The German press is still obsessing about the events that followed the removal of the excommunication of the four bishops of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X. (FSSPX / SSPX). One could be more sympathetic if the Polish bishops, government, and media were this obsessed... As a perspicacious commentator wrote regarding the statement of the Polish Episcopal Conference (very supportive of Pope Benedict), and how it contrasted with the German, Austrian, and Swiss reactions: "Amazing what a guilty conscience will do."
Anyway, Der Spiegel once again sought the opinion of a bishop of the SSPX, Bishop Bernard Fellay, its Superior General:
Anyway, Der Spiegel once again sought the opinion of a bishop of the SSPX, Bishop Bernard Fellay, its Superior General:
Bishop Bernard Fellay, the head of the ultra-conservative Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX), has apologized for the comments made by Bishop Richard Williamson denying the scale of the Holocaust and said he had asked Williamson to retract "this nonsense."
...
"As soon as I saw this interview I told him to correct this nonsense," Fellay said. "The sooner, the better."
Fellay described Williamson as "educated and cultivated" and said the Society didn't understand how the bishop could have been so mistaken. "If one holds a person in esteem, it's very sad," said Fellay.
Fellay stressed that the Society of Saint Pius X instructed its priests to limit themselves to teaching religious faith and practice. "I must concede that we weren't strict enough here," he said.
In other news, French Catholic magazine Famille Chrétienne should publish tomorrow their interview with Bishop Fellay, in which he gave more detailed answers regarding what the discussions on Vatican II could involve, including a distiction between "the spirit and the letter" of the Council.
"There is a dangerous spirit which permeates all the Council, and, in this sense, we reject it"; and he adds: "but, when we speak of the letter, it is not about rejecting it outright as it is".
"There is a dangerous spirit which permeates all the Council, and, in this sense, we reject it"; and he adds: "but, when we speak of the letter, it is not about rejecting it outright as it is".
Also related: A reader sends us a link to the extensive opinion note written by Martin Mosebach for the current edition of Der Spiegel - an article which was printed, but was not made available online, as if it were destined to oblivion.
