In response to the letter of May 8, the good Abbé suggested that another Pope would be elected [sic], and besides, Pope Benedict wishes to erect an apostolic administration only for the Society of St. Pius X.
Oh. Really?
June 21, 2007
Monsieur l’Abbé [name & address withheld online]
Monsieur l’Abbé [ … ],
Thank you for your reply note of last month, a copy of which I enclose, promemoria.
Of course there will eventually be a change of Pope: it has happened in past and will in future. But the next Pope might not be so sympathetic to tradition. That, inter alia, is why a personal apostolic administration needs to be in place before Pope Benedict dies.
Unless His Holiness himself has told you he would grant a personal apostolic administration only to the Society of St. Pius X, it is not definitive – even if Cardinal Castrillón said it. An apostolic administration could be created in such a way that the Society, too, could enter it, at a later date.
Indeed, clerics must go to Pope and ask him to grant a new Apostolic Administration – as was done to establish the Fraternity of St. Peter in 1988, and your [community]. He will not grant it because people write letters or place advertisements in newspapers. That’s not the way of the Holy See, nor of the Curia.
In his address delivered to bishops at Aparecida last month, Cardinal Castrillón said the situation in Campos is working well, and could be used as a model. Although it is not clear exactly what he means, traditional Catholics cannot sit around, waiting until the last minute before he dies to ask the Pope to grant an apostolic administration. He’s simply not going to found something without the people, the right men, the needed clerics.
May the Good Shepherd grant you, dear Monsieur l’Abbé, and [your community] abundant graces. And I have the honor to remain
Your obt. servant in Christ,
Reform of the Reformer 