A correspondent of ours in Brazil sends us a few answers granted by Bishop Bernard Fellay, Superior General of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X (FSSPX / SSPX), to journalists present in his conference in São Paulo this weekend. This is the short interview:
Journalists have often asked: what would be the preferred format for the Fraternity, an Apostolic Administration, such as Campos, a Personal Prelature, as Opus Dei, or a Personal Ordinariate, as the one granted to the Anglicans?
[Fellay:] The Vatican has already declared very clearly that no canonical statute will be given to the Fraternity before the end of the doctrinal dialogues. As there is nothing official, and nothing known, I cannot say anything. The only thing I can say is that Rome wants to establish for us something that is convenient for the Fraternity.It has been said that the Holy See might publicly recognize faculties for all Sacraments celebrated by the Fraternity. Do you believe that this might take place shortly?[Fellay:] I have no idea. I simply do not know.And the last question is: will the Fraternity accept, temporarily, a provisional canonical structure during the doctrinal discussions?[Fellay:] This idea does exist, but it is a problem inside the Church. There are many, many bishops who truly hate us. Actual enemies of the Fraternity. And they would do all within their power to destroy us. This provisional arrangement would not solve the problem of the priests and of the faithful. The bishops would place great obstacles and chaos would set in. Therefore, a canonical solution will have to be permanent. Some small steps could be taken, for instance, recognizing the Sacraments celebrated by the Fraternity and such.
We thank contributor Al Trovato and reader P.K.T.Perkins for sending us these questions and also those in Brazil who had asked us for questions and to whom we forwarded these, among others; and also the interviewer (Juliana Fragetti) who managed to get these interesting answers from Bishop Fellay in that conference.
