14 quotes found
"We have souls to save. The Church is not new. If we follow what the Church has always done, and what the saints have always done, we are assured of being on the safe path to Heaven. In all times, the Church has considered novelties dangerous and the fruit of pride. We might, today, say that there is a sickness for novelty and change. But God does not change. The Faith does not change. The Commandments do not change. Be faithful to what the Church has always taught in her catechisms and you will be assured of being on the right side of this fight for God and His glory."
"We have an excellent relationship. As soon as Pope Francis) hears that we are in Rome, he opens all doors for us. He often offers us his help, even in minor matters. Once he said to us: ‘I have problems when I do something good for you. I help Protestants and Anglicans... why shouldn't I also help Catholics?’ Some want to prevent reconciliation. We are a disruptive factor in the Church."
"With Pope Francis we do not see this attachment to either liturgy or ancient discipline; one could even say that the opposite is true, manifested through many contrary statements, and this is what makes understanding such benevolence even more difficult and complicated. I think there are at least several possible explanations, but I confess that I do not have the final word on the matter. One explanation is Pope Francis' view of everything that is marginalised, what he calls the “existential peripheries”. I would not be surprised if he considered us one of these peripheries to which he clearly gives his preference."
"It is clear that Pope Francis wants to let us live and survive. He even said, to those who want to hear him, that he would never harm the Fraternity. He has also said that we are Catholics. He refused to condemn us for schism, saying, ‘They are not schismatics, they are Catholics,’ even though he later used a somewhat enigmatic term, namely that we are on the path towards full communion."
"We already speak of the invalidity of many Masses. But to say that all Masses are invalid does not correspond to the line of the Fraternity. This is something we have never said. In our discussions with Rome, we have always emphasised that we recognise the validity of the new Mass, if it is celebrated according to the books and with the intention of doing what the Church is mandated to do. In this regard, a distinction must be made between valid and good."
"The new Mass has shortcomings and hides dangers. Of course, not every new Mass is directly scandalous, but the repeated celebration of the new Mass leads to a weak faith and even to its loss. We see how every day there are fewer and fewer priests who still believe in the Real Presence."
"When Pope Francis was elected, I thought: now comes the excommunication. But it was the opposite: Cardinal Mueller wanted to have us excommunicated, and Pope Francis refused. He told me personally: ‘I will not condemn you.’ Reconciliation will come. Our Mother Church is incredibly divided at the moment. The conservatives want us, and they have said so in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The German bishops absolutely do not want us. Rome has to deal with all these elements, we understand that. If we were simply accepted as we are, there would be a war in the Church. There is a fear that we will triumph. The Pope told journalists: ‘I will make sure that it is not a triumph.’"
"We both agree that there are already a number of practical provisions in place that make schism practically impossible. That is, in practice, in our everyday actions, we express and show Rome our submission, the fact that we recognise these authorities, and this not only at Mass, not only by naming the Pope and the local bishop in the canon of the Mass, but also in other ways. There is the example of the Pope himself, who has given us the power to hear confessions. There are also legal acts: it is a little complicated to explain, but it can happen that a priest commits canonical crimes, and in such cases we refer to Rome, which grants us the faculty and sometimes even requires us to issue a judgement on such cases. So these are really normal relationships. It is not just a matter of jurisdiction over confessions, there is a whole range of things involved."
"What the Society of Saint Pius X has done since its foundation and will continue to do, it has done and will do solely for the good of the Church. Even the episcopal consecrations of 1988 were done for that purpose: for the good of the Church and for our survival. Archbishop Lefebvre had to, I repeat, had to ensure continuity."
"The lifting of the excommunication, together with the Motu proprio of Pope Benedict XVI on the old Mass, is an important, truly important sign for our little lifeboat. That is why I speak of joy and satisfaction. Interviewer: Where and when did you learn of the decree? Mgr. Fellay: I learned of it a few days ago in Rome, in the office of a cardinal, Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos, the president of the Ecclesia Dei Commission."
"Interviewer: Who in the Vatican worked hardest to reach this solution?}} Mgr. Fellay: Certainly Cardinal Hoyos, who is head of the Commission responsible for relations between the Holy See and the Fraternity of St. Pius X. But above all, Pope Benedict XVI. I understood this from the first audience I had with him shortly after his election. Although he reproached us, the Holy Father's tone was gentle, truly paternal."
"We have never said that the Council directly professed heresies. But the wall of protection against error was removed, and thus error was allowed to manifest itself. The faithful need protection. This is the constant struggle of the militant Church to defend the faith."
"I repeat, we have never separated ourselves from the Church."
"(About Mater Populi Fidelis) I would dare to use the word ‘pitiful.’ It is an insult to God. It’s only God who produces grace in us. But God wants his creatures to collaborate and cooperate in his work. Precisely because He made us free, He wants us to make use of that freedom. And more than that He wants us to merit, He wants us to work. Our Lady at Fatima said there are so many souls who fall into hell because no one prays and makes sacrifices for them. Which means if you pray and make sacrifices you can really save souls. If that’s true for any souls, how much more for the Blessed Virgin Mary? She had been chosen by God to be His mother."