Pray for Bishop Tissier de Mallerais and for the SSPX

SSPX bishop, Bernard Tissier de Mallerais, took a serious fall about a week ago and has not regained consciousness. Please pray for him and for the SSPX bishops and priests.

Since last Spring the rumor mill has been churning with questions about whether the SSPX will be ordaining new bishops. Obviously the situation is approaching that faced by Archbishop Lefebvre in 1988.  In order to have priests, one must have bishops, validly ordained bishops. There is no question that Archbishop Lefebvre was a validly ordained bishop. He had the canonical ability to validly ordain priests and other bishops. There has never been a question of the ordination of the four bishops by Archbishop Lefebvre being valid. The ordination was illicit, done without papal permission, but valid. There have been numerous arguments back and forth since then about whether justification from the crisis in the Church provided jurisdiction to legitimize Archbishop Lefebvre's action. 

Archbishop Lefebvre has often been vilified for his action, but the reality is that he requested permission over and over and finally received it for the ordination of one bishop. However, the date of the ordination was pushed back numerous times until Archbishop Lefebvre concluded that the Vatican was waiting for him to die. And so he took the serious action he did to protect the institution of the priesthood and the Mass and Sacraments of the Ages. 

The current situation for the SSPX is becoming critical with the same decision facing today's SSPX bishops as Archbishop Lefebvre faced in 1988. Of the four original bishops, Tissier is critically ill, Williamson is out of the picture, and the two remaining bishops, Fellay and de Galarreta, are in their late 60s. And the society has grown considerably. Will the leadership wait or begin to make plans to ensure its future. I imagine the demands of growth must be a serious consideration for the SSPX leadership. 

God only knows whether the excommunication of the bishops by John Paul II was legitimate, but that question is moot since it was lifted in 2009 by Pope Benedict. His action  caused so much controversy he addressed it in a letter to the bishops posted on the Vatican website. It's an interesting letter and illustrates the crisis in which we find ourselves. Things have only gotten worse since then with Francis who resembles a spinning top confusing doctrine and practice. His actions often conflict with his words which often are contradictory. He resembles Humpty Dumpty in Wonderland, not a good endorsement for one whose master said, "Let your yes mean yes and your no mean no." Russell Shaw had something to say about that after the confusing document on blessings came out! 

Put this sculpture in a white cassock and zucchetto and what do you see?

On Sunday our pastor raised the question of the possible ordination and simply urged us to pray, both for Bishop Tissier who appears to be on his deathbed and for the situation. He mentioned that the seminary in Dillwyn, VA recently welcomed twenty seminarians entering formation there. How many will be entering in Econe I wonder. 

My husband and I are incredibly blessed by the priests of the SSPX. They are unparalleled in preaching and as confessors. On Sunday Father urged us not to be anxious; all is in the Providence of God. That is good advice at all times and in all circumstances. I intend to follow it.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.