The Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X (FSSPX) published its official communiqué on the meeting held at the Palace of the Holy Office between its Superior General, Father Davide Pagliarani, and the prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández.
Official Communiqué from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith
In the note disseminated by FSSPX News, the Fraternity offers its own version of the meeting, which took place following the public announcement, on February 2, of future episcopal consecrations within the Society.
A “cordial and frank” meeting
According to the communiqué, the meeting—held at the request of Cardinal Fernández—took place in a “cordial and frank” atmosphere and lasted for an hour and a half. Father Pagliarani was able to hear the prefect’s observations and clarify the scope of the announcement made at the beginning of the month.
The Fraternity states that its Superior General personally explained the current situation of the Society and emphasized what it considers its duty to ensure the continuity of the episcopal ministry in the face of the spiritual needs of the souls who turn to it.
The communiqué insists that the future consecrations are conceived in a “spirit of charity” and with the sincere desire to serve both the souls and the Church of Rome.
The proposal for doctrinal dialogue
The FSSPX also reports the proposal put forward by Cardinal Fernández, already officially communicated by the Holy See, which consists of opening a specifically theological path of dialogue to determine the minimum requirements for full communion and to define a possible canonical status for the Fraternity.
According to the text disseminated by the Society, these exchanges would seek to reach an agreement on the different degrees of adherence required by the texts of the Second Vatican Council and their interpretation. The prefect would have indicated that, while it is possible to dialogue about the Council, its texts cannot be corrected.
As a prerequisite for initiating that dialogue, the suspension of the decision regarding the announced episcopal consecrations is requested.
The Fraternity will evaluate the proposal
Father Pagliarani will now present the proposal to the members of his Council and will take the necessary time to evaluate it. The response will be communicated in the coming days to both Cardinal Fernández and the faithful.
In its communiqué, the Superior General reiterates his desire to be able to meet personally with the Holy Father and states that he remains serene in the face of the situation, thanking the faithful for their prayers and entrusting the development of events to divine providence.