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VATICAN REJECTS SSPX BISHOP WILLIAMSON"S STATEMENT

27/02/09 06:49 Filed in: TRADITIONAL CATHOLICISMCatholicism

2008june_Scandinavia_Williamson
From Rueters: VATICAN CITY - "The Vatican said on Friday that an apology by a traditionalist bishop who denied the Holocaust fell short of meeting the Holy See's demand for a full and public recanting of his position.

British Bishop Richard Williamson, whose comments in January caused a worldwide uproar among Jews and Catholics, on Thursday issued a statement in which he said: "To all souls that took honest scandal from what I said, before God I apologize."

But chief Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said Williamson's statement "does not seem to respect the conditions" set forth by the Vatican on February 4, when it ordered Williamson to "in an absolutely unequivocal and public way distance himself from his positions" regarding the Holocaust."

For those of you who have not yet seen the Declaration/Statement from SSPX Bishop Williamson here it is...

"The Holy Father and my Superior, Bishop Bernard Fellay, have requested that I reconsider the remarks I made on Swedish television four months ago, because their consequences have been so heavy.

Observing these consequences I can truthfully say that I regret having made such remarks, and that if I had known beforehand the full harm and hurt to which they would give rise, especially to the Church, but also to survivors and relatives of victims of injustice under the Third Reich, I would not have made them.

On Swedish television I gave only the opinion (..."I believe"..."I believe"...) of a non-historian, an opinion formed 20 years ago on the basis of evidence then available and rarely expressed in public since. However, the events of recent weeks and the advice of senior members of the Society of St. Pius X have persuaded me of my responsibility for much distress caused. To all souls that took honest scandal from what I said before God I apologise.

As the Holy Father has said, every act of injust violence against one man hurts all mankind.

+Richard Williamson
London, 26 February 2009.

Did Williamson "in an absolutely unequivocal and public way distance himself from his positions" regarding the Holocaust? I do not see it. Let's continue to offer prayers and sacrifices through Lent for our Pope, the Church and for the regularization of SSPX .
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