Rorate Caeli

Fellay speaks to The Remnant

In an interview by Brian Mershon, published by The Remnant, the Superior-General of the Priestly Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX/FSSPX), Bishop Bernard Fellay, adds some new information.

(1) The letter with the "Bouquet of rosaries" sent by the FSSPX to the Pope asking for, among others, the freedom of the Traditional Mass, has been sent:

The letter has not yet been published. It has been sent, but it has not been published, so I cannot say much.
(2) The future liberalization of the Traditional Mass:

Personally, I do not think things will happen that way. I do not see the big heat wave immediately after the publication of greater permission for celebration of the Mass. ...
I’m sure that especially among younger priests, this expectation is there. There remains the possibility, and that will depend upon what is, or will be, in this famous motu proprio. And there I cannot say much because I have no idea what it is.

There is an expectation. And just speaking about the possibility of having a motu proprio is spreading the appetite around. I’m pretty sure there will be an interest everywhere.
(3) Was the motu proprio signed?

My knowledge is zero. ... I was pretty sure before it had been signed, yes. So the fact it has been put again on the desk, it means definitely, the French bishops are mighty. That’s all I can say because I really don’t know more. But I was pretty sure it had already been signed.

(4) The contents of the letters sent by the Holy See:

There are not so many letters. In fact, let me think… There is one letter of Cardinal Castrillón. And then of course greetings for my election [Ed. Note: Bishop Fellay’s re-election as Superior General in July 2006]. I don’t know if you want to count that or not. There is nothing more than that. And then I answered this letter of Cardinal Castrillón. It [Ed. Note: The letter Bishop Fellay wrote] is more like “Why don’t you answer? Why don’t you move?”

It does not yet deal with in-depth things. There are openings. There are invitations to go ahead and so on. And we say, “Please, first do the preconditions.” This is the kind of thing we have asked since the year 2000.
(5) Vatican II and doctrinal discussions:

The Church needs to go back to the principles, to the solid. Vatican II is like plastic. It’s not solid. It’s ambiguous. It’s inconsistent. Even discussing Vatican II is not going to bring you much. We have to go back to the solid. If the discussions bring us to that point, then fine. But if the base of the discussions is Vatican II, then forget it.
(6) On a canonical structure for the SSPX:

The Vatican has never brought us any kind of blueprint of our future structure. The only thing they said in 2003, it was something between an apostolic administration, a personal prelature and a military ordinariate. So it was something in between these. They said they didn’t have a name for it. This was the only thing we know. We don’t know much, and since then, we have never had any concrete discussions on this topic.
(7) On "Traditionalist ecumenism":

...the great majority of the Ecclesia Dei movement sticks to the Mass, but not to the doctrine. They have already swallowed the poison. So, I don’t see any big traditionalist ecumenism.