SSPX: It's not an emergency, it's doctrine
Saturday Post
Good morning and happy Saturday.
This week, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith released an order stating that if the Society of St. Pius X goes forward with episcopal ordinations on July 1st, without a papal mandate, it will be an act of schism and they will be excommunicated.
I wrote several weeks back that the canonically irregular group only has to come to the unlocked door of the Church to seek full communion.
Instead they have continued to push a false narrative that there is some sort of spiritual emergency that requires them to ordain bishops without the pope’s approval. Of course, this isn’t true. More than a billion Catholics around the world are spiritually nourished in their churches that have no affiliation with SSPX.
So, the group attempted to smooth things over this week with a declaration of faith which sorta, kinda, maybe seems to be submission to the Holy Father. Except in the following paragraphs, Fr. Davide Pagliarani, superior of the order, makes multiple doctrinal claims that would never be consented to by the pope.
This shows that their determination to disobey the pope is not grounded in an emergency, but in disagreements about doctrine.
Fr. Pagliarani tells Pope Leo XIV that they are professing communion with him and are “his sons.” That’s a good start. There is some admission of submission. But then…
Fr. Pagliarani claims that there is no salvation outside of a profession in the Catholic Church, failing to recognize the principle of invincible ignorance.
He claims the Old Covenant is “null and void.” Nostra Aetate teaches that Christ fulfilled that covenant, not voided it. In fact, Nostra Aetate goes beyond and discusses the spiritual closeness between Jews and Catholics.
He appears to totally reject Dignitatis Humanae, the Second Vatican Council’s declaration on religious freedom by claiming that Christendom and Christian government is mandated by Christ. The Church teaches that governments should not force people into any religion. After all what value is a declaration of faith if it is under coercion?
SSPX appears to want to have its cake and eat it too. It is an untenable situation for the group. As I wrote several weeks ago, the door for them back in is always open. All they have to do is enter.
For further reading:
If the SSPX consecrations happen, who exactly is excommunicated? - The Pillar
Why Leo won’t meet the SSPX - Ed. Condon in the Pillar
SSPX is choosing the path of schism - Dr. Marcus Peter in Catholic World Report
Cor Fidei
You may have noticed a new section on the website in the last few weeks. I am happy to announce that my good friend Brandy Holt will be writing on the Purple Catholic.
Here is her introduction:
Hello! My name is Brandy Holt, and I am from the great state of Michigan. I met Jesus at the age of thirteen, and converted to Catholicism at the age of eighteen. I quickly fell in love with the Eucharist and the Catholic Church, and the desire to share Him with others brought me to a career in ministry. I've been a Youth Minister since I graduated college, and it's been a huge blessing getting to meet many amazing students and help them make the faith their own.
Outside of ministry, I really enjoy reading, writing, running, biking, and of course, hanging out with friends! Community is a huge blessing, and nothing beats nights full of deep conversations, uncontrollable laughter, and joy rooted in the Lord.
I'm excited to join the Purple Catholic community with my page Cor Fidei, which means Heart of Faith. With the state of our world today, it's easy to lose sight of our faith and its importance. It's my hope that, in writing about the ways we still see faith today and the ways we can grow in our own, you will be able to embrace a more radical faith in your own life!
All subscribers will have access to this new column for a limited time. Then paid subscribers will have early access. Welcome Brandy!
Ascension Sunday
Most of us this week are celebrating the Solemnity of the Ascension tomorrow. For those in the ecclesiastical regions of New York, Newark, Philadelphia, Boston, and Omaha, tomorrow is the Seventh Sunday of Easter (the Ascension was on Thursday). The readings for the Ascension are Acts 1:1-11, Psalm 47, Ephesians 1:17-23, and Matthew 28:16-20.
Here is a calendar for the rest of the week:
Monday, May 18 - Memorial of St. John I, pope and martyr (optional)
Wednesday, May 20 - Memorial of St. Bernardine of Siena, Priest (optional)
Thursday, May 21 - Memorial of St. Christopher Magallanes, priest, and Companions, martyrs (optional)
Friday, May 22 - Memorial of St. Rita of Cascia, religious, (optional)
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:19-20
In the news:
The United States
Money woes close a small Michigan college. It’s not alone - Bridge Michigan
Save our Catholic colleges - Former Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL 3) in the Pillar
Love you madly: Thoughts on alleged performative piety - JD Flynn in the Pillar
The Vatican
WATCH: Pope Leo XIV prays at the spot St. John Paul II was shot - Vatican News
✅ Fact Check: Did the Vatican really give a special award to the Iranian ambassador? - The Pillar
Pope to Rome’s Sapienza University: ‘Be artisans of true peace’ - Vatican News
The World
Where is the Rome-Germany blessings battle heading? - The Pillar
Nigerian priest regains freedom after three months in terrorist captivity - Catholic World Report
Irish parliament defeats bill seeking to remove abortion waiting period - Crux
Have a good weekend,
Matthew