SSPX Tacit Approval: "Neo-Pastoralism" vs. Pope St. Felix III

[The☩Trumpet]

SSPX Tacit Approval: "Neo-Pastoralism" vs. Pope St. Felix III

September 21, 2024

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In their recent article,"The Neo-Pastoral Work of Francis-Source: FSSPX NEWS" the SSPX neither clearly opposed nor definitively refuted the error in Pope Francis’s statement. Instead, Fr. Jean-Michel Gleize’s commentary is cautious and nuanced, avoiding an outright condemnation of the claim that “all religions are paths to God.”

On September 19, the SSPX published this article by Fr. Gleize, addressing comments made by Pope Francis during an interfaith meeting with young people in Singapore. Central to the discussion is Francis’s assertion that “all religions are a path to arrive at God.”

Yet, instead of calling this out as “Pope Francis’s Latest Heresy” or clearly labeling it for what it is—an inexplicably heretical statement from the Holy Father—the SSPX article is titled The Neo-Pastoral of Francis.

This is a blatant example of the condemned evolution of dogma—what is commonly known as the "hermeneutics of continuity"—Ratzinger's Trojan horse, which Bp. Fellay endorsed in the 2012 Doctrinal Declaration. Specifically, Bp. Fellay stated, “The entire tradition of Catholic Faith must be the criterion and guide in understanding the teaching of the Second Vatican Council, which, in turn, enlightens - in other words, deepens and subsequently makes explicit - certain aspects of the life and doctrine of the Church implicitly present within itself or not yet conceptually formulated” (Doctrinal Declaration, 2012).

Similarly, Fr. Gleize, in his article "The Neo-Pastoral Work of Francis-Source: FSSPX NEWS" states, “The teachings of Vatican II admit this salvific value, provided that it is understood in a differentiated way.” He goes on to suggest the possibility of calling this “mitigated latitudinarianism” or even “neo-latitudinarianism”. This reflects the SSPX’s new approach, as they too attempt to reconcile Vatican II’s teachings with traditional Catholic doctrine, thereby compromising the clarity of the Church's dogma—This "hermeneutics of continuity" has been condemned by Pope St. Pius X!

The SSPX, now emasculated and compromised, calls heresy Neo-Pastoral.

As Louie from akaCatholic aptly asked in his article, “Seriously, what on earth (or in the Bloody Hell) happened to the SSPX?”. You can read his full article here: Bergoglio's SSPX Defense AttorneyEnters Plea.

The root cause lies in the SSPX bishops and leadership's silence and the compromise made in 2012. Just as Francis is the logical conclusion for someone abiding by Vatican II, statements from Fr. Gleize are the logical conclusion of Bishop Fellay’s 2012 doctrinal declaration. 

Louie also rightly pointed out, “The poster boy for the newly neutered version of the SSPX is Fr. Jean-Michel Gleize, a professor of apologetics, ecclesiology, and dogma at the Seminary of Saint Pius X in Écône, who – as readers may recall – authored a six-part treatment of Amoris Laetitia in 2017, the entire purpose of which was to absolve Bergoglio of heresy.”

To this, we must also add Fr. Paul Robinson, another poster boy, who has endorsed the heresy of theistic evolution—a clear divergence from the traditional Catholic faith.

What we are witnessing is the continuation of the French Revolution, now manifest in the revolution within the Church through Vatican II, and tragically even within +Archbishop Lefebvre’s Priestly Society, which once offered true counter-revolutionary Catholic resistance to the revolt. This echoes the prophecy of Our Lady of Good Success regarding the holy prelate who would stand against apostasy and impiety. Archbishop Lefebvre’s mission is being compromised by those who were meant to carry on his work.

The Clear Heresy of Pope Francis

Pope Francis’s assertion that “all religions are paths to arrive at God” is not just misleading; it is a direct affront to the truth revealed by Our Lord Jesus Christ. As Catholics, we know that Christ alone is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no man cometh to the Father, but by Him (John 14:6, Douay-Rheims). To suggest that false religions, which deny the divinity of Christ and reject the true doctrine of the Holy Trinity, can lead souls to God is an outright heresy.

This statement is a clear departure from the immutable teachings of the Church, teachings that the Church Fathers, martyrs, and saints have defended with their very lives. For centuries, the Church has condemned the notion of religious relativism—the false belief that all religions are equal paths to salvation. Pope Pius IX, in his Syllabus of Errors, condemned the idea that “man may, in the observance of any religion whatever, find the way of eternal salvation, and arrive at eternal salvation.” (Syllabus of Errors, Prop. 16)

Pope Francis’s words are nothing short of a betrayal of this doctrine. By equating all religions as valid paths to God, he effectively nullifies the Church’s mission to convert souls to the one true faith. Such a statement, left unchallenged, paves the way for the destruction of missionary efforts and the denial of the Church’s role as the sole ark of salvation.

The SSPX’s Failure: Silence is Complicity

The failure of the SSPX to label this statement as heresy is not merely a tactical mistake—it is an act of complicity. +Archbishop Lefebvre always taught that the truth must be defended without compromise, especially when it is under direct attack. He himself said, “We have to speak up! We cannot remain silent. It is impossible!” (+Archbishop Lefebvre, They Have Uncrowned Him)

By softening their language and reframing this heresy as “Neo-Pastoral,” the SSPX has chosen to play the game of diplomacy rather than fulfilling their duty as defenders of the Faith. The duty of the priesthood is to guard and proclaim the truth of the Faith without ambiguity. Any failure to do so betrays the very essence of what it means to be Catholic.

As +Archbishop Lefebvre often warned, “He who has not the truth cannot sanctify, and he who does not fight for the truth abandons souls to error.” (Sermon, November 27, 1988). By refusing to call out Pope Francis’s statement for what it is—heresy—the SSPX is abandoning its mission to uphold the truth. In doing so, they allow heresy to spread unchecked, thus becoming accomplices to the error they fail to condemn.

"Not to oppose error is to approve it"

To fail to call out heresy is, in essence, to endorse it. Pope St. Felix III famously said, “Not to oppose error is to approve it; and not to defend the truth is to suppress it.” The SSPX’s reluctance to condemn this grievous error as heresy amounts to a tacit endorsement of religious relativism—the very heresy condemned by Pope Pius IX and so many of his predecessors.

+Archbishop Lefebvre made it clear that neutrality in the face of heresy is not an option. “You cannot separate the Church from the Truth. You cannot separate Our Lord Jesus Christ from the Truth,” he said. (Conference, Écône, 1984). To accept the false notion that all religions are paths to God is to sever Christ from His own mission, to render His sacrifice on Calvary meaningless, and to reject the clear mandate He gave His Church: “Going therefore, teach ye all nations: baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.” (Matthew 28:19, Douay-Rheims)

The SSPX, once the last bastion of uncompromising Catholic resistance, now finds itself in the dangerous position of soft-pedaling heresy for the sake of conciliar diplomacy. But as +Archbishop Lefebvre taught us, “The truth cannot be negotiated. To negotiate the truth is to abandon it.” (Conference, November 1979)

The Call to Action

Now is the time for true Catholics, those who hold fast to Tradition, to stand up and resist this capitulation. We must follow the example of +Archbishop Lefebvre, who refused to compromise with modernist Rome, even when it meant being cast into exile. We must not allow the legacy of his work—the restoration of the Traditional Mass, the defense of the Faith, and the formation of true Catholic priests—to be tarnished by this betrayal.

In the face of this revolution, both within the world and within the Church, let us recall the words of Our Lady of Good Success, who prophesied that a great prelate would stand firm against the apostasy of the modern age. That prelate was +Archbishop Lefebvre, and it is his mission, entrusted to us, that we must continue without compromise.

Our Lady of Quito, Pray for Us!

-The☩Trumpet

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