Published on the web site of the Catholic Diocese of  Stockholm in anticipation of a TV programme on Swedish state owned television concerning the SSPX, to be broadcast 21/01/2009.

Information from the Press secretary of the Catholic Diocese of Stockholm--

Catholic Church not involved in "crusade"

On occasion of Uppdrag granskning's [title of a weekly programme on Swedish state owned television, meaning "task: scrutiny"] reportage about the Society of St Pius X on the 21/1 we would like to make clear the differences between them and the Catholic Church. We completely distance ourselves from all forms of racism and anti-semitism. The Catholic Church in Sweden has nothing to do with the "crusade" for making Sweden Catholic again, of which the programme reports, and does not support it in any way. More information can be found under [link to the Frequently asked Questions About the SSPX)http://www.katolskakyrkan.se/Turnpike.aspx?id=15 ].

For further information, contact:

Maria Hasselgren

Press secretary

Catholic Diocese of Stockholm [phone, email]

Archbishop Lefebvre signed all the documents of the Second Vatican Council

Archbishop Lefebvre, who died in 1991 and who was excommunicated for having consecrated four bishops in 1988 without papal permission, did in fact sign all the documents of the Second Vatican Council - the same documents that he later sharply criticised. This is shown in an article of the Italian magazine Panorama.

In the article, that has the title "In the holy heart of the Vatican", written by Ignazio Ingrao, is said that among the other documents in the archives of the Vatican, also can be found "those from the Second Vatican Council, which reveal the historical errors that are being spread by traditionalists", who are today under the leadership of Bernard Fellay, who recently rejected an offer from the Holy See to return to the full community of the Catholic Church.

"Marcel Lefebvre, the archbishop who fought against the reforms of the Council and who was excommunicated for having consecrated four bishops without papal permission, in practice signed the documents of the Second Vatican Council with his own hand, beginning with the document Gaudium et Spes, which he later criticised sharply", Ingrao writes in his article.

"Lefebvre's signature is on the documents of the Council", says historian Piero Doria, who works at the Vatican archives and helped Ingrao with his investigation.

In an exclusive statement to the news agency CNA Ingrao explains that this was "the first time a photographer and jounalist were allowed to take photographs of and describe" the enormous area "where letters concerning the two thousand years of the history of the Church are kept."

Ingrao also said to CNA: "In practice historians and experts already knew that Lefebvre signed the documents of the council. But many aren't aware of this, and traditionalist propaganda spreads the conviction that Lefebvre was opposed to the documents all along. The original documents from the Second Vatican Council show the opposite, which is a surprise for many."

The Second Vatican Council was held 1962 - 65 and lead to a more open policy of the Catholic Church towards the world outside the Church. A so called ecumenical council gathers all the bishops of the Catholic Church.

SSPX District Superior Responds

IMPORTANT STATEMENT
20th JANUARY 2009

The press secretary of the Catholic Diocese of Stockholm, Sweden, has issued a statement in anticipation of a Swedish television report concerning the Society of Saint Pius X (to be broadcast on 21/01/09).

The diocesan release pretends to deal with different issues surrounding the Society and concludes with the paragraph: 'We would like to make clear the differences between them (SSPX) and the Catholic Church. We completely distance ourselves from all forms of racism and anti-Semitism. The Catholic Church in Sweden has nothing to do with the "Crusade" for making Sweden Catholic again, as reported by the programme, and does not support it in any way.'

As the Society of Saint Pius X continues to do what the Catholic Church has always done, and remains committed to upholding traditional papal teaching, in opposition to the neo-modernist errors which are at the root of the crisis in the Church, we completely reject any charges of being 'outside the Church.'

Furthermore, the implication that the Society of Saint Pius X is somehow racist is entirely false and unjust. Both the faithful who support the Society and the members of the Society itself come from diverse ethnic backgrounds, and include Africans, Indians, Asiatics, and Caucasians, all of whom are united in their Catholic belief and practice, without any distinction or prejudice.

Concerns held by individuals, for instance, over the consequences of mass-immigration in different parts of the world, cannot in any way be termed 'racist' or 'xenophobic.'
Similarly, the Society rejects wholeheartedly the slur that it is anti-Semitic. We embrace without reserve the condemnation of racism, and the proud folly behind it, as made, for example in Pope Pius XI's encyclical Mit brennender Sorge, which deals with the errors of National Socialism. To despise the Jewish people because of their race is to go against the fundamental law of Christian charity which is to 'love ones neighbour as oneself.'

Whilst the Society rejects and deplores all and every prejudice and discrimination against the people from which Our Lord and His holy Mother came, it cannot be described as anti-Semitic to pray for their conversion to the true Faith, to study their recent and tragic history, or to question some of their political objectives. To do so, in the case of this latter, would be to condemn the ultra-orthodox Jews, who disagree with the founding of the State of Israel, as 'anti-semitic!'

Rejecting the idea of a peaceful and prayerful determination to work towards the conversion of Sweden, the Stockholm Diocese very regrettably appears to display its dissent from the Catholic Church's mission of 'teaching and baptising all nations' as commanded by Our Lord Himself (Matthew 28,19), and this seemingly in the name of a false ecumenism.

The accusations made against the Society in the TV emission, and which appear to be echoed in the diocesan statement, are false and unworthy of those who made them. This being said, we do well to heed Our Divine Saviour's injunction of 'praying for our enemies and doing good to them that persecute us.'

Father Paul Morgan
SSPX District Superior of Great Britain
(with responsibility for the Society's apostolate in Scandinavia)

Der Spiegel Attacks

The paper of record in Europe—Der Spiegel—has also weighed in against the SSPX.  Though we have not yet translated the article, we have received a translation of a press release from the SSPX District Superior in Germany, which responds to Der Spiegel as well as to the Bishop Williamson interview which airs tonight.  It is important to note that this story is breaking amidst a flury of rumors that the Vatican may soon lift the excommunications of the SSPX leadership. Stay tuned. …Remnant Webmaster
 

SSPX District Superior of German Responds

In a January 20, 2009 press release, Father Franz Schmidberger, District Supeior of the SSPX in Germany, noted, among other points not here included, that ”Our Lord Jesus Christ is in His human nature a Jew, His Holy Mother is a Jewess and all the Apostles are Jews. Therefore, no true Christian can be an Anti-semite.

”We do not know the interview done by Bishop Williamson with Swedish television. As soon as we get it, we will submit it to scrutiny and get the advice of lawyers. It is clear that the only one responsible for the statements made by the Bishop, is the Bishop himself as well as that the statements do not reflect the views held by the Society of St. Pius X. In addition, Pope Pius XI  in his encyclica ”Mit Brennender Sorge” warned about the godless Nazi regime and it’s crimes.

”...Our concern is the salvation of souls, quite contrary to what the article in Der Spiegel in an unjust and misleading manner is suggesting.”