SSPX publishes list of doubts on canonizations
Platte City, Missouri (PRWEB) April 24, 2014 -- For immediate release
Not everyone agrees that Popes John Paul II and John XXIII should be declared as saints this Sunday, April 27th. Doubts about these canonizations have stemmed from a variety of sources, from Vatican officials, to academics, journalists and reputable bloggers.
From the mainstream media USA Today,[1] the Washington Post,[2] Apic-Imedia,[3] and ABC News[4] have reported on the concerns raised by these scheduled canonizations.
Catholics have not been silent either as witnessed by articles featured in the National Catholic Register,[5] The Remnant,[6] and Catholic Family News.[7] The most prominent and comprehensive critiques have been offered by the priestly Society of St. Pius X. These critiques are conveniently compiled in a list on the USA District’s website.
One major cause for concern is the procedural shortcuts resulting in an unprecedented canonization process for both popes:
• The minimal 5-year waiting period after John Paul II’s death was dismissed
• The definition of “heroic virtue” was substantially altered from the Church’s centuries-old criteria
• The necessity of two proven miracles was arbitrarily reduced to only one by Pope Francis for John XXIII simply because he convoked the Second Vatican Council[8]
• The credibility and attribution of the two miracles ascribed to John Paul II have been called into question by experts involved
• The Vatican’s Secret Archives were not consulted during the investigation of John XXIII
Another concern raised for this canonization fast-tracking was recently re-addressed by Bishop Bernard Fellay, SSPX Superior General, in an open letter in which he stated:
"…there is also the deeper problem of what will appear to be an unprecedented recognition of catholicity: how is it possible to put the Church’s stamp of approval and sanctity on the teachings of such a Council [Vatican II], which inspired all of Karol Wojtyla’s action and whose rotten fruits are the indisputable indication of the Church’s self-destruction?..."
"…For this reason, as we vigorously protest these canonizations, we wish to denounce the undertaking that has denatured the Church since Vatican Council II…"
Bishop Fellay’s letter continued with an examination of the issues of Vatican II and the post-concilar period, concluding firmly yet hopefully:
"We cannot remain passive; we cannot be accomplices to this self-destruction. That is why we invite you, dear friends and benefactors, to remain firm in the Faith, not to let yourselves be troubled by these novelties of one of the most terrible crises that the Holy Church must undergo.
"May the Passion of Our Lord and His Resurrection comfort us in our fidelity, in our unshakeable love for God, for Our Lord, true God and true Man, for His Holy Church, divine and human, in an unfailing hope… in Te speravi non confundar in aeternum. May the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary deign to protect us all, and may her triumph soon come!"
Sources
1 “Pope puts Catholic rebirth at risk”, April 21, 2014 (usatoday.com/story/opinion/2014/04/21/pope-saint-johnpaulii-easter-sex-abuse-column/7980347/).
2 “John Paul II and John XXIII: A rush to sainthood?”, April 22, 2014 (washingtonpost.com/national/religion/john-paul-ii-and-john-xxiii-a-rush-to-sainthood/2014/04/22/82568f70-ca54-11e3-b81a-6fff56bc591e_story.html).
3 As cited by DICI, no. 228; January 20, 2011 (dici.org/en/news/john-paul-ii-to-be-beatified-may-1-2011/).
4 “How to Succeed at Sainthood Without Really Performing Two Miracles”, September 30, 2013 (abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2013/09/john-xxiii-how-to-succeed-at-sainthood-without-really-performing-miracles/).
5 "Are Canonizations Infallible? Yes and No", April 17, 2014 (ncregister.com/blog/pat-archbold/).
6 For example, "Statement of reservations concerning impending beatification of Pope John Paul II", March 21, 2011 (sspx.org/en/remnants-reservations-beatifying-john-paul-ii) and "The Fast-tracked Canonization: A Lamentable Lack of Prudence", April 23, 2014 (remnantnewspaper.com/web/index.php/articles/item/562-the-fast-tracked-canonization-a-lamentable-lack-of-prudence), et al.
7 "Catholic Family News Interviews Professor Roberto de Mattei: On the proposed April 27 Canonizations of Popes John XXIII and John Paul II", April 15, 2014 (cfnews.org/page88/files/6f68a916ecfd1824ca26cf802db0c2fc-217.html) and "Doubt and Confusion: The New 'Canonizations'", March 31, 2014 (sspx.org/en/news-events/news/doubt-and-confusion-about-new-canonizations-3341), et al.
8 "Why Francis is canonizing John XXIII", Vatican Insider, April 23, 2014 (vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/the-vatican/detail/articolo/francesco-francisco-francis-roncalli-33639/).
Louis Tofari, [email protected], +1 (816) 733-2515, [email protected]
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