More On The SSPX-Rome Talks

On February 18, Fr. Franz Schmidberger, superior of the Society of St. Pius X’s district of Germany, granted an interview to the site Internet Kathnews. In it, he says that the doctrinal discussions with Rome are certainly going to require much time. He recalls to mind that the principal points of divergence remain ecumenism and the relations of the Catholic Church with other religions, and especially with Judaism, “which does not worship the same God” as the Catholics. Here are some large extracts from the interview:

“For the first time we are in a position to expose calmly to competent authorities our concerns about the declarations of the Second Vatican Council and the post-conciliar developments. These discussions are certainly going to take a long time, maybe even years. But perhaps our interlocuters recognize already after only a short time that the Priestly Society of St. Pius X is incontestably Catholic, even if there are still points of discord. This would be a huge step forward. The very discrete nature of the interviews is vital for their success, for ‘the good makes no noise, and noise does no good’. (…)

“We must avoid an exaggerated optimism about these conversations. Bishop Fellay says it will be a miracle, if they lead to a real success. (…)

“An agreement between the Holy See and the Society can mean nothing other than the following: that Rome recognizes the voice of the Magisterium prior to the council. The Society has never upheld its own positions, rather it has made itself the spokesman of the Popes, especially those who reigned from the French Revolution until Vatican Council II. The situation has changed since 1988: our objections to Rome are taken seriously and she is trying to answer them. (…)

“With the lifting of the excommunication, new faithful have joined us, barriers have been dismantled, but because of media publicity, new barriers have been raised. Nonetheless, I believe that the Pope’s courageous decision has had a positive effect not only for the Society and its apostolic work, but even more so for the entire Church. (…)

“With Benedict XVI, the Church has entered upon calmer waters. The rehabilitation of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in its traditional celebration, the lifting of the decree of excommunication, the doctrinal discussions with the Holy See are very positive acts of this pontificate. At the same time, we regret the visit to the Synagogue of Rome, and above all the words of the Pope declaring that with the Jews we worship the same God.

“We Christians, we honor the Holy Trinity and we worship Our Lord Jesus Christ, consubstantial Son of the Father. The Jews of today, on the other hand, admit neither one of these two fundamental points of our holy religion. And as there is no other God but the Most Holy Trinity, no other Lord but Jesus Christ, we do not worship the same God as the Jews.

“These things were different for the just of the Old Testament: they were open to the truth of the Trinity and the divine filiation of the promised Messiah. The Pope strays in an alarming way from the words of the first Pope, St. Peter: “There is salvation in no other [but Jesus Christ]” (Acts 4:12). That applies to the whole world, including the Jews and the Moslems.”

(Source: kathnews. Traduction française: DICI n?211, March 6, 2010)