Paul Keenan
The breakaway Society of St Pius X appears to have abandoned hopes of reuniting with the Vatican with a statement rejecting the need for recognition from Rome for its existence while voicing criticism of the Pope for “errors” in Church teaching.
The statement, made in the name of Bishop Bernard Fellay, the current superior general of the society, clearly asserts that the congregation, established by rebel Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre in 1970 “does not primarily seek a canonical recognition” from Rome before alluding to “great and painful confusion that currently reigns in the Church” that “requires the denunciation of errors that have made their way into it and are unfortunately encouraged by a large number of pastors, including the Pope himself”.
The statement concludes: “The Society of Saint Pius X prays and does penance for the Pope, that he might have the strength to proclaim Catholic faith and morals in their entirety.”