Fellay Responds

Archbishop Fellay, Superior General of the Society of Pius X, has issued a letter in response to the recent Motu Propio. My mother, wonderfully proficient in the French language, provided me with a spiffin' translation:

Press release of the Superior General of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X.

By means of the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum, pope Benedict XVI has restored to its rights the Tridentine Mass, clearly affirming that the Roman Missal promulgated by Saint Pius V was never abrogated. The Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X rejoices to see the Church thus recover its liturgical Tradition, giving to the priests and to the faithful who have been up to the present time deprived of them, the possibility of having free access to the treasure of the traditional Mass for the glory of God, the good of the Church and the health of souls. For this great spiritual benefit, the Fraternity of Saint-Pius X expresses to the Sovereign pontiff its lively gratitude.

The letter which accompanies the Motu Proprio does not obscure, however, the difficulties which still remain. The Fraternity of Saint-Pius X forms the wish that the favorable climate founded by the new provisions of the Holy See will make it possible - after the withdrawal of the decree of excommunication which continues to injure its bishops - to calmly address the doctrinal points in litigation.

Lex orandi, lex credendi, the law of the liturgy is that of the faith. In fidelity to the spirit of our founder Mgr. Marcel Lefebvre, the attachment of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint-Pius X to the traditional liturgy is indivisibly united to the faith which has been professed “always, everywhere and by all”.

Menzingen, July 7, 2007
Mgr. Bernard Fellay

Hat tip to the Cornell folks for the link.