:

    The SSPX have always accepted that Vatican II was an actual council that was validly convoked by a pope. Just look at “Open Letter to Confused Catholics” by Arcbishop Lefebvre. It’s the silly “Catholic” media that have made a living of insinuating that the SSPX deny a historical fact!

  9. Bos Mutus says:

    I recently acquired Fr. Vincent Twomey, SVD,’s book on Benedict as the “Conscience of our Age.” (Ignatius, 2007.) In it, Fr. Twomey relates a story that while during his dissertation, for whom then-Bp. Ratzinger was director, the professor gently asked the candidate about the progress on his thesis (as if to nudge the seven-year old effort to conclusion). Fr. Twomey remarked that he thought there was still work to be done, and Ratzinger responded “Nur Mut zur Luecke” (Have the courage to leave some gaps). “In other words,” as Fr. Twomey says, “be courageous enough to be imperfect.”

    This Ratzingerian principle seems to be exactly what is behind the reconciliations efforts. God be Praised!

  10. brian says:

    IF this is good enough for the fathers of Vat II its good enough for us. As far as I am aware nothing was declared doctrinally binding at Vat II. THere were no new dogmas just pastoral admonitions.

    “Taking conciliar custom into consideration and also the pastoral purpose of the present Council, the sacred Council defines as binding on the Church only those things in matters of faith and morals which it shall openly declare to be binding.”

    Council appendix to Lumen Gentium of Vatican II

    ‘NOTIFICATIONES’ GIVEN BY THE SECRETARY GENERAL
    OF THE COUNCIL AT THE 123rd GENERAL CONGREGATION,
    NOVEMBER 16, 1964

  11. brian says:

    NOTES

    Preface

    1. The Pastoral Constitution “De Ecclesia in Mundo Huius Temporis” is made up of two parts; yet it constitutes an organic unity. By way of explanation: the constitution is called “pastoral” because, while resting on doctrinal principles, it seeks to express the relation of the Church to the world and modern mankind. The result is that, on the one hand, a pastoral slant is present in the first part, and, on the other hand, a doctrinal slant is present in the second part. In the first part, the Church develops her teaching on man, on the world which is the enveloping context of man’s existence, and on man’s relations to his fellow men. In part two, the Church gives closer consideration to various aspects of modern life and human society; special consideration is given to those questions and problems which, in this general area, seem to have a greater urgency in our day. As a result in part two the subject matter which is viewed in the light of doctrinal principles is made up of diverse elements. Some elements have a permanent value; others, only a transitory one. Consequently, the constitution must be interpreted according to the general norms of theological interpretation. Interpreters must bear in mind-especially in part two-the changeable circumstances which the subject matter, by its very nature, involves.

  12. Mark says:

    Vatican II by its religious liberty documents inherently denies Jesus Christ. Those documents imply that other religions lead one to salvation. When Jesus taught in John 14:6 Jesus saith to him: I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father, but by me.

    Thus to accept Vatican II religious liberty means that you are denying this teaching of Jesus Christ in John 14:6. If ones denies a teaching of Christ then they are against Christ or in other words they are anti-christ.

    1Jo 2:22 Who is a liar, but he who denieth that Jesus is the Christ? This is Antichrist, who denieth the Father and the Son.

    Accepting Vatican II is therefore going against Jesus Christ’s teaching and thus is anti-christ.

  13. Kevin says:

    The declaration on religious freedom appears to
    subordinate Christianity to law, when in fact the
    obligation to obey the law is a moral one, and morality
    is defined by the Church.

    A Christian government cannot
    compel attendance at Sunday Mass, but it must compel
    obedience to the law, which will have a Christian
    content, including the prohibition of blasphemy.
    Otherwise, a political vacuum is created that would
    appear to be most easily filled by Liberalism, which,
    from the perspective of Christian Truth, permits both
    good and evil (either through decriminalisation or
    the watering down of punishment).

  14. I was happy to hear that the Pius x Society will join the Roman Catholic Church once again. Now we need all Catholics to become ONE! There have been many good and knowledgabel people from the Protestant Denomenations come into the Catholic Church in the past decade. May we all become ONE in the near future! Sincerely in Christ, Magdalen

  15. tHIS IS GOOD NEWS! May we all be One; Catholic and Protestant, very soon! Magdalen

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