To review: The Holy See gave the SSPX a “doctrinal preamble”. The SSPX studied it and proposed in return some modifications. The Holy See and Holy Father studied the modifications. Then the CDF and SSPX Bp. Fellay had a meeting, during which the Holy Father’s decisions about the modified preamble were delivered. Thus, we were left to wonder what the Holy Father’s decisions were? Positive? Negative?
I suspect they were positive, since within the VIS story is an important bit of information.
The SSPX is being offered a Personal Prelature. I don’t think that offer would be made had the CDF and Holy Father not have accepted what the SSPX had proposed earlier.
From VIS:
Vatican City, 14 June 2012 (VIS) – “On the afternoon of Wednesday 13 June, Cardinal William Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and president of the Pontifical Commission ‘Ecclesia Dei’, met with Bishop Bernard Fellay, superior general of the Society of St. Pius X who was accompanied by an assistant. Also present at the encounter were Archbishop Luis Ladaria S.J., secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and Msgr. Guido Pozzo, secretary of the Pontifical Commission ‘Ecclesia Dei’”, according to a communique released today by the Holy See Press Office.
“The purpose of the meeting was to present the Holy See’s evaluation of the text submitted in April by the Society of St. Pius X in response to the Doctrinal Preamble which the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith had presented to the Society on 14 September 2011. The subsequent discussion offered an opportunity the provide the appropriate explanations and clarifications. For his part, Bishop Fellay illustrated the current situation of the Society of St. Pius X and promised to make his response known within a reasonable lapse of time. ["lapse"? Who writes this stuff?]
“Also during the meeting, a draft document was submitted proposing a Personal Prelature as the most appropriate instrument for any future canonical recognition of the Society.
“As was stated in the communique released on 16 May 2012, the situation of the other three bishops of the Society of St. Pius X will be dealt with separately and singularly.
“At the end of the meeting the hope was expressed that this additional opportunity for reflection would also contribute to reaching full communion between the Society of St. Pius X and the Apostolic See”.
Benedict XVI is the Pope of Christian Unity.
