Regensburg Bishop- All four SSPX bishops should resign and the SSPX seminary should close
Katholische Kirche: Interview mit Bischof Gerhard Ludwig Müller Nachrichten auf ZEIT ONLINE
"The SSPX bishops should resign"
The Regensburg Bishop Gerhard Ludwig Mueller about the prohibition of the Holocaust denier, Williamson in his diocese, and what he wants from the Society of St Pius X.
In the diocese the Society of St Pius X runs a Seminary - Bishop Gerhard Ludwig Müller (left) wants to close it down.
ZEIT ONLINE: The lifting of the excommunication of the Bishop and Holocaust denier Williamson will continue to cause protest. Surely Pope Benedict knew about this beforehand?
Bishop Gerhard Ludwig Müller: Outwardly the Pope bears the responsibility. But critical for a lifting of excommunication is the internal process, the work of the committees. I do not believe that the Pope knew about the views of Bishop Williamson knew. Pope Benedict, in a generous gesture opened his arms
ZEIT ONLINE How did he decide on this gesture?
Muller: The Pope received an urgent request from the SSPX for the excommunication to be annulled. It was from him a generous act to reach out a hand to a group standing at the border of the Church. The pope in no way signals an agreement with the anti-Semitism of Williamson and other members of the SSPX. Their statements differ from the principles of the Catholic Church.
ZEIT ONLINE: Nevertheless, the Catholic Church and the Pope are in a bad position, because a Holocaust denier seems to be rehabilitated..
Müller: Christ has not redeemed the people and founded the faith communities of Christians so that we now discriminate against other religions. The statements of Williamson are unsustainable and do not have a sense that a true Catholic can represent. Such statements must be rejected with all resolution possible. In addition, a rehabilitation cannot be talked about ...
The bishop of Regensburg, Gerhard Ludwig Mueller, asks the SSPX to follow the procedures of canon law.
ZEIT ONLINE: Why not?
Müller: The bishops and priests are not rehabilitated, the Pope is merely responding to their desire to come to lift the excommunication. Now we have to assess whether they even meet the requirements, which the Catholic Church places on its priests.
ZEIT ONLINE: Is the censure of Bishop Williamson which has been issued by the General Superior of the SSPX enough?
Mueller: No, this is not enough. After removal of the excommunication, Bishop Williamson is under the authority of the Pope - not that of his superiors. The Holy Father will decide what happens with the bishop. I recommend the SSPX free themselves from such persons.
ZEIT ONLINE: You have banned Bishop Williamson from institutions in your diocese banned. How did it happen?
Muller: It was a rather symbolic act, with which I wanted to show that the Catholic Church has nothing to do with Williamson’s theories and also with anti-Semitism. He denied the holocaust in the seminary of Zaitzkofen of the SSPX which is located near Regensburg, have denied the Holocaust. The diocese of Regensburg is distancing themselves.
ZEIT ONLINE: How is it with the seminary Zaitzkofen and Pius Brotherhood in Germany go?
Müller: The SSPX must fully return to the ground of the Catholic Church and recognise the authority of the Pope, the decisions of the Second Vatican Council and recognize existing canon law. If they do, they also accept that the seminary of Zaitzkofen falls under the supervision of the Diocese of Regensburg. The seminary should be closed and the students should go to seminaries in their home countries - if they are suitable for this purpose.
ZEIT ONLINE: So far, the SSPX of regular protests by bishops geschert little. Do you think that this is different now?
Müller: Everything else would be a deception. I have witten a letter to the Vatican and asked for the legal status of the seminary of Zaitzkofen to be verified. Even the Constitution of the SSPX should be critically considered by canon lawyers.
ZEIT ONLINE: What does it mean for the SSPX, if they really unconditionally recognize the authority of the Pope?
Müller: The priests who were consecrated illegally, have no more obligation to obey their bishops, but onlythe Pope. A French bishop of the SSPX us at Rome, of the special teaching his group to follow - this is absurd. A bishop's office should not be misused for speaking personal political views to the detriment of the Church.
ZEIT ONLINE: The representatives of the SSPX have following the lifting of the excommunication have shown themselves not exactly grateful- alongside anti-Semitic statements were also calls to the Vatican to take back reforms of the Second Vatican Council.
Mueller: It seems to me as if there are within the SSPX still strong reservations against the Second Vatican Council. If the group does not keep their promises to the Pope, it working under a false pretense.
ZEIT ONLINE: Can the SSPX be easily integrated into the Catholic Church?
Müller: The theological views of SSPX deviate in part from the Catholic Church. And politically, they are for ideas, which we reject. In France, there are links of the SSPX to the extreme right. From these the SSPX must clearly dissociate themselves.
ZEIT ONLINE: What is now going to happen to the SSPX bishops after the excommunication?
Müller: The illegal Episcopal consecration canot lead to a receipt of office. The bishop is a minister of unity. The four Archbishop Lefebvre consecrated bishops do not have the aptitude for this office.
ZEIT ONLINE: What do you expect now from the bishops of the SSPX?
Müller: The four bishops of the SSPX should all resign and in political and no longer comment on ecclesiastical policy issues. They should lead an exemplary life as a simple priest and chaplain as part of the reparation for the damage that the schism has caused.
"The SSPX bishops should resign"
The Regensburg Bishop Gerhard Ludwig Mueller about the prohibition of the Holocaust denier, Williamson in his diocese, and what he wants from the Society of St Pius X.
In the diocese the Society of St Pius X runs a Seminary - Bishop Gerhard Ludwig Müller (left) wants to close it down.
ZEIT ONLINE: The lifting of the excommunication of the Bishop and Holocaust denier Williamson will continue to cause protest. Surely Pope Benedict knew about this beforehand?
Bishop Gerhard Ludwig Müller: Outwardly the Pope bears the responsibility. But critical for a lifting of excommunication is the internal process, the work of the committees. I do not believe that the Pope knew about the views of Bishop Williamson knew. Pope Benedict, in a generous gesture opened his arms
ZEIT ONLINE How did he decide on this gesture?
Muller: The Pope received an urgent request from the SSPX for the excommunication to be annulled. It was from him a generous act to reach out a hand to a group standing at the border of the Church. The pope in no way signals an agreement with the anti-Semitism of Williamson and other members of the SSPX. Their statements differ from the principles of the Catholic Church.
ZEIT ONLINE: Nevertheless, the Catholic Church and the Pope are in a bad position, because a Holocaust denier seems to be rehabilitated..
Müller: Christ has not redeemed the people and founded the faith communities of Christians so that we now discriminate against other religions. The statements of Williamson are unsustainable and do not have a sense that a true Catholic can represent. Such statements must be rejected with all resolution possible. In addition, a rehabilitation cannot be talked about ...
The bishop of Regensburg, Gerhard Ludwig Mueller, asks the SSPX to follow the procedures of canon law.
ZEIT ONLINE: Why not?
Müller: The bishops and priests are not rehabilitated, the Pope is merely responding to their desire to come to lift the excommunication. Now we have to assess whether they even meet the requirements, which the Catholic Church places on its priests.
ZEIT ONLINE: Is the censure of Bishop Williamson which has been issued by the General Superior of the SSPX enough?
Mueller: No, this is not enough. After removal of the excommunication, Bishop Williamson is under the authority of the Pope - not that of his superiors. The Holy Father will decide what happens with the bishop. I recommend the SSPX free themselves from such persons.
ZEIT ONLINE: You have banned Bishop Williamson from institutions in your diocese banned. How did it happen?
Muller: It was a rather symbolic act, with which I wanted to show that the Catholic Church has nothing to do with Williamson’s theories and also with anti-Semitism. He denied the holocaust in the seminary of Zaitzkofen of the SSPX which is located near Regensburg, have denied the Holocaust. The diocese of Regensburg is distancing themselves.
ZEIT ONLINE: How is it with the seminary Zaitzkofen and Pius Brotherhood in Germany go?
Müller: The SSPX must fully return to the ground of the Catholic Church and recognise the authority of the Pope, the decisions of the Second Vatican Council and recognize existing canon law. If they do, they also accept that the seminary of Zaitzkofen falls under the supervision of the Diocese of Regensburg. The seminary should be closed and the students should go to seminaries in their home countries - if they are suitable for this purpose.
ZEIT ONLINE: So far, the SSPX of regular protests by bishops geschert little. Do you think that this is different now?
Müller: Everything else would be a deception. I have witten a letter to the Vatican and asked for the legal status of the seminary of Zaitzkofen to be verified. Even the Constitution of the SSPX should be critically considered by canon lawyers.
ZEIT ONLINE: What does it mean for the SSPX, if they really unconditionally recognize the authority of the Pope?
Müller: The priests who were consecrated illegally, have no more obligation to obey their bishops, but onlythe Pope. A French bishop of the SSPX us at Rome, of the special teaching his group to follow - this is absurd. A bishop's office should not be misused for speaking personal political views to the detriment of the Church.
ZEIT ONLINE: The representatives of the SSPX have following the lifting of the excommunication have shown themselves not exactly grateful- alongside anti-Semitic statements were also calls to the Vatican to take back reforms of the Second Vatican Council.
Mueller: It seems to me as if there are within the SSPX still strong reservations against the Second Vatican Council. If the group does not keep their promises to the Pope, it working under a false pretense.
ZEIT ONLINE: Can the SSPX be easily integrated into the Catholic Church?
Müller: The theological views of SSPX deviate in part from the Catholic Church. And politically, they are for ideas, which we reject. In France, there are links of the SSPX to the extreme right. From these the SSPX must clearly dissociate themselves.
ZEIT ONLINE: What is now going to happen to the SSPX bishops after the excommunication?
Müller: The illegal Episcopal consecration canot lead to a receipt of office. The bishop is a minister of unity. The four Archbishop Lefebvre consecrated bishops do not have the aptitude for this office.
ZEIT ONLINE: What do you expect now from the bishops of the SSPX?
Müller: The four bishops of the SSPX should all resign and in political and no longer comment on ecclesiastical policy issues. They should lead an exemplary life as a simple priest and chaplain as part of the reparation for the damage that the schism has caused.
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Comments
Could it be that his excelency really disapproves of the Traditional Teaching and liturgy of the Church? It seems the only explanation for his open assault on the SSPX under the guise of being outraged by Bishop Williamson's regrettable views.
I refer Bishop Mueller and those who read his bitter comments to an article I had published today 3/2/09 at www.Catholictruthscotland.com. The link is to be found on the main page under the name 'Athanasius.'
Spot on! I agree with both of you 100%. One need only witness the heathen gymnastics that take place in the average parish today to realise what has happened to the holy Catholic faith under the watch of many of these Bishops. And they have the audacity to accuse the SSPX Bishops of schism.
I emailed him earlier today so will post my message below since it can now double as my blog post here!
My letter reads...
Bishop Gerhard Ludwig Mueller
Your remarks attacking Pope Benedict following the lifting of the SSPX excommunications are totally disgraceful. You seem to believe that matters of a political and historical nature are beyond comment or question, are written in tablets of stone as if divinely revealed dogma.
Not so.
There are plenty of people who query various matters of historical record and although it was wrong of Bishop Williamson to allow himself to be entrapped into discussion of his personal views on the Holocaust, he is perfectly entitled to hold whatever views he likes.
You, Bishop Mueller and your ilk need to visit our blog and read the article entitled The Holocaust – an alternative view to educate yourself on the subject. http://www.catholictruthscotland.com/blog/?p=709#comments
You sound very angry, Bishop, about the “reinstatement” of the SSPX bishops, using – I believe – the Bishop Williamson interview as a cover for your fury that these traditional Catholic bishops have had their unjust excommunications lifted, and not before time. I don’t recall hearing your name mentioned when our Scots bishops dissented from Catholic sexual morality or when the English Bishop Conry recently attacked Humanae Vitae and said that he didn’t believe in regular confession. No, I don’t believe I heard that you were enraged about any of these shocking scandals, revealing the fact that we have bishops galore who have lost the Faith.
Listen, Bishop Mueller. You ‘liberals’ have exercised undue influence in the Church for far too long now. You’ve had your day. It’s over. We’re taking the Church back, now. Get used to it. Oh, and, by the way, if there’s one thing I am sick and tired of hearing about it’s the Holocaust. Terrible as that event was, I’d like to hear a bit more about some of the many other genocides in history or the Irish famine, just for a wee change. Get my drift?
Patricia McKeever
Editor
Catholic Truth
What Bishop Williamson said is being used as a red herring so as to have a go at the very well formed and holy SSPX. I happen to think that Bishop Williamson is a trifle mad and what he said about the holocaust was just stupid however, it was HIS opinion which he aired and however offbeam it was, he is entitled to his opinion.
I have been told that church-going citizens in Germany are obliged to pay a fixed sum for the support of their churches. Possiblities are looming. Mmmmmm......
I agree with you absolutely.