When the Education Review Office (ERO) visited the Society of St Pius X (SSPX) schools in Whanganui the children behaved so beautifully, the inspectors were sure the schools had been tipped off. Deciding then to catch the schools out by visiting again when they were least expected, they found the children equally as good. The Education Review Office Read more
Pope Francis has announced that all priests will have the discretion to absolve the sin of abortion confessed by women during the upcoming Year of Mercy. This power is normally reserved to bishops, who frequently themselves grant priests permission to forgive the sin. Procurement of an abortion incurs an automatic excommunication under Church law. The Read more
Rome has appointed the superior-general of the Society of St Pius X as a first-instance trial judge in a case involving a Lefebvrian priest. The move by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith was announced by SSPX superior-general Bishop Bernard Fellay during a homily. The Secretary of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, Archbishop Read more
The Society of St Pius X community in New Zealand will celebrate the centenary in August of the former Ngongotaha church it relocated to Auckland. The Immaculate Conception Church from Ngongotaha near Rotorua was relocated to Avondale two years ago. The building was rededicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Fr Robert MacPherson, SSPX, said Read more
Two excommunicated traditionalist bishops plan to consecrate a new generation of bishops to spread their movement which is dubbed “The Resistance”. According to Reuters, French Bishop Jean-Michel Faure said the new group rejected Pope Francis and what it called his “new religion”. Bishop Faure and Holocaust-denying Bishop Richard Williamson both incurred automatic excommunications last month Read more
Former Society of St Pius X Bishop Richard Williamson will reportedly consecrate a bishop without the approval of Rome. The Rorate Caeli blog reported the planned consecration this month of Fr Jean-Michel Faure at the monastery of Santa Cruz in Nova Friburgo in Brazil. March 19 is the likely date. Bishop Williamson was one of four Read more
The prefect of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith will reportedly meet the superior of the traditionalist Society of St Pius X this month. The meeting between Cardinal Gerhard Müller and Bishop Bernard Fellay, SSPX, on September 21, has been labelled as “informal”. If it goes ahead, it will be Cardinal Müller’s first meeting with Read more
After the diocese of Rome refused a public funeral for Nazi war criminal Erich Priebke, the breakaway Society of St Pius X arranged a funeral that was suspended after a clash between ultra-right-wing sympathisers and enraged citizens. The controversy over the proposed funeral overshadowed ceremonies commemorating the 70th anniversary of the deportation of more than Read more
The head of the traditionalist Society of St Pius X has denounced Vatican II, described the post-conciliar Mass as “evil”, and said he is grateful the group never reached an accommodation with the Holy See. Bishop Bernard Fellay also said: “The situation of the Church is a real disaster, and the present Pope is making Read more
The superior general of of the traditionalist Society of St Pius X, Bishop Bernard Fellay, is coming to New Zealand in October this year, and supporters hope he will bless a former Catholic church building that is to be moved from Rotorua to Auckland. According to an SSPX New Zealand newsletter, Bishop Fellay will also Read more