Bishop Morerod: FSSPX Treated "Ecumenical", Like a Non-Catholic Community

Bishop Charles Morerod of the Diocese of Lausanne, Geneva and Fribourg, Switzerland, said he no longer sees how a request to use a diocesan church for an FSSPX event could be granted today.

He was asked about October 5, 2019, when the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X celebrated its 50th anniversary at St. Maurice Church in Fribourg. Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre opened its first house of formation for seminarians in Fribourg in October 1969 before moving the seminary to Ecône in 1970.

Speaking to Cath.ch on July 12, Bishop Morerod explained that his 2019 decision reflected a different moment in the relationship between the Priestly Fraternity and Rome: "When I approved the use of a diocesan church back then, it was done in a spirit of goodwill, at a time when a rapprochement between the FSSPX and Rome was still possible."

He added that the FSSPX has "no intention whatsoever of entering into any process of reconciliation."

Bishop Morerod said future dialogue would be on different terms: "It will certainly be necessary to begin an ecumenically oriented dialogue with the FSSPX, similar to the one we maintain with other communities that are not in communion with Rome."

The bishop was among the Vatican's representatives in the doctrinal talks with the FSSPX between 2009 and 2011.

Picture: FSSPX.info, #newsYqxbuxhxbp