EPISTLES

An insightful interview took place in September 2012, during the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI (notably a period of significant effort toward reconciliation with traditional groups). At the time, the Church was deeply engaged in doctrinal discussions aimed at healing the rift with the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX).

The dialogue was conducted by Edward Pentin, a distinguished British Catholic journalist and Rome correspondent for the National Catholic Register. Pentin is widely respected for his Vatican reporting and his influential book The Next Pope.

His interlocutor, Cardinal Gerhard Müller, is one of the Church’s most prominent theologians. Having served as the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) from 2012 to 2017, Müller is known for his massive contribution to dogmatic theology and for overseeing the publication of the collected works of Joseph Ratzinger (Benedict XVI).

Here are seven key points from Cardinal Müller regarding the SSPX and their relationship with the Catholic Church:

​1. The Principle of Non-Contradiction in Doctrine

“The Church cannot, on the doctrinal level, contradict herself – that is impossible. Any perceived contradiction is caused by false interpretation… What they [SSPX] are proposing is, in essence, a tension arising from the use of terminology, but the Church never contradicted herself. If you study the texts of different centuries, of different contexts, of different languages, you must do so on the basis of established Catholic doctrine.”

Cardinal Müller emphasizes that while language and historical contexts change, the core truth of the Church remains consistent. He argues that the SSPX’s objections often stem from a misunderstanding of how doctrine develops without contradicting itself.

​2. The Moral Obligation of Communion

​”He who is aware of the presence of revelation is obliged by his conscience to belong publicly and, not only in his conscience, in his heart, to this Catholic Church by remaining in communion with the Pope and those bishops in communion with him. But we cannot say that those who are inculpably ignorant of this truth are necessarily condemned for that reason.”

Membership in the Church is not just a private feeling; it requires a public, visible communion with the Successor of Peter. While God judges those in “inculpable ignorance” with mercy, those who know the truth are morally bound to remain within the visible structure of the Church.

​3. Acceptance of Papal Primacy

​”The SSPX must accept the Holy Father, the Pope, as the visible head of the Church. They have a great respect for Tradition – they must, therefore, accept the position of the Pope as stated in the First Vatican Council.”

True adherence to Tradition must include the dogmas defined at Vatican I regarding the Pope’s universal jurisdiction and authority. One cannot claim to be “traditional” while rejecting the established theological role of the Papacy.

​4. The Binding Nature of Vatican II

​”They must also accept the doctrinal pronouncements made since the Second Vatican Council, which have been authorised officially by the Pope. Vatican II is an official Ecumenical Council, and all that was said in the Council is therefore binding for everyone, but at different levels. We have Dogmatic Constitutions and you are certainly obliged to accept them if you are Catholic. These are not only pastoral teachings, they are basic elements of our Catholic faith.”

Müller clarifies that Vatican II is not “optional.” While the Council contains different levels of authority, its Dogmatic Constitutions are fundamental to the faith and must be accepted by anyone seeking full communion with the Church.

​5. Submission to the Authentic Magisterium

​”They [SSPX] need to accept the complete doctrine of the Catholic Church: the confession of faith, the creed, and also accept the magisterium of the Pope as it is authentically interpreted. That is necessary.”

It is not enough to accept a personal interpretation of tradition; one must accept the Magisterium’s own interpretation of its teachings. Unity requires a shared understanding of the Creed and the Pope’s teaching authority.

​6. Validity of the New Mass

​”They also need to accept some forms of development in the liturgy. The Holy Father recognised the perennial validity of the Extraordinary Form of the liturgy, but they also must accept that the new ordinary form of the liturgy, developed after the Council, is valid and legitimate.”

While the Church allows for the “Extraordinary Form” (the Traditional Latin Mass), the SSPX must concede that the Novus Ordo (the Mass of Paul VI) is a valid and legitimate sacramental rite of the Catholic Church.

​7. The Role of the Center in Correcting Abuses

​”That (Correcting the Liturgical Abuses) is not their (the SSPX) task, but ours. One extreme cannot be the equivalent of the other. The extremes must be corrected by the centre.”

Cardinal Müller argues that “traditionalist” extremes are not the proper remedy for “liberal” liturgical abuses. Instead, the “center”—the official authority of the Church—is responsible for maintaining order and correcting errors on both sides.

Despite these clear parameters set years ago, the path to unity remains difficult. Reflecting on the long-standing impasse, Cardinal Müller noted in December 2025: “There have been — and continue to be — endless dialogues with this group, but they simply circle around.”

Today, tensions have escalated as the SSPX is reportedly planning to consecrate new bishops without the approval of Rome—an act that historically led to the excommunication of their founder. Regarding the future of SSPX, Cardinal Müller remains focused on the necessity of unity under the Pope:

“I’m always confident in our faith and optimistic. We have to pray for goodwill and for unity in the Church. The SSPX is not the only breakaway group in the Church. There are worse ones on the opposite side too. These movements are worse because they are often denying essentials of Christianity. We must work for unity, and so it is also my task to invite all to come back into full communion with the Catholic Church, which is led by the Supreme Shepherd, the Pope – who is the Vicar of Christ.”

The essential question is what the Church actually requires of the SSPX—not what the Church should do to adjust itself for them. Regardless of how noble their intentions may seem in preserving certain traditions, especially in the Liturgy, it is the Society that must submit to the Church and the Roman Pontiff. The Church does not submit to the SSPX; the SSPX must submit to her.

This submission is not a negotiable bargain or a diplomatic compromise between two equal bodies. The SSPX is only a small portion of the Church, not an equal partner standing across the table. Their submission to the Church’s authority is not optional—it is a basic and indispensable requirement of Catholic ecclesiology.

True fidelity to Tradition cannot exist in isolation from the living Magisterium, and the path to unity requires a return to full communion with the Vicar of Christ.

Remaining in an irregular situation, or repeating illicit episcopal consecrations, will only deepen the Society’s isolation and worsen its standing. If they truly desire to save more souls, they must seek canonical regularization and be fully integrated within the Church. The Church has always been there—ready to receive them the moment they abandon their sectarian impulse.