HOLY SEE PRESS OFFICE COMMUNIQUÉ on Meeting of Cardinal Müller and Society of Saint Pius X SuperiorsUpdated

[Post time: 12:20 p.m.]
[For additional commentary, read this:
Understanding the Vatican Statement.]

Palace of the Holy Office, Rome

HOLY SEE PRESS OFFICE COMMUNIQUÉ

"On the morning of Tuesday 23 September from 11 am to 1 pm, a cordial meeting took place at the premises of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, between Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Muller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and Bishop Bernard Fellay, superior general of the Society of St. Pius X. The meeting was also attended by Archbishops Luis Francisco Ladaria Ferrer, S.I., secretary of the same Congregation, Joseph Augustine Di Noia, O.P., adjunct secretary and Guido Pozzo, secretary of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, along with two assistants from the Society of St. Pius X, Rev. Niklaus Pfluger and Rev. Alain-Marc Nély.

"During the meeting, various problems of a doctrinal and canonical nature were examined, and it was decided to proceed gradually and over a reasonable period of time in order to overcome difficulties and with a view to the envisioned full reconciliation."

[Update - 2:30 p.m. GMT] Communiqué on the same meeting, from the General House of the Society of Saint Pius X:

On Tuesday September 23, 2014 his Excellency Bishop Benard Fellay, Superior General of the Society of Saint Pius X, met with Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. With Bishop Fellay were Frs. Niklaus Pfluger and Alain-Marc Nély, First and Second Assistants General of the Society. Cardinal Müller was accompanied by Monsignor Luis Ladaria Ferrer s.j., Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith; Monsignor Joseph Augustin Di Noia o.p., Assistant Secretary; and Monsignor Guido Pozzo, Secretary of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei.

The meeting took place in the offices of the Congregation for the Docrine of the Faith from 11:00 a.m. until 1 p.m. The goal of the audience was to allow Cardinal Müller and Bishop Fellay to meet for the first time and to discuss together the status of the relations between the Holy See and the Society of Saint Pius X. This was their first encounter since the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI and the end of Cardinal William Jospeh Levada’s term as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

During this cordial meeting, doctrinal and canonical difficulties were discussed, and the current situation of the Church was mentioned. It was decided to continue the discussions in order to clarify the points of contention that remain.

Menzingen, September 23, 2014

***

[Original Italian text, published in L'Osservatore Romano, September 24, 2014 edition, p. 7: Si è svolto oggi, martedì 23 settembre dalle ore 11 alle ore 13 in un clima di cordialità presso la sede della Congregazione per la Dottrina della Fede, l’incontro tra l’Em.mo Cardinale Gerhard Ludwig Müller, Prefetto della Congregazione per la Dottrina della Fede e S.E. Mons. Bernard Fellay, Superiore generale della Fraternità Sacerdotale S. Pio X. All’incontro erano presenti gli Ecc.mi: Mons. Luis Francisco Ladaria Ferrer, SI, Segretario della medesima Congregazione, Mons. Joseph Augustine Di Noia, OP, Segretario Aggiunto e Mons. Guido Pozzo, Segretario della Pontificia Commissione Ecclesia Dei, nonché gli assistenti della FSSPX Rev.di Niklaus Pfluger e Alain-Marc Nély. Durante l’incontro si sono esaminati alcuni problemi di ordine dottrinale e canonico e si è inteso di procedere per gradi e in tempi ragionevoli verso il superamento delle difficoltà e l’auspicato raggiungimento della piena riconciliazione.]

[French Translation: Ce matin, le Préfet de la Congrégation pour la doctrine de la foi s'est entretenu pendant deux heures avec Mgr.Bernard Fellay, Supérieur de la Fraternité sacerdotale St.Pie X, accompagné par ses Assistants l'Abbé Nikolaus Pfluger et l'Abbé Alain-Marc Nély. Le Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller était accompagné du Secrétaire et du Secrétaire adjoint du dicastère, les Archevêques Mgr.Luis Francisco Ladaria Ferrer, SJ, et Mgr.Joseph Augustine Di Noia, OP, ainsi que de l’Archevêque Mgr.Guido Pozzo, Secrétaire de la Commission pontificale Ecclesia Dei. Les parties, qui ont examiné certaines questions d'ordre doctrinal et canonique, ont convenu de procéder par paliers mais dans un délai raisonnable vers le dépassement des difficultés. Et ce dans la perspective désirée d'une pleine réconciliation.]

[Spanish Translation: De las 11 a las 13 de esta mañana y en un clima de cordialidad ha tenido lugar en la Congregación para la Doctrina de la Fe el encuentro entre Su Eminencia el cardenal Gerhard Ludwig Müller, Prefecto de la Congregación para la Doctrina de la Fe y Su Excelencia Mons. Bernard Fellay, Superior General de la Fraternidad Sacerdotal San Pío X. En el encuentro estaban presentes los Excelentísimos monseñores Luis Francisco Ladaria Ferrer S.I. Secretario de la misma congregación, Joseph Augustine Di Noia O.P. Secretario adjunto y Guido Pozzo, Secretario de la Pontificia Comisión Ecclesia Dei, además de los asistentes de la FSSPX, los reverendos Niklaus Pfluger y Alain-Marc Nély. Durante el encuentro se han examinado algunos problemas de orden doctrinal y canónico y si ha acordado proceder gradualmente y dentro de un tiempo razonable para superar las dificultades y alcanzar la deseada reconciliación plena.]

[Source for original text and translations: Holy See Press Office]