SSPX Bishops' Letter to Pope

: : : DICI : : : - one would wish that such filial devotion could be found in other parts of the Catholic Church.

Most Holy Father,

In sentiments of thanksgiving we wish to express our deep gratitude for Your act of paternal kindness and for the apostolic courage by which You rendered ineffective the measure which imposed upon us twenty years ago as a consequence of our episcopal consecrations. Your decree dated January 21, 2009 restores in some way the reputation of the venerated founder of our priestly Society, His Grace Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. It also procures a great good to the Church, so it seems to us, by doing justice to the priests and faithful worldwide who, attached to the Tradition of the Church, will no longer be unjustly stigmatized for having kept the Faith of their fathers.

Because of this combat for the Faith, we assure Your Holiness, according to the wish You expressed, that we “will spare no effort in exploring as yet unresolved questions through requisite discussions with the authorities of the Holy See.” Indeed we desire to begin, as soon as possible, exchanges with representatives of Your Holiness concerning doctrines opposed to the Magisterium of all time.

By following this path still necessary, mentioned by Your Holiness, we hope to help the Holy See to bring the appropriate remedy to the loss of the Faith inside the Church.

The Immaculate Virgin Mary has clearly guided the steps of Your Holiness toward us, She will continue Her gracious intercession in His favor. With this assurance, we filially ask the Universal Pastor to bless four of His sons most attached to the Successor of Peter and to His charge of feeding the lambs and the sheep of the Lord.

Menzingen, January 29, 2009
on the feast of Saint Francis de Sales

+Bernard Fellay

+Richard Williamson

+Bernard Tissier de Mallerais

+Alfonso de Galarreta

Comments

"It also procures a great good to the Church, so it seems to us, by doing justice to the priests and faithful worldwide who, attached to the Tradition of the Church, will no longer be unjustly stigmatized for having kept the Faith of their fathers."

Am I missing something here???

Correct me if I am wrong but wasn't the ordination to Bishop of Richard Williamson illegal. Hence, technically he is NOT even a true Bishop????
becket said…
Are people like Cardinal Mahony true Cardinals?. You read the statement. Sounds very appreciative to me. Sounds like loyalty to the Papacy to me. Unlike the Austrian "true Bishops" who feel they can tell the Pope what he can and is suppose to do. You figure it out!. From a Byzantine christian!.
RobKPhD said…
I am praying that these wayward bishops come back (as well as the Cardinal mentioned above). Still, the SSPX bishops show pride and an unwillingness to listen and learn from the pope - I hear gratitude, but no acknowledgment of the division that they have caused. They note the damage caused by those out of alignment on the opposite side, but fail to recognize that their errors have caused damage as well. I pray they can set aside their pride for the good of the whole Church.
David Joyce said…
The legality of an episcopal consecration does not affect its validity, so Bishop Williamson, along with the other SSPX bishops, are indeed true bishops of the Church.