SSPX Press Release: "About a meeting: Pope Francis and Bishop Fellay"

[ADMG]

SSPX today released a press release, notably denying the rumour of a serious meeting or of any assistance by SSPX priests at St. Martha mass.

Source

On May 10, 2014, the English blog Rorate Caeli published under the pseudonym "Adfero", some "exclusive information" whose sources could not be - according to him - disclosed. This "exclusive information", spread by the media, revealed that Bishop Bernard Fellay, Superior General of the Society of St. Pius X, met with Pope Francis. On May 11, the Roman agency I.Media published that Bishop Fellay's two assistants, Fr. Niklaus Pfluger and Fr. Marc-Alain Nély, had attended the Pope's private Mass.??

Fathers Pfluger and Nely have never attended the Pope's private Mass, and journalists who claim otherwise would have a hard time to indicate the day of the alleged assistance. Here are the facts:

??On December 13, 2013, Bishop Fellay and his assistants went to Rome for an informal meeting at the request of the Ecclesia Dei Commission. Following this interview, the Secretary of the Commission, Msgr. Guido Pozzo, invited his counterparts for lunch at St. Martha House's dining room where they were joined by Archbishop Augustine Di Noia, Assistant Secretary of the Congregation of the Faith. It is in this large refectory that the Pope takes his daily meals, away from other guests.??

Msgr. Pozzo insisted on introducing Bishop Fellay to the pope while the latter was leaving the refectory. There was a brief exchange where Pope Francis said to Bishop Fellay, according to the usual polite formula, "I'm very glad to meet you." To this, Bishop Fellay answered that he was praying a lot, and the pope asked him to pray for him. Such was the "meeting" that lasted a few seconds.??

In the interview he gave to Le Rocher ( April-May 2014 ), Bishop Fellay answered the following question:

Has Rome made an official approach to renew contact with you since the election of Pope Francis?

Rome made a 'non-official' approach to renew contact with us, but nothing more, and I have not asked for an audience as I did after Benedict XVI's election. For me, things at present are very simple: we stay as we are. Some concluded from my close contact with Rome in 2012 that I regard the necessity of a canonical recognition as a supreme principle. Preserving the Faith and our traditional Catholic identity is essential and remains our first principle."

Confirms what I wrote yesterday.

[Geremia]

But Bp. Fellay attended the Novus Ordo, right?

And is it an unjustified rumor that he received Francis's blessing?

[sisinono]

That allegation about Bp. Fellay attending the novus ordo was retracted on Novusordowatch and replaced with the newer one about Bp. Fellay's two assistants attending the private mass of Francis.  Which has been officially denied by the SSPX both on DICI and sspx.org.  Now all we need is for Novusordowatch and Rorate Caeli to retract the latest calumny.

http://www.dici.org/actualites/a-propos-dune-rencontre-entre-le-pape-francois-et-mgr-fellay/

http://sspx.org/en/news-events/news/about-meeting-pope-francis-and-bishop-fellay-4067

This also handles the second rumor about the blessing which you questioned.

[Elizabeth]

All of the howling about the "secret meeting" was depressing. 

[verenaerin]

All of the howling about the "secret meeting" was depressing.

Elizabeth, we are going to be hearing crap like this, probably more and more.  This is a psy ops to beat us down. Have us turned around so many times that you just want to give up on the whole thing. You're Catholic, I'm Catholic, and by the grace of God neither of us will defect. There are more like us. Clearly Bp. Fellay, with his devotion to the BVM, will keep the faith.

So don't believe these lies, refuse to let them have any power over you. It just shows how desperate the enemy is getting. Remember, the battle is against us, we are the target. But we've already won, don't let demons take that away from you.

[Elizabeth]

don't let demons take that away from you.

Thank you, V, I needed that.

[Geremia]

That allegation about Bp. Fellay attending the novus ordo was retracted on Novusordowatch and replaced with the newer one about Bp. Fellay's two assistants attending the private mass of Francis.  Which has been officially denied by the SSPX both on DICI and sspx.org.  Now all we need is for Novusordowatch and Rorate Caeli to retract the latest calumny.

http://www.dici.org/actualites/a-propos-dune-rencontre-entre-le-pape-francois-et-mgr-fellay/

http://sspx.org/en/news-events/news/about-meeting-pope-francis-and-bishop-fellay-4067

This also handles the second rumor about the blessing which you questioned.

That article doesn't clarify whether Bp. Fellay attended Francis's Novus Ordo or not, nor whether he received Francis's blessing or not.

[Larry]

That allegation about Bp. Fellay attending the novus ordo was retracted on Novusordowatch and replaced with the newer one about Bp. Fellay's two assistants attending the private mass of Francis.  Which has been officially denied by the SSPX both on DICI and sspx.org.  Now all we need is for Novusordowatch and Rorate Caeli to retract the latest calumny.

http://www.dici.org/actualites/a-propos-dune-rencontre-entre-le-pape-francois-et-mgr-fellay/

http://sspx.org/en/news-events/news/about-meeting-pope-francis-and-bishop-fellay-4067

This also handles the second rumor about the blessing which you questioned.

That article doesn't clarify whether Bp. Fellay attended Francis's Novus Ordo or not, nor whether he received Francis's blessing or not.

I really doubt Fellay attended.

[sisinono]

That allegation about Bp. Fellay attending the novus ordo was retracted on Novusordowatch and replaced with the newer one about Bp. Fellay's two assistants attending the private mass of Francis.  Which has been officially denied by the SSPX both on DICI and sspx.org.  Now all we need is for Novusordowatch and Rorate Caeli to retract the latest calumny.

http://www.dici.org/actualites/a-propos-dune-rencontre-entre-le-pape-francois-et-mgr-fellay/

http://sspx.org/en/news-events/news/about-meeting-pope-francis-and-bishop-fellay-4067

This also handles the second rumor about the blessing which you questioned.

That article doesn't clarify whether Bp. Fellay attended Francis's Novus Ordo or not, nor whether he received Francis's blessing or not.

The article doesn't need to.  The rumor of Bp. Fellay attending Francis's novus ordo mass has been retracted by the originator.  What foundation is there for it now to be believed or for it needing refuting?  I don't understand.

The original source for this unsubstantiated rumor was Novusordowatch.  Based entirely on their  misreading and misrepresentation of Rorate Caeli's blog,  by their own admittance.  Rorate Caeli never made this allegation.  Novusordowatch has since retracted and apologized, as follows:

12-MAY-2014 08:29 GMT UPDATE: We apologize for having first erroneously reported that Bp. Fellay himself, as well, attended Francis' Novus Ordo "Mass". The news report does not say this but specifically says that only Bp. Fellay's two assistants, Fr. Pfluger and Fr. Nely, did. There is no excuse for us getting this wrong, so we immediately make this correction and apologize. While this renders the story less explosive than before, it is nevertheless still extremely revealing and disturbing that Bp. Fellay's two immediate assistants now have no problem attending the 'New Mass.' Will Bp. Fellay denounce this? Will he remove the two assistants and discipline them? Watch very closely what happens now, for Bp. Fellay may perhaps agree with their action.


Secondly, here is the paragraph from sspx.org dealing with the meeting between Francis and Bp. Fellay:

Archbishop Pozzo insisted on introducing Bishop Fellay to the pope while the latter was leaving the refectory. There was a brief exchange where Pope Francis said to Bishop Fellay, according to the usual polite formula, "I'm very glad to meet you." To this, Bishop Fellay answered that he was praying a lot, and the pope asked him to pray for him. Such was the "meeting" that lasted a few seconds.??[/b]

There is no mention of a blessing, so why would one believe otherwise?  Based on Rorate Caeli or Novusordowatch, now both proven ill-informed and guilty of false reporting?  No thanks. 

All that's left now is for both Rorate Caeli and Novusordowatch to update their websites and retract the false allegation of Bp. Fellay's two assistants attending Francis' mass.  And for us to not give any further air to substanceless internet rumors propagated by persons without integrity.

[Geremia]

That allegation about Bp. Fellay attending the novus ordo was retracted on Novusordowatch and replaced with the newer one about Bp. Fellay's two assistants attending the private mass of Francis.  Which has been officially denied by the SSPX both on DICI and sspx.org.  Now all we need is for Novusordowatch and Rorate Caeli to retract the latest calumny.

http://www.dici.org/actualites/a-propos-dune-rencontre-entre-le-pape-francois-et-mgr-fellay/

http://sspx.org/en/news-events/news/about-meeting-pope-francis-and-bishop-fellay-4067

This also handles the second rumor about the blessing which you questioned.

That article doesn't clarify whether Bp. Fellay attended Francis's Novus Ordo or not, nor whether he received Francis's blessing or not.

The article doesn't need to.  The rumor of Bp. Fellay attending Francis's novus ordo mass has been retracted by the originator.  What foundation is there for it now to be believed or for it needing refuting?  I don't understand.

The original source for this unsubstantiated rumor was Novusordowatch.  Based entirely on their  misreading and misrepresentation of Rorate Caeli's blog,  by their own admittance.  Rorate Caeli never made this allegation.  Novusordowatch has since retracted and apologized, as follows:

12-MAY-2014 08:29 GMT UPDATE: We apologize for having first erroneously reported that Bp. Fellay himself, as well, attended Francis' Novus Ordo "Mass". The news report does not say this but specifically says that only Bp. Fellay's two assistants, Fr. Pfluger and Fr. Nely, did. There is no excuse for us getting this wrong, so we immediately make this correction and apologize. While this renders the story less explosive than before, it is nevertheless still extremely revealing and disturbing that Bp. Fellay's two immediate assistants now have no problem attending the 'New Mass.' Will Bp. Fellay denounce this? Will he remove the two assistants and discipline them? Watch very closely what happens now, for Bp. Fellay may perhaps agree with their action.


Secondly, here is the paragraph from sspx.org dealing with the meeting between Francis and Bp. Fellay:

Archbishop Pozzo insisted on introducing Bishop Fellay to the pope while the latter was leaving the refectory. There was a brief exchange where Pope Francis said to Bishop Fellay, according to the usual polite formula, "I'm very glad to meet you." To this, Bishop Fellay answered that he was praying a lot, and the pope asked him to pray for him. Such was the "meeting" that lasted a few seconds.??[/b]

There is no mention of a blessing, so why would one believe otherwise?  Based on Rorate Caeli or Novusordowatch, now both proven ill-informed and guilty of false reporting?  No thanks. 

All that's left now is for both Rorate Caeli and Novusordowatch to update their websites and retract the false allegation of Bp. Fellay's two assistants attending Francis' mass.  And for us to not give any further air to substanceless internet rumors propagated by persons without integrity.

Thanks for the clarification

[sisinono]

You're welcome, Geremia.

[Gerard]

I don't understand why people would be upset at the possibility of Bishop Fellay simply attending a Novus Ordo and being relieved by the confirmation that he did not attend but when it comes to  the GREC endeavor that Bp. Fellay allowed the SSPX to participate in doesn't even get on the radar of the same people. 

The GREC effort is by far more scandalous and duplicitous than (imprudently at worst) attending a Pope's Novus Ordo. 

[Geremia]

the GREC endeavor that Bp. Fellay allowed the SSPX to participate in

Yeah, what was that? I've never heard of that.

[Gerard]

the GREC endeavor that Bp. Fellay allowed the SSPX to participate in

Yeah, what was that? I've never heard of that.

GREC is a "think tank" started in 1997 by a Catholic diplomat and his wife in order to carve out a "path to unity" between the SSPX and Conciliar Rome by sidestepping the doctrinal disagreements. 



You can read a few write ups on it by searching. 

Here's one:

http://doncurzionitoglia.net/2013/01/28/187/

[Geremia]

the GREC endeavor that Bp. Fellay allowed the SSPX to participate in

Yeah, what was that? I've never heard of that.

GREC is a "think tank" started in 1997 by a Catholic diplomat and his wife in order to carve out a "path to unity" between the SSPX and Conciliar Rome by sidestepping the doctrinal disagreements. 



You can read a few write ups on it by searching. 

Here's one:

http://doncurzionitoglia.net/2013/01/28/187/

Wow, I thought I'd heard everything regarding the SSPX, but not this! thanks