Vatican City, 23 September 2014 (VIS) – The Holy See Press Office has issued a statement to confirm that this morning from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., a cordial meeting took place at the premises of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith between Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Muller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and Bishop Bernard Fellay, superior general of the Society of St. Pius X. The meeting was also attended by Archbishop Luis Ladaria Ferrer, S.J., secretary of the same Congregation, Archbishop Joseph Augustine Di Noia, O.P., adjunct secretary and Archbishop Guido Pozzo, secretary of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, along with two assistants from the Society of St. Pius X, Rev. Niklaus Pfluger and Rev. Alain-Marc Nély.
During the meeting, various problems of a doctrinal and canonical nature were examined, and it was decided to proceed gradually and over a reasonable period of time in order to overcome difficulties and with a view to the envisioned full reconciliation.
and later from the SSPX ...................
On Tuesday September 23, 2014 his Excellency Bishop Benard Fellay, Superior General of the Society of Saint Pius X, met with Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. With Bishop Fellay were Frs. Niklaus Pfluger and Alain-Marc Nély, First and Second Assistants General of the Society. Cardinal Müller was accompanied by Monsignor Luis Ladaria Ferrer s.j., Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith; Monsignor Joseph Augustin Di Noia o.p., Assistant Secretary; and Monsignor Guido Pozzo, Secretary of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei.
The meeting took place in the offices of the Congregation for the Docrine of the Faith from 11:00 a.m. until 1 p.m. The goal of the audience was to allow Cardinal Müller and Bishop Fellay to meet for the first time and to discuss together the status of the relations between the Holy See and the Society of Saint Pius X. This was their first encounter since the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI and the end of Cardinal William Jospeh Levada’s term as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
During this cordial meeting, doctrinal and canonical difficulties were discussed, and the current situation of the Church was mentioned. It was decided to continue the discussions in order to clarify the points of contention that remain.