Lifting of Excommunications of Fraternity of St. Pius X

Working on the foundation that Pope John Paul II laid, Pope Benedict XVI, there is communion between the Holy See and the Fraternity of St. Pius X.

I had been curious to confirm that the Fraternity had finally accepted the supremacy of the Chair of Peter, which had been the stumbling block for many years. They have indeed declared their fidelity.

Pope Benedict XVI has remitted the excommunication of four bishops ordained without papal consent 20 years ago.

A press office statement issued Saturday says that Pope Benedict arrived at his decision after “a long process of dialogue between the Holy See and the Fraternity of Saint Pius X”.

Bishops Bernard Fellay, Bernard Tissier de Mallerais, Richard Williamson, and Alfonso de Galarreta were consecrated without papal approval by late French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre on June 30, 1988 incurring excommunication latae sententiae.

The excommunication was later confirmed by a decree issued July 1^st 1988 by the Congregation for Bishops.

In a letter dated December 15, addressed to Cardinal Dario Castrillón Hoyos, President of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, Bishop Fellay, also on behalf of three other Bishops, formally requested the removal of the decree.

In the letter, Bishop. Fellay affirmed the four bishops’: " will to remain Catholic and to place all efforts at the service of the [..] Roman Catholic Church” to accept “its teachings” and most importantly, affirm their belief “in the Primacy of Peter and in its prerogatives”.

Wonderful news.