Lefebvrians: Why is the Vatican's proposal being kept "secret"?

A Latin missal

In France, the secrecy surrounding the "Doctrinal Preamble" sent by the Catholic Church to the Society of Saint Pius X to put an end to the schism between the two, is being hotly discussed

G. GAL.
VATICAN CITY

Can the Vatican’s “proposal” to the Lefebvrians remain a secret? In France (homeland of Archbishop Marcel François Lefebvre, excommunicated by the Holy See) the secrecy surrounding the “Doctrinal Preamble” which the Catholic Church sent to the traditionalist order to end the schism, continues to arouse debate.

Religious information channels such as the Catholic newspaper La Croix and the religious information website Baptises are posing the question of whether “a question that concerns everyone should not be discussed by everyone.” The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith delivered the text - which forms the basis for reconciliation - to the Society of Saint Pius X, without making it public. Controversy in France is now focused on the decision of keeping the document secret.The Vatican’s official communiqué merely says that “said Preamble states a number of the Catholic Church’s doctrinal principles and criteria for interpretation, that are necessary in order to guarantee loyalty to the Church’s Magisterium and the “sentire cum Ecclesia” (thinking with the Church), whilst leaving the study and theological explanation of single expressions and formulations present in the document of the Second Vatican Council and the successive Magisterium, open to legitimate discussion.”

According to Bishop Bernard Fellay, superior general of the Society of Saint Pius X, the discretion shown is normal in any important procedure and ensures seriousness. “The Doctrinal Preamble that was delivered to us happens to be a document which, as the accompanying note indicates, involves the need for certain clarifications and modifications. Mgr. Bernard Fellay commented. This is not the definitive text. We will shortly be sending a reply to this document, in which we will frankly point out the doctrinal positions we believe must absolutely be maintained. Since the beginning of our talks with the Holy See (and our interlocutors are well aware of this), we have been constantly preoccupied with trying to present our traditional approach with utmost sincerity. According to Fellay, Rome’s discretion is also down to the fact that this text, even in its current form and in need as it is of many clarifications, risks being opposed by the neo-liberals who do not acknowledge the simple idea of a discussion regarding the Council. This is because they believe this pastoral Council to be unquestionable and “non negotiable”, as if it were a dogmatic Council.

Despite all these precautions, the conclusions reached during the meeting of Superiors of the Society of Saint Pius X in Alban, on 7 October, were published on the Internet by different but agreeing sources.

Fellay pointed out that “Indiscretions are always present on the Internet. It is true that this Doctrinal Preamble cannot be given our approval, although there is space for a “legitimate discussion” of certain points made in the Council. It terms of how wide this margin for discussion is, the proposal I will make in the coming days to authorities in Rome and their reply will allow us to evaluate the possibilities we are left with. Whatever the result of these exchanges is, the final document that will be accepted or rejected will be made public.”

A group of French scholars, including Christine Pedotti, Anne Soupa, Thierry Jaillet, Gilles Marmasse, also recognise that the choice of secrecy shows consistency: this is about Vatican and Society of Pius X leaders concluding a process of reconciliation; only afterwards will they reveal which concessions they have chosen to make. But leaving it up to leaders to reach a solution violates the “sensus fidei”, that is, the ability of the faithful to perceive the truth of the faith. Rome is perfectly aware of the positions of the Lefebvrians, “and it is based on this accurate knowledge that Cardinal Levada presented the Doctrinal Preamble to Mgr. Fellay.”

Essentially, we would never have received a proposal that we could not have shared. The statement, made by the spokesman for the Society of Saint Pius X, Abbot Alain Lorans, during an interview published in the French weekly Catholic newspaper Famille chrétienne, does not leave much room for interpretation. Catholic news agency Adista, emphasised that the secret document will have to be signed if the order is to rejoin the Catholic Church: a few pages of “non negotiable doctrine.”

The hardest hurdle to overcome will be the Lefebvrians’ adherence to the Magisterium of the Second Vatican Council, which was completely rejected by the Lefebvrian traditionalists. The agreement with Rome, according to Lorans, would permanently solve the Society’s canonical situation, but above all, is that “it would give tradition, which has often received disdain or been oppressed over the course of the past 40 years, its right to “citizenship” within the Catholic Church”: a process which was begun by Benedict XVI with his Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum on the Tridentine Mass. And if, upon close examination, Mgr. Fellay decides to agree to the Preamble, “the fraternity will certainly be favourable towards this.” Lorans is certain of one thing: “Some insist that the points in the Council that are problematic could be discussed without this questioning their belonging to the Church. This would create awareness that these controversial texts do not require the adherence required by dogma.”

“Others,” on the other hand, “insist that this Doctrinal Preamble should require full respect of the Council, its authenticity and the legitimacy of its teaching. These people believe that just the thought of the Second Vatican Council being discussed seems “a little too much”.” The Lefebvrian spokesman admits that there is a big difference between the note that the Secretary of State published back in 2009, before talks began with Lefebvre’s followers (which stated that “The necessary condition for a future recognition of the Society of Saint Pius X is a full recognition of the Second Vatican Council and the Magisterium of John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul I, John Paul II and Benedict XVI himself”) and the communiqué sent after the meeting on September 14th (which leaves “the study and theological explanation of single expressions and formulations present in the documents of the Second Vatican Council and the subsequent Magisterium open to legitimate discussion”).

VATICAN INSIDER

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Permalink Reply by Dawn Marie on January 17, 2012 at 7:24am

01/17/2012
Fellay’s second response

The first text reached the Vatican in December, but it was considered inadequate: the Holy See called for a new document, which has just arrived and is now being examined

Andrea Tornielli
Vatican City

The true response of the superior of the Fraternity of Saint Pius X, Bernard Fellay, formulated according to the requests of the Holy See, arrived at the Vatican just last week. The first reply, received by the Vatican on 21 December, was not considered adequate by Vatican authorities, who urged the head of the Lefebvrians to redraft it, considering the first delivery as more of a “documentation” than a reply. Thus Bishop Fellay has prepared a second text, more concise than the doctrinal preamble that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith sent him last September. This second text is now being carefully examined by consultants from the Ecclesia Dei Commission - who follow the Lefebrvian dossier - and this could take time.

Next week the plenary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith will meet in the palace of the Holy Office. On the agenda is a possible communication regarding relations with the Society of St. Pius X, but it is unlikely that the meeting will be decisive, because Fellay’s second response - which accepts some parts of the doctrinal preamble while questioning others - needs time to be examined. It is likely that a more accurate decision on what to do will not be made now, but in February, during a “Feria IV”, as defined by the ordinary congregations of the former Holy Office.

Recall that in the doctrinal preamble proposed by the Ecclesia Dei Commission (headed by Cardinal William Levada and led by Monsignor Guido Pozzo), the Lefebvrians were asked to subscribe to the profession of faith – that which is considered essential to being Catholic. The profession requires three different levels of approval and distinguishes between revealed truths, dogmatic statements, and ordinary magisterium. About the latter, it says that the Catholic is called to ensure a “religious submission of will and intellect” to the teachings that the Pope and the college of bishops “offer when they exercise their authentic Magisterium,” even if they are not proclaimed in a dogmatic way, as is the case with most of the documents of the magisterium.

In delivering the preamble, the Vatican authorities indicated that this text was not made public because it was not yet final - that is, subject to change (though not substantive) or possible additions. From September to December, rumors of dissent within the Fraternity were spread by those who do not believe an agreement with Rome is possible. Fellay himself has spoken several times on the subject. At first he said that the preamble represented a great step forward. Then, after an important meeting with the heads of the districts of the Fraternity, while reiterating the importance of engaging in dialogue, he said he could not accept the preamble as it is, adding: “If Rome tells us to accept in any case, we cannot.” Thus Fellay sent the first response, which was not considered such by the Vatican. And now he has sent the second.

The fact that the new and more appropriate response - which was considered in the sacred palazzos to be a “step forward” - needs to be carefully studied and considered, meaning that it is neither a definitive “yes” or “no” to the final text of the preamble. But it welcomes some parts of the Vatican text, while expressing reservations about others, and above all, it calls for further clarifications and additions. In fact, the Lefebvrians do not intend to give their assent to the texts of the Council regarding collegiality, ecumenism, interreligious dialogue, and religious freedom, because they believe these to be inconsistent with tradition. Indeed, the concept of tradition - “Traditio” - and its value, represents the crux of the debate that has characterized the talks between the Society and the Holy See. The Lefebvrians criticize some of the Council’s provisions, considering them to be at odds with the tradition of the Church.

As a Cardinal, Joseph Ratzinger repeatedly insisted on the need not to consider the Council as a “superdogma.” As Pope, Benedict XVI - in the now-famous speech to the Roman Curia in December 2005 - stressed the need to interpret Vatican II according to the hermeneutics of “reform” in “continuity”. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (which in 2012 celebrates its twentieth anniversary with a special Year of Faith), has already offered this interpretative key to some of the points that the Lefebvrians consider controversial.

It is still too soon to speculate about what will be the final outcome of this dialogue, which, at this stage, continues at a distance and in writing. But no final word has yet been spoken: the Pope wants to do everything possible to heal the rift created by the Lefebvrians, and Fellay knows this well.

http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/homep...bvrianos-11747/