Pope John XXIII leads the opening session of the Second Vatican Council in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican Oct. 11, 1962. Pope Francis has met with the traditionalist Society of St Pius X, a group that separated itself from the wider Church decades ago in opposition to the reforms of the Second Vatican Council.
The Vatican confirmed the weekend meeting between the Pontiff and Bishop Bernard Fellay, Superior General of the Society in a sign that Francis is keen to continue the work of Benedict XVI in reintegrating the group in to the wider Church.
Founded by the late French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre in 1970, the society rejects many of the teachings of Vatican II, a 1962-65 gathering of the world’s bishops that led to large reforms in the Church’s liturgy and its stance on issues like religious freedom.
Relations
Pope Benedict XVI had sought to repair relations with the group, lifting the excommunications of four of their bishops in 2009. Those efforts ultimately failed when Bishop Fellay rejected a doctrinal statement drafted by the Vatican for the group to sign.
In a recent interview posted on the society’s website, Bishop Fellay said he thinks Francis may consider his group as existing on the “periphery” and thus needing to be accompanied back to the Church.
“It is clear that Pope Francis wants to let us live and survive,” the bishop said.
“He even said to anyone who cares to listen that he would never do the society any harm.”
Francis had indicated a move toward unity between the wider Church and the traditionalist society with the opening of the ongoing jubilee Year of Mercy.
Faculties
In a September letter to the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelisation, he explained that members of the society would be granted faculties during the year to offer absolution of sins “validly and licitly” to those who approach them for Confession.
“This Jubilee Year of Mercy excludes no one,” the Pontiff said then.
“I trust that in the near future solutions may be found to recover full communion with the priests and superiors of the fraternity.”
Italian newspaper Il Foglio cited sources who said the meeting between Francis and Fellay “was positive” and that the “understanding is good” between the two leaders.