Franciscan University Professors and Theologians Issue ‘Open Letter’ to the Society of St. Pius X
Franciscan University theologians appeal to the SSPX to halt the July 1 consecrations.
On June 25, twenty six professors and administrators of the Franciscan University of Steubenville signed an open letter addressed to the Superior General of the SSPX Fr. Davide Pagliarani, his general council, and the entire Society imploring them to suspend their episcopal consecrations scheduled for Wednesday July 1.
“We write not as adversaries, but as fellow Christians who love the Church, which is built on Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition, and who, like you, long for the salvation of souls.
Your love for the beauty of the traditional liturgy and your reverence in worship witness your earnest desire to serve the Lord. We share this love and desire.
With humility we ask you to reconsider the announced consecration of bishops, scheduled for July 1st. It would cement and deepen the already existing separation between the Society and the See of Peter. Our Lord Jesus Christ prayed to the Father, “that all may be one” (John 17:21). Unity in the Church is not merely practical; it belongs to the very will of Christ. The Church is one because Christ is one. We are convinced that every bishop, priest, and faithful Catholic is called to preserve and strengthen that visible unity.”
The Professors cited the First Vatican Council’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Primacy and Infallibility of the Roman Pontiff Pastor Aeternus. They went on to cite Canon Law on the definition of schism and the documents of the Second Vatican Council Lumen Gentium (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church) and Unitatis Redintegratio (Decree on Ecumenism).
Among the signatories of the letter are Dr. John Bergsma, Professor of Theology, and Dr. Scott Hahn, also Professor of Theology.
This open letter comes just a day after the Society of St. Pius X sent its own Open Letter to the Pope and the Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church before they entered into the extraordinary consistory which began this morning in Rome.
The open letter from Professors of Franciscan University to the Society is likely to have little to no effect on the Superior General or the members of the Society of St. Pius X as the episcopal consecrations are just five days away.
