Timely Talk
Participant Responses
Father Bob Albright
What do I think about the Pope’s decision to reinstate the members of the St. Pius X Society?
First of all, I was stunned when I heard the report! Yet, I was not surprised. There have been many attempts by the Vatican to reconcile the situation with the members of the SPX Society. In all of these attempts, the reasoning has never been clear. The Vatican has reached across all barriers to help these dissidents get their act together. But my opinion is that the Vatican has mis-read the motives and demands of SPX. The Vatican has treated this group as people dissatisfied with the present reforms in liturgical practice. We can see from the latest reports that the SPX Society has many more fundamental issues with the Church than simply its liturgical practices. It has basically denied all the documents of Vatican II and has even denied the legitimacy of recent popes. The questions of religious freedom - reforms in Church structure - the Mass, and all the other sacraments - recognition of the Jews, Muslims, and other non-Christian religions as worthy in their own rights – the expansion of the role of the laity in the Church – all of these are foreign to the minds of these dissidents. They disapprove of the work of Vatican II and every pope since 1962. From recent reports about the positions of Bishop Williamson, we can see that re-establishing the Tridentine Mass (the liturgical rite before Vatican II) is not the solution. Their opposition goes deeper than liturgy – it is rather on the level of ideas: ecclesial, philosophical, and theological. And their opposition to liturgical reforms is simply a symptom of their unwillingness to accept diversity as a part of God’s plan. They want to think that they are right and the rest of the Church is wrong about all these issues. Therefore, reinstating these dissidents will only cause confusion inside and outside the Church. Reconciliation has to be two-way: Both sides must come to some solution. It is obvious that they will not agree to the present teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and no reinstatement will change that. I think, therefore, that this is all a mistake.
What effect will this have on Christian/Jewish relations?
I hope it will strengthen the relations we now have and help us to further our dialogues and activities with even greater vigor!!! We cannot let this mistake stop us in our tracks. We have come very far since Vatican II and we will not turn back. We will not spoil the memory of Pope John XXIII, Joseph Lichten, Abraham Heschel, Pope Paul VI, and Pope John Paul II, all of whom took the risk of reversing the past 2000 years of alienation and hostility for a future of dialogue and mutual respect. Hang in there! It’s not the end, it’s only beginning. (Cf. Isaiah 42:9 and 43:18-19)
What can we do about it?
Perhaps the time has come for a joint Jewish/Catholic/Protestant public response to the Vatican!?! Could the ICJS be the catalyst for such a response???
