Bishop Joseph Strickland wrote on February 3 on PillarsOfFaith.net and on February 23 on X.com a statement about the Priestly Fraternity of St Pius X. (FSSPX). Key phrases.
First Statement: Vatican's Silence Is a Decision
- “The current situation involving the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) has once again revealed a serious and unresolved reality within the Church – one that cannot be dismissed, delayed indefinitely, or answered with silence.”
- “Without new bishops, the continuity of that priestly formation and sacramental life cannot be sustained.”
- “When such concerns are brought forward calmly, respectfully, and repeatedly – and when they are met not with clarity but with silence – delay itself becomes a decision.”
- “Unity in the Church is not preserved by ambiguity.”
Second Statement: Continuity Is Not Rebellion
- “Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre believed that foundational elements of Catholic life – traditional priestly formation, clear sacramental theology, and the ancient Roman liturgy – were being set aside.”
- “It is historically undeniable that the traditional liturgy and priestly formation were preserved in large part because he and others were unwilling to allow them to disappear entirely.”
- “The tensions of 1988 did not arise in a vacuum.”
- “They arose amid widespread doctrinal confusion, liturgical experimentation, and pastoral instability.”
- “The desire for continuity is not rebellion; it is an instinct of faith.”
- “The Church is hierarchical by divine institution. Episcopal consecrations are not private acts but visible expressions of communion with the Successor of Peter. This structure is not optional. Unity belongs to the Church’s very nature.”
- “Yet unity cannot be sustained by ambiguity. Authority is not given merely to govern, but to safeguard what has been handed down.”
Picture: Joseph Strickland, PillarsOfFaith.net, #newsMywlrozdcr