Bernard Fellay
Encyclopedia
Bernard Fellay, SSPX
(born 12 April 1958) is a bishop
and superior general
of the Traditionalist Catholic
Society of St. Pius X
. In 1988, the Roman Catholic Church
declared Fellay automatically
excommunicated
through being consecrated a bishop
by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre
, an act that the Holy See
described as "unlawful" and "schismatic
". In January 2009, at Fellay's request, the Holy See lifted the excommunication that it stated had automatically occurred.
in 1958. In October 1977, at the age of nineteen, Fellay began studies for the priesthood
at the International Seminary of Saint Pius X
at Ecône, Switzerland. On 29 June 1982 he was ordained
a priest by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre
. After his ordination, he was named Bursar General of the SSPX and was stationed at Rickenbach
, the headquarters of the SSPX in Switzerland. He continued in that position for the next ten years.
. On 12 July 2006, he was re-elected to another twelve-year term, which expires in 2018. Some opponents of the SSPX, most notably the Old Catholic run TRADITIO Network, have criticized the 12-year terms as too long, noting that other religious orders have 4-year terms. However, the SSPX has not announced a change in the term lengths.
On 29 August 2005 Fellay was received in audience by Pope Benedict XVI
at Castel Gandolfo
. The audience was also attended by Cardinal Castrillón Hoyos and Father Schmidberger. They discussed the present state of the Church and of the SSPX, the Society's concerns about Modernism
in the Church, the re-allowance of the Tridentine Mass
, and the possible recognition of the SSPX by the Holy See
.
By a decree of 21 January 2009 (Protocol Number 126/2009), which was issued in response to a renewed request that Bishop Fellay made on behalf of all four bishops whom Lefebvre had consecrated on 30 June 1988, the Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, by the power expressly granted to him by Pope Benedict XVI, remitted the automatic excommunication that they had thereby incurred, and expressed the wish that this would be followed speedily by full communion of the whole of the Society of Saint Pius X with the Church, thus bearing witness, by the proof of visible unity, to true loyalty and true recognition of the Pope's Magisterium and authority. The canonical situation of the four bishops thus became the same as that of the other clergy of the Society, who are suspended a divinis.
The remissions have not been unanimously welcomed by all members of the SSPX. Fr. Florian Abrahamowicz
, a SSPX's dean of Northeastern Italy, called the action "insulting," since it claimed to remit an excommunication of these four bishops that the Society had officially maintained since 1988 did not exist. Abrahamowicz was very soon expelled by the Italian chapter of the Society of Saint Pius X, whether for this reason or his Holocaust-related remarks.
Speaking in relation to the talks with Rome in an interview in July 2009, Fellay said of the significance of the Second Vatican Council that: "'We will not make any compromise on the Council. I have no intention of making a compromise. The truth does not tolerate compromise. We do not want a compromise, we want clarity regarding the Council.'" In February 2011, Fellay said that the reconciliation talks with the Vatican would soon be coming to an end, with little change in the views of either side. In addition to disputes over the changes introduced by the Second Vatican Council
, new problems have been created by plans for the beatification of Pope John Paul II
. Fellay said the scheduled beatification of Pope John Paul II on 1 May 2011 poses "a serious problem, the problem of a pontificate that caused things to proceed by leaps and bounds in the wrong direction, along 'progressive' lines, toward everything that they call 'the spirit of Vatican II.'"
Society of St. Pius X
The Society of Saint Pius X is an international Traditionalist Catholic organisation, founded in 1970 by the French archbishop Marcel Lefebvre...
(born 12 April 1958) is a bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
and superior general
Superior general
A Superior General, or General Superior, is the Superior at the head of a whole religious order or congregation.The term is mainly used as a generic term, while many orders and congregations use other specific titles, notably:* Abbot general...
of the Traditionalist Catholic
Traditionalist Catholic
Traditionalist Catholics are Roman Catholics who believe that there should be a restoration of many or all of the liturgical forms, public and private devotions and presentations of Catholic teachings which prevailed in the Catholic Church before the Second Vatican Council...
Society of St. Pius X
Society of St. Pius X
The Society of Saint Pius X is an international Traditionalist Catholic organisation, founded in 1970 by the French archbishop Marcel Lefebvre...
. In 1988, the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
declared Fellay automatically
Latae sententiae
Latæ sententiæ is a Latin term used in the canon law of the Catholic Church meaning literally "given sentence".Officially, a latae sententiae penalty follows automatically, by force of the law itself, when the law is contravened....
excommunicated
Excommunication
Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend or limit membership in a religious community. The word means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
through being consecrated a bishop
Ecône Consecrations
The Écône consecrations were a set of episcopal consecrations that took place in Écône, Switzerland, on 30 June 1988. They were performed by Roman Catholic Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre and Bishop Antonio de Castro Meyer, and the priests raised to the episcopacy were four members of Lefebvre's Society...
by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre
Marcel Lefebvre
Marcel François Marie Joseph Lefebvre was a French Roman Catholic archbishop. Following a career as an Apostolic Delegate for West Africa and Superior General of the Holy Ghost Fathers, he took the lead in opposing the changes within the Church associated with the Second Vatican Council.In 1970,...
, an act that the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
described as "unlawful" and "schismatic
Schism (religion)
A schism , from Greek σχίσμα, skhísma , is a division between people, usually belonging to an organization or movement religious denomination. The word is most frequently applied to a break of communion between two sections of Christianity that were previously a single body, or to a division within...
". In January 2009, at Fellay's request, the Holy See lifted the excommunication that it stated had automatically occurred.
Early life and ministry
Fellay was born in Sierre, SwitzerlandSierre
Sierre is the capital of the district of Sierre in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It has a population of 14,355.It is situated on the French–German language border of the canton of Wallis...
in 1958. In October 1977, at the age of nineteen, Fellay began studies for the priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
at the International Seminary of Saint Pius X
The International Seminary of Saint Pius X
The International Seminary of Saint Pius X is the premier seminary of the Society of Saint Pius X.It is situated at Écône in the Valais Canton of Switzerland and is one of the six houses for formation for the future priests of The Society of Saint Pius X....
at Ecône, Switzerland. On 29 June 1982 he was ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
a priest by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre
Marcel Lefebvre
Marcel François Marie Joseph Lefebvre was a French Roman Catholic archbishop. Following a career as an Apostolic Delegate for West Africa and Superior General of the Holy Ghost Fathers, he took the lead in opposing the changes within the Church associated with the Second Vatican Council.In 1970,...
. After his ordination, he was named Bursar General of the SSPX and was stationed at Rickenbach
Rickenbach
Rickenbach is the name of several places:In Germany:* Rickenbach, Baden-Württemberg* Rickenbach, BavariaIn Switzerland:* Rickenbach, Basel-Country* Rickenbach, Lucerne* Rickenbach, Solothurn* Rickenbach, Thurgau* Rickenbach, Zürich...
, the headquarters of the SSPX in Switzerland. He continued in that position for the next ten years.
SSPX Superior General
In July 1994 the General Chapter of the SSPX met at Ecône and elected Fellay Superior General in succession to Father Franz SchmidbergerFranz Schmidberger
Franz Schmidberger is a priest of the Society of St. Pius X, founded by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre....
. On 12 July 2006, he was re-elected to another twelve-year term, which expires in 2018. Some opponents of the SSPX, most notably the Old Catholic run TRADITIO Network, have criticized the 12-year terms as too long, noting that other religious orders have 4-year terms. However, the SSPX has not announced a change in the term lengths.
On 29 August 2005 Fellay was received in audience by Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
at Castel Gandolfo
Castel Gandolfo
Castel Gandolfo is a small Italian town or comune in Lazio that occupies a height overlooking Lake Albano about 15 miles south-east of Rome, on the Alban Hills. It is best known as the summer residence of the Pope. It is an Italian town with the population of 8834...
. The audience was also attended by Cardinal Castrillón Hoyos and Father Schmidberger. They discussed the present state of the Church and of the SSPX, the Society's concerns about Modernism
Modernism (Roman Catholicism)
Modernism refers to theological opinions expressed during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but with influence reaching into the 21st century, which are characterized by a break with the past. Catholic modernists form an amorphous group. The term "modernist" appears in Pope Pius X's 1907...
in the Church, the re-allowance of the Tridentine Mass
Tridentine Mass
The Tridentine Mass is the form of the Roman Rite Mass contained in the typical editions of the Roman Missal that were published from 1570 to 1962. It was the most widely celebrated Mass liturgy in the world until the introduction of the Mass of Paul VI in December 1969...
, and the possible recognition of the SSPX by the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
.
By a decree of 21 January 2009 (Protocol Number 126/2009), which was issued in response to a renewed request that Bishop Fellay made on behalf of all four bishops whom Lefebvre had consecrated on 30 June 1988, the Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, by the power expressly granted to him by Pope Benedict XVI, remitted the automatic excommunication that they had thereby incurred, and expressed the wish that this would be followed speedily by full communion of the whole of the Society of Saint Pius X with the Church, thus bearing witness, by the proof of visible unity, to true loyalty and true recognition of the Pope's Magisterium and authority. The canonical situation of the four bishops thus became the same as that of the other clergy of the Society, who are suspended a divinis.
The remissions have not been unanimously welcomed by all members of the SSPX. Fr. Florian Abrahamowicz
Florian Abrahamowicz
Florian Abrahamowicz , in Italian Floriano Abrahamowicz, is an Austrian-born priest who has been superior of the Society of St. Pius X in the northeast of Italy. He was expelled from the Society in February 2009 for expressing opinions differing from the official views of the Society of St...
, a SSPX's dean of Northeastern Italy, called the action "insulting," since it claimed to remit an excommunication of these four bishops that the Society had officially maintained since 1988 did not exist. Abrahamowicz was very soon expelled by the Italian chapter of the Society of Saint Pius X, whether for this reason or his Holocaust-related remarks.
Speaking in relation to the talks with Rome in an interview in July 2009, Fellay said of the significance of the Second Vatican Council that: "'We will not make any compromise on the Council. I have no intention of making a compromise. The truth does not tolerate compromise. We do not want a compromise, we want clarity regarding the Council.'" In February 2011, Fellay said that the reconciliation talks with the Vatican would soon be coming to an end, with little change in the views of either side. In addition to disputes over the changes introduced by the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
, new problems have been created by plans for the beatification of Pope John Paul II
Beatification and canonisation of Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II reigned as pope of the Roman Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City for almost 27 years. Since his death on 2 April 2005, many thousands of people have been supporting the case for beatifying and canonising the late Pope John Paul II as a saint...
. Fellay said the scheduled beatification of Pope John Paul II on 1 May 2011 poses "a serious problem, the problem of a pontificate that caused things to proceed by leaps and bounds in the wrong direction, along 'progressive' lines, toward everything that they call 'the spirit of Vatican II.'"