Germany: Fr. Schmidberger Responds to Attacks from German Bishops

Fr. Franz Schmidberger, District Superior in Germany of the Priestly Society of St. Pius X, denounced the negative attitude of certain German bishops. The lifting of the excommunications must not have as consequence “to stifle the daily life of the Society,” he stated in a declaration made a few days after the bishop of Regensburg, Gerhard Ludwig Müller, had called “a provocation” the ordinations of deacons and priests announced for June 27 at Zaitzkofen, in his diocese, in a declaration made on the airwaves of Radio Vatican on June 1.

“The withdrawal of the excommunication of the four bishops of the Society of St. Pius X on January 21 of this year did not solve all the difficulties, yet it is a significant measure for the restoration of confidence. On the way toward a complete normalization, there never was any intention on the part of the Holy See to stifle the daily life of the Society, as some German bishops patently desire,” affirmed the former General Superior of the Society of St. Pius X.

Bishop Müller had judged that new ordinations should no longer take place until the canonical situation of the Society had been clarified. On this past March 28, ordinations to the sub-diaconate should have taken place in Zaitzkofen. But as a token of good will, the present General Superior of the Society, Bishop Bernard Fellay, had decided to transfer the ordination to Ecône in Valais. On this occasion, he had said that “he was particularly disgusted with the attitude of the German bishops who never cease to show toward us a hostility devoid of charity and continually incriminate our intentions.”

On Sunday, June 7, a new chapel of the Society of St. Pius X was blessed in Fulda. The local bishop, Heinz Josef Algermissen opposed the celebration, judging this blessing “provoking” and calling it “an act jeopardizing the unity of the Church” because of the feast of St. Boniface taking place on the same day in Fulda. He recalled that the building of a chapel must be submitted to the local bishop for authorization, and that the latter was responsible for his consecration. Now, according to him, the Society of St. Pius X never addressed itself to him concerning this chapel.

Fr. Franz Schmidberger  gave a public answer broadcasted on June 5. The Society had tried “unfortunately in vain” to enter in a dialogue with the bishop to find a solution satisfactory to both parties. Concerning the coincidence of the date of the blessing of the chapel and of the feast of St. Boniface it was “completely fortuitous,” he assured. We cannot speak of provocation. The Society of St. Pius X had until June 10 to vacate the building which had been used as a chapel up to then. This is why the blessing of the new chapel was scheduled on the preceding Sunday. (Sources: Apic, and private sources)