Summary
Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández and Father Davide Pagliarini, superior general of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X (FSSPX), are meeting at the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome. The meeting is taking place amid tension over liturgical issues and the institutional future of the FSSPX, which was founded by Monsignor Marcel Lefebvre. Traditionally, traditional liturgy enjoyed legal continuity, but Traditionis Custodes divided this continuum into discretionary concessions that vary according to dioceses and bishops’ approval. The FSSPX dialogue with the Church’s doctrinal office is significant because it could define whether Rome recognizes the sacramental continuity of the traditional rite or if it remains contingent on local authorities. Disciplinary measures, including blocking or delaying ordinations due to perceived deviance from established lines, have heightened concerns about the security of the traditional liturgy’s existence. The stakes are high for many faithful who view this issue as a question of continuity regarding whether they can remain within and participate in the traditional Mass. The meeting between Fernández and Pagliarini could determine the course of Pope Francis’s pontificate concerning the sacramental life of those connected to the ancient Roman rite, with Rome potentially choosing either a restrictive or an accommodating model for its implementation.
Key Topics
Rome, Traditionis Custodes, FSSPX
