Concerning A Letter from Some Priests to the Faithful of the French District

On March 27, 2017, Cardinal Gerhard Müller, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and President of the Ecclesia Dei Commission, signed on behalf of Pope Francis a Letter addressed to the bishops throughout the world “concerning faculties for the celebration of marriages of faithful who follow the pastoral activity of the Society” of Saint Pius X.
On April 4, 2017, the General House published a press release to express “its deep gratitude to the Holy Father for his pastoral solicitude, as expressed in the letter from the Ecclesia Dei Commission, for the purpose of alleviating ‘any uncertainty regarding the validity of the sacrament of marriage.'” This communiqué recalled the Society’s intention to continue in the same spirit what it has always done, namely “to prepare future spouses for marriage according to the unchangeable doctrine of Christ about the unity and indissolubility of this union (cf. Mt 19:6), before receiving the parties’ consent in the traditional rite of Holy Church.”
In an “authorized commentary”, the official website of the Society of Saint Pius X (fsspx.news) clearly recalled the Society’s positions concerning marriages, particularly their validity, even without official delegation: “However, just as the sacrament of penance was not invalidly conferred by the priests of the Society of St. Pius X before 2015, neither were the marriages celebrated without the official delegation of the local bishop or parish pastor.” This commentary was based on what Canon Law provides in such cases.
From the beginning, the authorities of the Society have unceasingly protested to the Roman authorities against the unjust, scandalous declarations of nullity pronounced almost automatically by ecclesiastical tribunals just because canonical form was not observed. By this gesture of the Supreme Pontiff, an important change is effected: from now on the official clergy will be obliged to recognize the ability of the priests of the Society of Saint Pius X to be authorized witnesses of the Church, and marriages can no longer be declared null without a canonical process in the correct and due form.
Bishop Bernard Fellay, the Superior General, also informed the superiors and the other members of the Society that guidelines would be established for the prudent application of these new provisions.
Unfortunately, some priests from the District of France did not wait for the publication of these guidelines, and on Sunday, May 7, 2017, they imprudently read from the pulpit and published a letter addressed to the faithful, without the District Superior’s knowledge, calling into question the direction of the Society.
The District Superior, Father Christian Bouchacourt, has relieved these signatories from their function as deans. He condemns this subversive act, prepared in secret, aimed to destabilize superiors and taking the faithful hostage.
This painful trial reminds us that the fight for the Faith must be conducted in a spirit of faith, with supernatural means. United in prayer, let us keep the peace which is the "tranquility of order," and let us fight generously, convinced that God alone will give the victory.
Source: FSSPX.News - 05/11/17