One of the Society of St Pius X [SSPX] "Claims" Examined
"Rome Speaks in re Murray
"In May 1997, Norbert Brunner, Bishop of Sion in Switzerland - the diocese where the seminary founded by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre for his Society of St. Pius X is located - issued a request for Vatican clarification of the canonical status of the SSPX. He received responses, published in the French periodical La Documentation Catholique, from the Congregation for Bishops and from the Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts. "In a short statement, the Congregation for Bishops concluded that "participation at their [SSPX] celebrations is objectively illicit because they are not in full communion with the Church, and they are a source of grave scandal and of division of the ecclesial community." It went on to say that the assistance of the faithful [at Society Masses] is not authorized except in cases of true necessity." "However, "those who participate occasionally AND without the intention of adhering formally to the positions of the Lefebvre community towards the Holy Father do not incur the penalty of excommunication." "The Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts went into somewhat more detail. It explicitly mentioned the thesis written by Fr. Gerald Murray for his license in canon law from Rome's Gregorian University (and whose conclusions were discussed in an interview in the Fall 1995 issue of The Latin Mass magazine), but forswore direct discussion of Fr. Murray's work because it remained unpublished and because press accounts about the thesis have been "confused." "Still, the pontifical council addressed itself to many of the central points of the thesis. It stated that "one cannot reasonably place in doubt the validity of the excommunication" of Lefebvre and his bishops, and rejected Fr. Murray's original appeal to canons 1323-1324 (which may) exempt one from latae sententiae excommunication if his actions were taken "by reason of necessity") in Archbishop Lefebvre's defense. It also accepted some points of the Murray thesis. "First, in examining the language the Pope employed in his motu proprio, Ecclesia Dei, the council considered what it means to "adhere formally" to a schismatic movement. According to the council, any judgment regarding adhesion to such a movement must take into account, first of all, that schism is largely of an interior nature. Has the individual freely and consciously adopted an essentially schismatic position? Usually,the council explained, one manifests such an attitude by holding positions contrary to the Magisterium of the Church. "The council went on to concede that "it is possible for a member of the faithful to take part in the liturgical celebrations of the disciples of Lefebvre without thereby taking part in their schismatical spirit." "As for SSPX clergy, the council concluded that their ministerial activity within a schismatic movement constitutes more than ample indication of both an interior and an exterior adhesion to schism. "At the pastoral level, the council emphasized the importance of taking into account the "interior disposition" of each member of the faithful who assists at SSPX Masses.""The Latin Mass" magazine for Winter 1998, p. 8, in it's "The Fact IS..." page, carried the above rebuttal of one of the SSPX deliberate and unrepentant lies contained in one of its' glossy propaganda brochures, "IS THE SOCIETY OF ST PIUS X SCHISMATIC? EXCOMMUNICATED? ROME SAYS NO. CAN ANYONE GO TO THEIR LATIN MASSES? YES." [Emphasis has been added. Ed.] Let us the matter further: Here follows an extract from F. John Loughnan's "THE FLAT EARTH SOCIETY and SSPX TYPE 'TRADITIONALISTS' " EXAMPLES OF "TRADITIONALIST FLAT-EARTHisms"
- The Tridentine Latin Mass is "The TRUE Mass" - the Mass of Paul VI .. (the Novus Ordo) being the false Mass. (5)
- The translation of "Pro Multis" as "for all" (6) possibly ... invalidates the Consecration or, at least protestantized the Mass.
- "We have no relations with those who are OPENLY sedevacantist."(7)
- "We are in communion with ETERNAL Rome and the Popes!" (8)
- We support the "AUTHENTIC magisterium." Many and varied sources. (9)
- Archbishop Lefebvre did NOT sign Dignitatis Humanae and Gaudium et Spes on December 7, 1965. (10)
- We are TRADITIONAL Roman Catholics. Notice that there is always this type of qualification? (11)
- There were Protestants at Vatican II! (12)
- A lie which promotes the cause of the Traditionalist is permissible and good, and should be persevered with despite evidence to the contrary. Let me give a recent example of the latter.
"I see you are still peddling the old lies regarding Count Neri Capponi, Cardinal Lara, Fr. Gerald Murray, etc., concerning their supposed endorsement of the SSPX's position. This, despite, for example, Fr. Murray's demand that Fr. Scott withdraw the brochure upon which he draws his 'arguments.' Dear me! there are none so determined to follow their own way as the schismatic SSPX."
A copy of Fr. Jean Violette's Bulletin for March 1999 was attached to the e-mail together with my reply to the Bulletin. The reply is too long to print here, but it included a copy of Msgr. Camille Perl's letter to me (14), dated October 27, 1998, Protocol N. 343/98, and the following extracts.
"The Pope, the supreme legislator declared, in Ecclesia Dei, that Archbishop Lefebvre and the four bishops consecrated by him 'have incurred the grave penalty of excommunication' - that they were NOT in communion with him; that 'formal adherence to the schism carries the penalty of excommunication.' This most recent communication from the appropriate authority should not be lightly dismissed by the SSPX and 'those who adhere to the schism.'
"Fr. Violette's response consisted almost entirely in a repetition of the propaganda contained in the glossy SSPX brochure 'IS THE SOCIETY OF ST PIUS X SCHISMATIC? EXCOMMUNICATED? ROME SAYS NO. CAN ANYONE GO TO THEIR LATIN MASSES? YES' (15) That the propaganda had been repudiated as lies and distortion by Cardinal Lara, Count Neri Capponi, Fr. Gerald E. Murray and Professor Geringer (some of the misrepresented persons) (16) made no difference to Fr. Violette - as it makes no difference to most adherents to the Society! Fr. Violette cannot claim ignorance - the evidence has been provided to him.
"For example: Part of the evidence produced to Fr. Violette (and some other SSPXers) was a copy of Fr. Gerald E. Murray's letter of June 14, 1996 to Fr. Peter R. Scott, USA District Superior, from which, for the sake of brevity (17), I extract the following summary:
The complete letter of refutation from Fr. Murray to Fr. Scott was provided to Mr Taouk (webmaster of the aforementioned site), together with further evidence of the SSPX lies. (19) It is here, as in other places, that the Flat-Earth syndrome is visible. I might add here that part of the evidence was provided by Mr. John Beaumont (who, when he wrote the article exposing the truth regarding the misrepresented parties in the SSPX glossy brochure, was Principal Lecturer in Law at Leeds Metropolitan University), and Mr. John Walsh (then a history graduate of the University of Leeds and who had then recently completed a Masters Degree in Theology).
Nevertheless, the "Marys Disciples For Jesus" Webmaster responded with an e-mail indicating that I should view his file (20) on "The Case for Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre & The SOCIETY OF SAINT PIUS X." This I did on June 26, 1999. Lo and behold! There it all was AGAIN! All of the propaganda, and more, from the glossy brochure "IS THE SOCIETY OF ST PIUS X SCHISMATIC? EXCOMMUNICATED? ROME SAYS NO. CAN ANYONE GO TO THEIR LATIN MASSES? YES."
FR. GERALD E. MURRAY RESPONDS
In an endeavour to be as accurate as possible, I e-mailed a three page letter to Fr. Murray on July 6, 1999. Extracts follow: "Despite your letter (to Fr. Peter Scott), the SSPX continues to use your name and of the others to spread their propaganda. An example is the following letter:" (The example was Fr. Jean Violette's letter of November 20, in which he quoted verbatim all of the propaganda from the glossy brochure). "I replied to Fr. Violette in most uncertain terms, fully quoting your letter to Fr Scott. Even at this moment Fr. Scott continues to propagate the contents of the glossy brochure at his web-site in the USA - http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Oracle/9463/noschism.html under the heading: 'Archbishop Lefebvre: NOT GUILTY.'
"A further very recent reproduction of the 'glossy brochure' material has appeared on an Australian site run by a (former?) Maronite clone of the SSPX, who also promotes Fr. M.E. Morrison (who, Fr. Peter Scott alleges, is an Old Catholic posing as a Catholic priest) and a Fr. Paolo Rosari (of unknown pedigree). The site is: was=http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Rhodes/3543/Lefebv.html"
Are you able to tell me Father:
- Did you ever receive a satisfactory response from Fr. Scott to your letter of June 14, 1996?
- Do you have any material on the matter for further study?
- No doubt you are aware of the Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts Annexe to Prot. N. 5233/96, relative to The Excommunication of Followers of Archbishop Lefebvre? And of the comment (from, I think it is the UK Canon Law Society), in which your thesis is mentioned? It, too, is viewable on Bill Grossklas' web-site at http://home.earthlink.net/~grossklas/ecclesia.htm#THE EXCOMMUNICATION OF FOLLOWERS OF ARCHBISHOP LEFEBVRE.
- Do you have an updated opinion on the matter of the schism of the SSPX?
- If you are able to comment further, can I quote you?
Some Footnotes from "The Flat Earth Society and the Society of St Pius X"
5. SOME STATEMENTS BY SSPX OFFICERS- "All these (pre-Pope John XXIII) Popes have resisted the union of the Church with the revolution; it is an adulterous union and from such a union only bastards can come. The rite of the new mass is a bastard rite, the sacraments are bastard sacraments. We no longer know if they are sacraments which give grace or do not give it. The priests coming out of the seminaries are bastard priests, who do not know what they are. They are unaware that they are made to go up to the altar, to offer the sacrifice of Our Lord Jesus Christ and to give Jesus Christ to souls." ("An Open Letter To Confused Catholics," by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, Fowler Wright Books Ltd. for The Society of St Pius X, p.116, 1986).
- "There is a kind of parallel between the Novus Ordo Missae and the new Rites of Ordination. The same Vatican II spirit has inspired both. Even the consecration of Bishops are sometimes a fantasy. I can say this with certainty. We have numerous cases today where even all the Seven Sacraments are invalid." (Interview of Bp Bernard Fellay Melbourne, March 1, 1994, by Silvester Donald McLean for "Catholic." Published April 1994).
- "Instead of signing useless petitions all those who want the traditional mass should join our ranks and show Rome a united front and boycott the new mass, the new clergy, in fine, this new religion... One of the conditions for the granting of the 'favour' is that the new mass be recognised as being as good as the traditional Mass... THIS INDULT IS AN INSULT. IT IS NOT FOR US... we do not accept the new mass as lawful... an adulterous union with its bastard fruits... we want the concubine gone... we hope and pray... for the condemnation and total disappearance of the new mass... the traditional mass... IS THE ONLY FORM OF WORSHIP ACCEPTABLE TO GOD. The new mass is not." (Fr Jean Violette, Letter to Faithful, August 27, 1994)
- This was followed up with quotations from Archbishop Lefebvre of unstated date: Regarding "...our enemies on the other side... celebrating the Tridentine Mass... THEY ARE BETRAYING US... they are doing the devil's work." (Fr Jean Violette, Letter to Faithful, October 7, 1994)
- "As to 'conservative' Catholics: '...to associate in friendship or solidarity with them is implicitly to betray the Catholic Faith...'" (Fr Jean Violette, Letter to Faithful, November 1, 1994)
- "...the fact that I refuse to cooperate with the Ecclesia Dei people... the Society of St. Peter or Dom Gerard... I want nothing to do with them either... the Ecclesia Dei movement here in Australia... they must also agree that the new mass is good... and most of them accept the excommunication of Archbishop Lefebvre..." [Fr Jean Violette, Letter to F.J.Loughnan, Jan. 21, 1995]
- "Mr Pickford says: 'The Pope, the bishops in union with him and the vast majority of Catholics who worship God in a way other than the way employed by the Society are deemed to be in a new religion.' Yes absolutely!..." [Fr Jean Violette, Letter to F.J.Loughnan, January 21, 1995, and Letter to Faithful, Mar. 1, 1995]
- "Mr Pickford says: 'Father Violette establishes his belief that what he holds as true religion is other than what the Catholic Church holds as true religion.' I distinguish; what I hold as the true religion is other than (he actually means "what," F.J.L.) the Catholic Church held up to Pius XII (sic.!!!); I deny, the Catholic Church since Vatican II; I concede."(!!!) . [Fr Jean Violette, Letter to F.J.Loughnan, January 21, 1995. See also his Letter to Faithful of March 1, 1995]
- "...when I said the Novus Ordo is intrinsically evil, what is meant is that the New Mass, as it was published in 1969, objectively, taken in itself, regardless of the priest, and not only the abuses which followed, is bad, is evil." (Fr Jean Violette, Letter to Faithful, October 1996)
- "Regarding the New Mass: '...it is of itself a danger to the faith and is intrinsically evil...I am denying what Mr. Davies says you can't: the New Mass is an official Mass of the Catholic Church.' (That is: Fr. Peek positively affirms that the New Mass is NOT an official Mass of the Catholic Church)." (Fr James Peek, Holy Cross Seminary Bulletin, July 3, 1996)
- and "Our rejection of the Novus Ordo must be absolute; attend it?; only (as) for attending non-catholic functions; (a) sin, if he is aware of (it's) nocivity (sic) If I were ever to say the New Mass, know that I would be committing a mortal sin." (Fr James Peek, Holy Cross Seminary Bulletin, Sept. 18, 1996)
- "The extermination of Jews by the Nazis could only be the doing of an anti-Christian regime. The Church for its part has at all times forbidden and condemned the killing of Jews even when 'their grave defects rendered them odious to the nations among which they were established.' All this makes us think that the Jews are the most active artisans for the coming of antichrist." (Bishop Tissier de Malleraise, "Catholic," May 1997, under the title, "The Jews in Latter Times")
- "(Regarding 'The corruption of the Holy Mass' spoken of by Archbishop Lefebvre in 1988) 'in the majority of churches still operating, it is the abomination of desolation and a mockery of the truth which have replaced the Holy of Holies' " (Bishop Bernard Fellay, Superior General of the Society of St Pius X, Letter To Friends And Benefactors, 25 March 1998 - reproduced in the Holy Cross Seminary Letter To Friends And Benefactors, 1st April, 1998)
- The above "Statements" were forwarded to Rome together with the ROME AND ECONE HANDBOOK for evaluation.
- a) Consider MARY and ROMANS 3: 23 .... "'since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God' [RSV]; 'For all have sinned, and do need the glory of God.' [D/Rheims]. Some people contend that the above verse means that Mary must have sinned." For an examination of the question, refer to: http://members.aol.com/johnprh/index.html
- b) See also Dave Armstrong's file at http://ic.net/~erasmus/RAZ135.HTM "We see Jewish idiom and hyperbole in passages of similar meaning. Jesus says: 'No one is good but God alone. {Lk 18:19; cf. Mt 19:17}' Yet He also said: 'The good person brings good things out of a good treasure....{Mt 12:35; cf. 5:45, 7:17-20, 22:10}'" - and much, much more!
- c) At what point does Transubstantiation occur? .... "The article 'A Bishop Breaks Ranks' was excellent; however, one correction should be made. The article states that a 'rigorous Thomist might find the English Novus Ordo invalid,' presumably because pro multis is incorrectly translated as for all rather than for many.
- "Confusion continues to prevail regarding what St. Thomas actually said in this matter. Apparently, many simply read the first two paragraphs in his response (Pt. III Q. 78 Art. 3) which indicate that all the words down to 'as often as ye shall do this' are of the substance of the form. The paragraph following, however, states:
"'Consequently, it must be said that all the aforesaid words belong to the substance of the form; but that by the first words, "This is the chalice of My blood," the change of the wine into the blood is denoted, as explained above (A. 2) in the form for the consecration of the bread.'
- "Article 2 observes that the change is an instantaneous conversion of being and not a conversion of becoming. The transubstantiation of the wine is not delayed for the five to ten seconds it takes the priest to say the remaining words proper to the form. The conversion occurs when he completes the words 'This is the chalice of My blood.'
- "In Article 1 of the above question, St Thomas states: 'Accordingly it must be held that if the priest were to pronounce only the aforesaid words [This is My Body, or, This is the chalice of My Blood] with the intention of consecrating this sacrament, this sacrament would be valid'
- "St Thomas notes that it is a grave disorder for the priest not to use all the words of consecration; however, it is abundantly clear that an incorrect translation of pro multis does not make the Mass invalid." Don L. Flynn, Bothell, WA. Published in "The Latin Mass," Fall 1997, p.6.
8. [Don't believe what the Pope or his dicasteries say about SSPX excommunications - Do believe US when we say] "WE are in communion with ETERNAL Rome / the Popes!" (Various SSPX / adherents' unilateral protestations.)
9. For example: The Traditional Poor Clare Capuchins at Boardman, OH, USA. They have no connection with the Catholic Poor Clares. In fact, their web-site links ( http://www.rc.net/spc ) shows them to be linked with the schismatic Duarte Costa / Taylor line and the schismatic and sedevacantist Thuc / Dolan line, and the reluctant (?) Old Catholic posing as Traditional Roman Catholic Fr. M. E. Morrison - respectively at http://www.netministries.org/see/churches/ch07965 http://home.earthlink.net/7ecantj59/index.html and http://www.traditio.com
10. In THE LATIN MASS of Spring 1997, Fr. Harrison referred to "members and supporters of the Society of St Pius X (having) resorted to the most convoluted hermeneutical acrobatics and bizarre conspiracy theories in order to explain away the conclusive documentary evidence" that Archbishop Lefebvre did, in fact, sign Dignitatis Humanae and Gaudium et Spes on December 7, 1965 - having "in a moment of submissiveness, subjected his own judgment to that of Peter and, added his signature to the documents, thereby sharing in their promulgation (but that) after the Council he quickly reverted to his total opposition to these documents, especially Dignitatis Humanae." Refer: http://www.freeyellow.com/members3/matt1618/Execrabilis.html
11. Anyone can claim anything. I can tell you that I am young, rich and handsome. The truth is to the contrary! Example #1 The American Traditional Catholic Church web-site is at http://www.atcc.com They are Old Catholics. Example #2 The Traditional Roman Catholic Church web-site is at http://netministries.org/see/churches/ch06827 It is a church of the line of the schismatic Bp. Carlos Duarte Costa of Brazil, who was excommunicated by the Vatican in the 1940's. There is a bishop of his line in Australia, Bishop Roderick Gow, who established The Australian Catholic Church in 1992.
12. From: "On the Validity of the Mass of Paul VI" Copyright - 1994 by Ed Faulk http://www.christusrex.org/www1/CDHN/valmass.html "Protestants at Vatican II This is an interesting charge. Yes, there were Protestants at Vatican II as official observers only. However, at Trent the Protestants were to have a voice! In a Decree from Trent at the 13th Session we see that the decision regarding Communion under both species is delayed until the Protestants from Germany can come and be heard. In fact, there is a 'safe-conduct' pass that is granted to Protestants included in the documentation for Trent. In that 'safe-conduct' it says the Protestants 'shall enjoy full liberty to confer, make proposals and discuss those things that are to be discussed in the Council; to come freely and safely to the Council, to remain and sojourn there and to propose therein, in writing as well as orally, as many articles as may seem good to them, to deliberate with the Fathers or with those who may have been chosen by the Council and without any abuse and contumely dispute with them; they may also depart when they please.' We should point out that due to circumstances they never arrived." *
* Perhaps they remembered the safe-conduct pass given by the Emperor Sigismund to John Hus to attend the Council of Constance. Three weeks after his arrival at Constance, in November, 1414, he was imprisoned. At his trial in June, 1416, "he was not permitted to speak freely in his own defense, nor allowed to have a defender. He was burned on 6 July." Chambers Biographical Dictionary, edited by Magnus Magnusson. 1990. (F.J.L.).
13. http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Rhodes/3543
14. Viewable at http://freeyellow.com/members3/matt1618/schism.html - being an exchange of letters to Cardinal Ratzinger and the response from Msgr Camille Perl, Secretary of Ecclesia Dei.
15. Viewable still (in essence) on Fr. Peter Scott's "Regina Coeli" web-site at http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Oracle/9463/noschism.html
16. a) http://home.earthlink.net/~grossklas/vanishin.htm "The Story Of The Vanishing Schism: The Strange Case of Cardinal Lara" by John Beaumont and John Walsh. Fidelity Magazine, March, 1994.
b) http://home.earthlink.net/~grossklas/castillo.htm "The Vanishing Schism Revisited: Will The Real Cardinal Castillo Lara Please Stand Up (Again)?," by John Beaumont. Fidelity Magazine, November 1996.
17. The complete letter from Fr. Murray is viewable at http://home.earthlink.net/~grossklas/section10.htm#caughtinthelie - being a letter from Fr. Gerald Murray to Fr. Scott to protest "misstatements and misquotations, by the Society, of remarks he made to Latin Mass magazine in its Fall 1995 issue."
18. December 12, 1998 letter from Fr. Violette to F. John Loughnan.
19. Being a portion of articles by John Beaumont and John Welsh as outlined in footnote 16a) above.
20. http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Rhodes/3543/Lefebv.htm
Pontificia Commissio "Ecclesia Dei"
N. 343/98
27 October 1998
F. John Loughnan
etc.
Dear Mr Loughnan
We wish to acknowledge receipt of your document, Statements and Allegations Made By Some Australian Members of The Society of St. Pius X, which you sent to His Eminence Cardinal Ratzinger for evaluation. It has been transmitted to this Pontifical Commission as dealing with matters that come within our particular competence.
First of all, we thank God that you have been able to be sufficiently objective about the claims of the Society of St. Pius X to leave it and return to full communion with the Church. We recognize that this has been a long journey for you and your wife and we trust that all that you have experienced has helped you to be a better Catholic, aware of the wounds of the Church in its members on earth, but even more conscious of its indefectibility.
You will have noted that we are that very Pontifical Commission referred to in Father Jean Violette's letter to you of 21 January 1995 as made up of "liberals, modernists who have infiltrated the positions of authority in the Church and who are using their authority to do away with Tradition..." We trust that you will now understand that this is not a fair description of us or of our often difficult and delicate work.
We will now attempt to address ourselves to your questions in the order in which you have raised them.
- The Pope is the supreme legislator in the Church. In an Apostolic Letter which he issued motu proprio (on his own initiative) he declared that 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). Those mentioned above who are still living and have not asked pardon from the Church for the ill which they have caused are still under the censure of excommunication.
- While the priests of the Society of St. Pius X are validly ordained, they are also suspended a divinis, that is they are forbidden by the Church from celebrating the Mass and the sacraments because of their illicit (or illegal) ordination to the diaconate and the priesthood without proper incardination (cf. canon 265). In the strict sense there are no "lay members" of the Society of St. Pius X, only those who frequent their Masses and receive the sacraments from them. While it is true that participation in the Mass at the chapels of the Society of St. Pius X does not of itself constitute "formal adherence to the schism", such adherence can come about over a period of time as one slowly imbibes a schismatic mentality which separates itself from the teaching of the Supreme Pontiff and the entire Catholic Church classically exemplified in A Rome and Econe Handbook which states in response to question 14 that the SSPX defends the traditional catechisms and therefore the Old Mass,and so attacks the Novus Ordo, the Second Vatican Council and the New Catechism, all of which more or less undermine our unchangeable Catholic faith.
It is precisely because of this schismatic mentality that this Pontifical Commission has consistently discouraged the faithful from attending Masses celebrated under the aegis of the Society of St. Pius X.
- Thus far the Church has not officially declared what constitutes " formal adherence to the schism " inaugurated by the late Archbishop Lefebvre (cf. Ecclesia Dei 5, c), but the Code of Canon Law defines schism as " refusal of submission to the Roman Pontiff or of communion with the members of the Church subject to him " (canon 751). The above citation together with the other documentation which you have included in your dossier and your own exchange of correspondence with Father Violette clearly indicate the extent to which many in authority in the Society of St. Pius X corroborate that definition. [. . . ]
ON THE STATUS OF
THE SOCIETY OF ST PIUS X (SSPX)
What's New? at Sean Ó Lachtnáin's Home Page
Sean Ó Lachtnáin's Home Page
See also F. John Loughnan's Files on the SSPX
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