{"id":9822,"date":"2022-11-13T23:53:18","date_gmt":"2022-11-13T21:53:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.theotokos.co.za\/?p=9822"},"modified":"2022-11-13T23:53:21","modified_gmt":"2022-11-13T21:53:21","slug":"can-pope-francis-grant-schismatics-faculties","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.theotokos.co.za\/?p=9822","title":{"rendered":"Can Pope Francis grant schismatics faculties?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Fb-Button\"\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>
<\/fb:like><\/div>
<\/div><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Continued from part 2.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Cape<\/a>
Click for the series index<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

I believe the Society of St Pius X (SSPX) is in schism from the Catholic Church, as I explained in part 1<\/a> and part 2<\/a> of this series. The schism was initiated by a schismatic act on the part of their founder, Archbishop Lefebvre, and the bishops he illicitly consecrated; the schism was acknowledged with excommunication by Pope John Paul II; the schism continues in the form of their refusal to submit to legitimate authority in the form of the Pope and their local bishops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I don’t believe that the withdrawal of their excommunication by Pope Benedict XVI resolved the schism. Their excommunication was formal recognition of their schism, but more than just rescinding the excommunication is required; it’s just a first step, as was the case with the rescinding of the excommunication that resulted in the East\/West schism (that didn’t end the East\/West schism either). Further steps are needed to complete the healing and establish the full communion Popes Benedict XVI and Francis has called for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Popes John Paul II and Francis called the SSPX situation a schism, I trust their use of terminology. Some sympathetic bishops may say otherwise, but I’ll stick with the popes.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"The
Three popes describe the status of the SSPX<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

What about faculties?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

An important point been raised by sympathisers suggesting that schism doesn’t exist: the granting of faculties to SSPX priests for valid confession<\/strong>. This is unusual, unheard of, and suspended priests and schismatic priests do not have faculties, and therefore they cannot be suspended and\/or schismatic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another is that the SSPX priests pray for the Pope at Mass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both are cases of fallacious reasoning. The latter assumes that schismatics will not pray for the Pope at Mass, but there is no rule that forbids this, and prayer for the pope at Mass is not a sufficient cause of or criterion for full communion – more is needed, such as obedience. The former assumes that suspended priests cannot be granted limited faculties, and that not even the Pope can grant anything to a schismatic. There is no rule that forbids or prevents this either. Both of these assumptions are the starting point of the logical argument, and both of these assumptions are faulty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n