![]() In the end, each man is his own judge of the Tradition each man is his own judge of the Truth. For every split that is overcome, more splits will occur. Enemies of enemies may be friends, but if enmity disappear among some, it will increase among others. Everything is based on makeshift alliances. That’s what happens when you don’t have an authority principle. Arnaud Rostand has advised American members of the Society that the decision belongs to Bishop Fellay, and that all members should be prepared to follow it.īut why? There is no true authority principle in the SSPX, and Bishop Fellay has no more of a Divine right to determine the path and duty of these souls than Joe Palooka. Lamenting reports of internal conflict, and lamenting even more that evidence of the conflict was leaked to the press, Fr. Self-evidently, there would be no basis for negotiations if a breach had not occurred.) In this connection, the noble effort of the District Superior in the United States to preserve unity is telling. (I am choosing the word “reunion” very carefully here, as it is a myth that there has been no breach. The evidence and the rumors suggest that three of the four SSPX bishops may bolt, even though in theory the final decision concerning reunion belongs to Bishop Fellay, the Superior General of the Society. Although we hope this will not be the case now, we may well see more separatism if Bishop Fellay agrees, in his official capacity, to restore full communion with the Church. We have also seen a portion of the Society return to the Church as the Fraternity of St. Pius V spin off from the SSPX because of conflicts over the proper interpretation of Tradition (for Tradition always requires interpretation, just like Scripture it is not the authoritative guide to its own meaning). In years past, we have seen the Society of St. Separatism is what Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre precipitated when he began to speak for “real” Catholics around the world and ultimately broke from Rome by ordaining his own bishops without authorization. Separatism in religious history is the principle of separating off into one’s own special church when disagreements arise over the content of Christian faith or morals, or even sometimes devotional and disciplinary issues. Thus traditionalist organizations are as plagued by separatism over time as is Protestantism. Either you accept some authority, or you decide for yourself. Those who have no authority principle have no recourse other than private judgment, because these are the only two possibilities. Even to claim acceptance of papal authority while refusing to obey the ecclesiastical decisions of the current pope is not an authority principle. ![]() To claim adherence to tradition is not an authority principle. ![]() The SSPX has no real authority principle.
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