- Feb 5, 2002
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The Vatican’s doctrinal office told a traditionalist group that consecrating bishops without a papal mandate would mean a “decisive rupture” of communion.
The Vatican’s doctrinal office said Thursday it is willing to begin a structured theological dialogue with the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX), but warned that any plan by the traditionalist group to consecrate bishops without a papal mandate would constitute a break in communion and would immediately halt the talks.
In a statement following a Feb. 12 meeting between Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, and Father Davide Pagliarani, the SSPX’s superior general, the dicastery said the two sides agreed on a “specifically theological” process with a defined methodology to address questions it said have not yet received sufficient clarification.
The dicastery also warned that if the SSPX proceeds with episcopal consecrations it has announced for July 1 without authorization from the Holy See, the move would “imply a decisive rupture of ecclesial communion (schism),” carrying “grave consequences” for the fraternity as a whole and would bring the dialogue to an immediate end.
The statement did not explicitly mention excommunication, which canon law prescribes for all bishops involved in episcopal consecrations without a papal mandate.
Continued below.
The Vatican’s doctrinal office said Thursday it is willing to begin a structured theological dialogue with the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX), but warned that any plan by the traditionalist group to consecrate bishops without a papal mandate would constitute a break in communion and would immediately halt the talks.
In a statement following a Feb. 12 meeting between Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, and Father Davide Pagliarani, the SSPX’s superior general, the dicastery said the two sides agreed on a “specifically theological” process with a defined methodology to address questions it said have not yet received sufficient clarification.
The dicastery also warned that if the SSPX proceeds with episcopal consecrations it has announced for July 1 without authorization from the Holy See, the move would “imply a decisive rupture of ecclesial communion (schism),” carrying “grave consequences” for the fraternity as a whole and would bring the dialogue to an immediate end.
The statement did not explicitly mention excommunication, which canon law prescribes for all bishops involved in episcopal consecrations without a papal mandate.
Continued below.
