Open Letter to Fr. Pagliarani, Superior General of the Society of St. Pius X

David Martin | The Daily Knight

Dear Fr. Pagliarani:

As we approach the consecration of new SSPX bishops on July 1, we pray that God will bless you abundantly that you make a wise decision in this matter, because many throughout the world are having eerie misgivings that the consecration of bishops could ruin it for the Society.

Certainly, you are aware that Rome has repeatedly warned that if the Society of St. Pius X goes through with the consecration of bishops it will bring the ax of excommunication upon you. Not that the excommunication would be valid, but this would cause many of your members to flee the Society thus depleting it of the funds needed to even continue as a society. After all, people, including traditional Catholics, are only human and don’t want to feel stigmatized with the mark of excommunication.

But too, if the SSPX receives the verdict of excommunication it will come across to many as an excommunication of holy tradition and the Traditional Latin Mass since the Traditional Mass is at the very center of everything you do. This could smear the reputation of the Latin Mass and place a stumbling block before your people. Not to mention that it would discourage the general public about the Latin Mass. Not good PR.

Now if the consecration of bishops was your moral duty before God there would be no need to bat an eye about this. Rather, it would be your solemn duty before God to move forward with the ceremony, but you need to ask yourself: is God really commanding the Society to consecrate new bishops? Is this your moral duty before God?

I would give this a serious thought before July 1, because receiving the label of excommunication would make it appear that the SSPX is now in schism. 

Is it at all possible to get three of the “conciliar” bishops to do the consecrations for you? I speak of traditional prelates like Bishops Schneider and Strickland. That would solve everything since there would no longer be “grounds” to take punitive action against the Society since you will have not consecrated the bishops yourselves. That’s the whole issue, this is what Rome is huffing and puffing about. Correct me if I’m wrong, but the Vatican never said that a bishop with “full union” status cannot do the consecrations for you.

We pray that you and your fellow priests will do what is truly in the best interests of the Traditional Mass and those who ardently hold to it.

Sincerely in Christ and His Holy Mother,

David Martin