Holy Father Ready to Concede Society's Points on Vatican II and Liturgy

Edit: the Society is ready to humbly submit, but the Holy Father is also generous to his sheep.

Fathers Pfluger and Schmidberger

(Stuttgart/Trier) The formalization of the union between the Holy See and the Society of St. Pius X, which has organized a pilgrimage to Trier and with that also wants to make a visible demonstration, comes ever closer.   Meanwhile, Budestag Vice President Wolfgang Thierse, who dared to receive hand Communion from Pope Benedict XVI in Berlin,   said in a KNA-interview taking the position of Cardinal Kurt Koch, that the "Vatican will not take back the Society of Saint Pius X". In the first place, this suggestion is solely an initiative of Thierses, who is repeating his own opinion   Recently Father Franz Schmidberger, the Superior of the German District of the Society as also Father Niklaus Pfluger, the first assistant to the Superior General of the Society have shown themselves as positive toward the posibillity of a reconciliation with Rome.

Father Pfluger spoke on April 29th at a meeting of Actio Spes Unica  in the German town of Hattersheim about this.  "Unexpectedly Father Pfluger began to discuss the happenings of the last months till today.  And he otherwise made known that this event had convinced Bishop Fellay to distance himself from the previous principles that distanced the Society from Rome," as it stated in the participant's report and how it will respond  in the reconciliation  offer of Pope Benedict XVI.

"There can be no practical agreement without doctrinal agreement",  said Father Pflugger, expressing himself with the original negotiation maxim of the Society.  It should become clear, however, "that Pope Benedict XVI. is so very interested in a canonical solution for the Society, that he is ready to conclude an agreement even if the controversial texts of the Vatican Council II and the New Mass are not recoginzed."  Should the Society itself "however, with these new stipulations still refuse reunion,  then they would face the prospect of possible excommunication",  said Father Pfluger in recounting the meeting between Cardinal William Levada and the General Superior Fellay on March 16th 2012 in Rome.

"With this understand the General Superior, Bishop Bernard Fellay, did not consider that it would be possible, to hold back from the Pope's offer. It would mean a descent into sedevacantism matter should be closed to the desire of the Holy Father even then, if this was not linked to the recognition of false beliefs," as the first assistant pointed out in Hattersheim.

Pfluger then recalled that Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, the founder of the Society, had been offered  " a very far reaching proposal for an agreement" in 1987 and 1988, "with which he wanted a mediation, which would have been completely to the advantage of the Church."  The proposal which Archbishop Lefebvre then "had been prepared to sign",  would have conceded "very far reaching concessions" to the Society.

It is noteworthy that "false doctrines" today would also  disappear today "upon the Pope's  [not] command  throughout the world overnight",  said Pfluger, who recalled for clarification of historical examples, that Arianism after still influenced for decades after its condemnation, and 50 years after the end of the Council of Trent, yet abuses continued, whose removal is only gradually takes hold.

"The recognition of the Society is finally an official endorsement of the importance of Tradition, which would become especially influential throughout the entire Church.  And it would redress the injustice and stigmatization," said Pfluger.  "The movement back to Tradition, is above all the desire of young priests, who say the Old Mass, is so strong that despite intimidation and pressure can not be held back any longer.  They are in the meantime strong enough that the the Society can defend against the foreseeable efforts of the Modernist Bishops."

The German District Superior, Father Franz Schmidberger, stressed in the forward of the May edition of the Bulletin of the District  of the "unbreakable bond" with "eternal Rome".  One may "not expect that after conciliar and post-conciliar breaks of today that tomorrow morning everything will be again perfect in the militant Church on earth."  "To their human immperfections are counted also even errors, if they do not speak directly against the revealed truth", said Schmidberger.  "Let us not forget in the mean time our struggle for the principles of Archbishop Lefebvre: The Church is founded by Christ on Peter.  He entrusted to  him the keys to the kingdom of Heaven and commanded him, to shepherd the entire flock. Let the fields of the Church be so much more overgrown by weeds,  that it's impossible to see the wheat  - the Church has the promise of eternal life, the Lord is with you always until the end of time. It is His church, not ours. We have no right to dispose of it. We must not view the Church as too human, too political and diplomatic."

"If Rome is now recalling us from exile, in which we in 1975 with the withdrawal of approval, and even more in 1988 when we have been expelled  by the decree of excommunication, then this is an act of justice and no doubt also truly an act of pastoral care from Pope Benedict XVI. and we are grateful, " said Schmidberger.

The same passage from Rorate which differs

 If Rome now calls us back from the exile to which it expelled us in 1975 with the abrogation of the [canonical] approval [of the Society], and even more in 1988 with the decree of excommunication, then that is an act of justice and without doubt also an act of authentic pastoral care of Pope Benedict XVI. And for that we are grateful.

Link to katholisches...