Meeting between Pope Benedict XVI and the Lefebvrists could initiate path towards reconciliation

Vatican City, Aug 23, 2005 / 12:00 am MT (CNA).-

The schismatic branch created by the late French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre might begin path to return to the heart of the Catholic Church during next encounter that will be held by Pope Benedict XV, with the current schismatic leader, Bernard Fellay.

No precise date has been confirmed for the meeting, but it will take place at the papal residence in Caster Gandolfo before the end of this summer.

Fellay, general superior of the “Saint Pius X society”-the official name of the group of four bishops, priests and lay faithful schismatic-was scheduled to meet with the Pontiff, without any form of publicity, but the news “filtered” for the indiscretion of one the bishops ordained by Lefebvre without the Pope’s approval in 1988.

The schismatic bishop Richard Williamson send a “confidential” letter to his faithful informing them that the Pope had acceded to a demand of meeting  requested by Fellay.

The Pope will receive Fellay, along with Father Arnaud Sélégny, general secretary of the society on August 29^th, although the date hasn’t been confirmed by the Holy See.

According to sources close to the Society, Fellay will present two demands to Pope Benedict in order to return to full communion with the Church: the withdrawal of the excommunication and the possibility to celebrate the Saint Pius V mass in Latin in any part of the world without having to ask for permission of local ecclesiastical authorities, as it is currently required by Church norms.