The priests of the SSPX are validly ordained priests, but because for the most part they were ordained illicitly (i.e., by a bishop who had no jurisdiction over them and no permission to ordain), they are suspended ipso facto from the moment of their ordination (c. As Pope Benedict XVI made clear, the SSPX “does not possess a canonical status in the Church” and its ministers “do not legitimately exercise any ministry in the Church” (March 10, 2009, Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church). Having said that, all is not well with the SSPX, and my advice, my plea to the traditionally-minded faithful of the diocese is to have nothing to do with them. It would be inaccurate to call it a schismatic group in a strict sense, and we should all pray that it may someday be fully reconciled with the Church. Moreover, the situation of SSPX bishops, of SSPX priests, of the faithful who formally align themselves with the SSPX, and of the faithful who occasionally or informally attend Mass with the SSPX, are all different in important ways. Yet, their relationship with the Church is complex and developing. We should always be cordial, respectful, and welcoming to them as brothers and sisters in Christ. The people who attend their chapels are fervent. Their priests wish to serve the Lord and His people. Many of their values and aspirations are admirable, and their zeal is impressive. I want to be cautious and fair about the SSPX. The Masses that they celebrate in their own chapels according to the 1962 Missal have attracted sizeable communities of the lay faithful, even here in the Diocese of Madison. This was the choice made by the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX), a worldwide society of priests best known for its strong opposition to the post-conciliar reform of the Mass. Most of the faithful Catholics who saw this happening fought hard for a “reform of the reform.” Sadly, others decided that the only way forward was to work outside of - and sometimes against - the hierarchical Church and its structures. Too often when we voiced our concerns we were ignored. Too many of us endured years of sloppy or irreverent liturgy and mushy or even unorthodox preaching and catechesis. Forces both inside and outside of the Church tried to distort and exploit the council and the post-conciliar liturgical reforms to create a new Church after their own image. The 50 years since the close of the Second Vatican Council have been tumultuous for the Church.
The following comes from an August 6 Madison Catholic Herald column by by Robert C.
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