SSPX/Rome Talks, Round ???

A new chapter—or maybe just subchapter—has been opened in the historically fraught relations between the Vatican and Society of St. Pius X (SSPX). According to communiques from both Rome and the SSPX’s General House, a friendly meeting between Cardinal Gerhard Mueller (Prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith) and Bishop Bernard Fellay (SSPX Superior General) took place earlier today. The SSPX’s press release states the following: “During this cordial meeting, doctrinal and canonical difficulties were discussed, and the current situation of the Church was mentioned. It was decided to continue the discussions in order to clarify the points of contention that remain.” That doesn’t say a whole lot, but that’s to be expected at this early stage in the game.

Dare We Panic?

Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke is being “exiled to Malta“; Blase Cupich, a “moderate,” will become Archbishop of Chicago in November; the Pope isn’t happy (or maybe he doesn’t care) about a new Ignatius Press book defending the Catholic doctrine of marriage from the theological machinations of Cardinal Walter Kasper; and the Synod on the Family, which many expect will make “modest changes to the annulment process” (thus rightly eliciting the incredulous smiles of the Eastern Orthodox), has been inopportunely scheduled to ruin postseason baseball. Are these not the darkest of times? Could things really get any worse? Is it not time to panic? The answer to all three overcharged queries is of course, “No.” That hasn’t stopped certain neo-Catholics from trying to paint the disappointment over these and other, lower level, events as proof that certain conservative and traditional Catholics are “nuts” to question the current direction of the Catholic Church. In fact, to raise almost any question over what has been transpiring as of late in Rome and other sectors of the Church is tantamount to rabid dissent and evidence of a crypto-Protestant (if not crypto-Lefebvrist) mentality.

Marrying Prodigals

Much — far too much — is being made of Pope Francis’s decision to marry 20 couples today, some of whom have been, as the old saying goes, “living in sin.” Some of them have children. The Reuters story on this “event,” as reprinted in today’s Chicago Tribune, is indicative of the media hype that often accompanies any papal action which appears to signal a “relaxation” or even “repeal” of traditional Church doctrine and praxis:

A Note on Renewing SSPX/Rome Talks

Some people have asked me what I think about the recent news concerning Cardinal Gerhard Mueller’s invitation to the Society of St. Pius X’s Superior General, Bishop Bernard Fellay, for “an informal meeting to review the relations between the SSPX and Rome.” Mueller’s chilly attitude toward the Society is a matter of public record, and certain members of the SSPX have been less-than-thrilled with some of Mueller’s more exotic theological speculations. (There is a brief overview of the dustup which occurred in some traditional circles over Mueller’s appointment to head the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) at the  Sancrucensis web-log here.) However, events can change attitudes pretty quickly. While some traditional Catholics fretted over the possibility that Mueller would import his private theological views into the CDF, the reality is that he has become the frontline defender of the Church’s traditional teaching on marriage. On the need to put down Cardinal Walter Kasper’s mad proposal to split doctrine from praxis with respect to civilly divorced-and-remarried Catholics is one area where Mueller and Fellay undoubtedly agree.