According to an Italian newspaper report drawn from anonymous sources (so get out your salt shakers), the Vatican has offered the Society of Saint Pius X a status equivalent to the “personal prelature” of Opus Dei.
But to take advantage of this one-time offer, the article states, the breakaway group of conservative Catholics would have to accept the changes wrought by Vatican II.
The SSPX, which was founded in 1970 by the late French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre (pictured left), has consistently protested many of the Vatican II changes, including the repacement of the so-called Old Latin Mass with a newer liturgy typically celebrated in local languages.
Last July, Pope Benedict XVI lifted restrictions on the Latin Mass, expressing hope that the move would lead to reconciliation with Lefebvre’s followers.
But the leader of the SSPX, Bishop Bernard Fellay, wrote to his followers two months ago that the “time for an agreement has not yet arrived.”
According to the Il Giornale report (read the Italian original here), Fellay and his followers have until this Saturday, June 28th, to accept or turn down Rome’s offer.
[Note: an earlier version of this post erroneously referred to June 28th as a Friday.]