A Traditional Ordinariate ?

Bishop, priests and altar servers of the SSPX

(Vatican Insider) - Bishop Bernard Fellay, Superior General of the Society of St. Pius X, founded by Archbishop Lefebvre, has been summoned to the Vatican next 14 September. It is the first summit after the doctrinal talks last year in Rome, where there were clashes between the Holy See and Lefebvrian delegations....

...Although the Pope, in a gesture of goodwill, nullified the excommunication of the four bishops ordained by Archbishop Lefebvre in January 2009, bishops and priests of St. Pius X still live in a state of canonical irregularity.

The proposal which has been studied by the Vatican, would allow Lefebvrists the establishment of an ordinariate similar to that offered by the Pope has to Anglicans who wanted to come into communion with the Roman Catholic Church. In this way, the Fraternity would depend on the Holy See (and specifically on the Ecclesia Dei Commission) and could retain its characteristics without having to answer to the diocesan bishops.

The meeting of 14 September, that Vatican Insider is able to confirm, therefore, represents a new step in the journey of these troubled years. But it is premature to provide conclusions: in fact, it is known that within the SSPX there coexist different sensitivities and some consider difficult to reach an agreement...

read full story here

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: I wish to caution my readers against speculation as to what this September 14th meeting might entail. Predicted events regarding the SSPX have consistently backfired, as relations between the Vatican and the Fraternity have proved to be unpredictable since the lifting of the excommunications in January of 2009. The only thing we have learned from Bishop Bernard Fellay is that he is very skilled at giving lengthy interviews that tell us virtually nothing, and nobody in the Vatican is willing to talk on this at all. (That's probably a good thing.)

What I find interesting about this story is the proposal of an ordinariate structure for the SSPX. I had heard in the past the possibility of this, and also the possibility of a personal prelature, though I think this current pope prefers the ordinariate structure to a prelature, but who am I to guess the mind of Pope Benedict the Great.

If an ordinariate structure should ever be offered than it certainly would be a game changer for the Roman Rite. For starters, such a structure would instantly legitimize dozens of currently illicit (though perfectly valid) parishes here in the United States. Suddenly, your local SSPX chapter would instantly become a perfectly acceptable parish for any local Catholic to visit openly. The ordinariate structure would offer every traditional priest in every diocese and order the very thing they've been looking for, which is a chance to practice the Extraordinary Form in everything without having to worry about diocesan politics and stubborn bishops. In all likelihood, the FSSP and similar traditional orders, will be immediately absorbed into this new ordinariate structure, as these priests will likely seek entry as soon as possible. What we would be looking at is a total consolidation of all traditional Catholics into one structure, with the exception of those in dioceses where the bishop has been very accommodating to traditional Catholics. This is how I see it going down, IF such an ordinariate structure should be created, and that's a big "if."

First and foremost, traditional Catholics in dioceses where the bishops are already extremely accommodating to them will likely notice no change at all. They already have everything they could ever need or want in the diocese, so the Traditional Ordinariate would have nothing new to offer them. Now as for those traditional Catholics who find themselves in dioceses where the bishops have been less than accommodating, or have tried to be accommodating but they have been obstructed by modernist priests in the diocese who work against the traditionalists (bumping EF mass times, scheduling confirmations, etc.), than the ordinariate will have a lot to offer and will sound very appealing. The Traditional Ordinariate would be able to set up a parish in an area, with or without, episcopal approval from the diocesan bishop. (Of course diocesan bishops will always be consulted in advance in an attempt to work together.) Once the parish is set up, with or without diocesan cooperation, these parishes will be able to function fully under the care of the ordinary priest and his ordinary superior (presumably an ordinary bishop). At that point, virtually every traditional Catholic within reasonable distance will be attending mass at that parish. It will grow rapidly, and likely need to expand to create other parishes within the region. Do you see what is happening here? Between the emerging Anglican Ordinariate parishes, and the possibility of Traditional Ordinariate parishes, every tradition-loving Catholic, in every major city, and soon beyond, will have access to a tradition-loving parish either in Tudor English or Latin.  This leave local diocesan bishops with nothing left to do but clean up their Novus Ordo mess.