It’s claimed that a bishop must be convinced there is positive doubt before proceeding to conditional repetition of a sacrament. This is true – but it can be significantly misunderstood.
(WM+) – In the previous piece, we reported on the penalties inflicted on two priests – Fr Philip Conklin and Fr David Mary – for their association with the SSPX.
In light of these associations being rumoured to become something more official, we published an advance copy of the fourth and final part of our series on Archbishop Lefebvre and the reformed rites of the sacraments:
Archbishop Lefebvre & Conditional Confirmations—His pastoral practice explained
Archbishop Lefebvre & Conciliar Sacraments—Do they ‘come from the Church?’
That fourth part surveyed those clerical members of the SSPX upon whom doubt about the reformed rites of the sacraments has, in part, been based – showing first, that it is unjust to dismiss those who nurture such doubt as “sedevacantists” or as enemies of the Society, and second, that it cannot be said that there is a consensus within the SSPX on the matter.
In this piece, following on from the previous whilst marking the start of a new series, we will consider
Why the issue is important
The “state of the question” on an “official” position of the SSPX
What this “official” position entails
Whether video footage of an ordination can secure moral certainty
Why analogies made with baptism contradict the arguments for the “official” position itself.
The following text is for WM+ members.
It’s a challenging and substantial analysis (around 8,000 words) of issues raised by men, ordained in the Novus Ordo, joining organisations like the SSPX.
It addresses these developments in light of our long-standing position:
“To preserve sacramental integrity, safeguard the common good, and secure peace of conscience for all, the only possible course is a systematic programme of (at least) conditional ordination/consecration of clerics whose orders depend on the validity of the Novus Ordo rites.”
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