An outstretched hand from the Vatican to the Lefebvrists of the Society of Saint Pius «The ordination of bishops without papal mandate», states the note from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, «would constitute a schism with serious consequences».
The meeting that was held between Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, and the superior general of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius clarified some of the open issues with the Fraternity and initiated steps for dialogue. «There was discussion about the issue of divine will regarding the plurality of religions”the Dicastery reports and «the Prefect has proposed a specifically theological dialogue path, with a very precise methodology, regarding themes that have not yet had sufficient clarification, such as: the difference between an act of faith and “religious obedience of the mind and will“, or the different degrees of adhesion that the different texts of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council and its interpretation require”. A necessary step, however, to continue the approach, is stop ordering. Don Pagliarani will submit the question to his Council and respond to the Dicastery.
«In case of a positive response, the steps, stages and procedures to be followed will be established by mutual agreement», we read again in the press release. Otherwise, “the ordination of Bishops without mandate from the Holy Father, who holds supreme ordinary power, which is full, universal, immediate and direct, would imply a decisive break of ecclesial communion (schism) with serious consequences for the Fraternity as a whole”.
