SSPX seeks to regularize its canonical status and outlines detailed plan

[Please note: this plan is not (yet at least) an official statement of the SSPX or Vatican. The original story is here: http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=5884]

Vichy, Jan. 31, 2006 (CNA) - The Saint Pius X Fraternity and its superior general Bishop Fellay , are seeking the regularize their situation with the Holy See, in a declaration made by the same bishop on January 13th, and in comments to French newspaper La Croix.

According to the superior general, the Vatican would be willing to grant them a status of autonomy and the creation of a personal apostolic administration directly under the administration of the Pope. The same has been done already in 2001-2002 in Campos, Brazil.

Bishop Fellay is confident this status will be granted to them, even though, he says, “we don’t want to be a catholic group aside. We don’t ask for the old mass just for us, but for all. But maybe we have to go through this transitory status.”

An extensive comment and proposal has been made by the Abbé Paul Aulignier, a priest of the fraternity, on his website “la revue Item” who enthusiastically welcomed such news and devised a detailed plan in order to fulfill this status. “We can only win in this situation,” says the priest, “We should really take this opportunity from Rome.”

Under these circumstances, Fr. Paul Aulignier outlines an extensive plan for this Apostolic Administration, in order to prepare the traditionalist group to reintegrate the Church. He values the success of a first similar experience in Brazil, noting this experience is not restricted to some few parishes but has extended to over 13 dioceses in that country.

In his draft, the Vatican would first recognize the validity of the old Ordo of Saint Pius V and would create a “Ordinariat of the Good Shepherd,” for the Latin liturgy. It would be a federation of Institutes and Works. They would be allowed to celebrate mass based on the old rite of Saint Pius V.

His draft gives the details of the administration of the Ordinariat, and would be a personal prelature of the Pope who would name a Cardinal Prefect.

This is just a draft imagined by a member of the fraternity, not an official document of the Vatican nor the Saint Pius X Fraternity.

The whole document is available in French at the following:
http://la.revue.item.free.fr/regard_monde230106.htm