Glorious Lady, Pray for Us

On this Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary we have some encouraging news from the Vatican.

Vatican approves institute for French priests who broke from ultraconservative movement

The Associated Press, September 8, 2006

VATICAN CITY - The Vatican said Friday it has approved an institute for French priests who have left an ultraconservative movement that split from Rome nearly 20 years ago, allowing them to celebrate the old-style Latin Mass in exchange for their recognition of the pope's authority.

The group, which comprises five priests and some seminarians, had been part of the movement founded by the late Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. The Vatican excommunicated Lefebvre in 1988 after he consecrated four bishops without Rome's consent.

Lefebvre founded the Swiss-based Society of St. Pius X in 1969 in opposition to the liberalizing reforms of the 1962-65 Second Vatican Council, particularly allowing Mass to be celebrated in local languages instead of Latin.

The Vatican confirmed a report by the French I-media news agency that the institute will be located in Bordeaux.

Pope Benedict XVI has indicated he wants relations with the St. Pius X group to be normalized. He met last year with the current head of the society, Bishop Bernard Fellay.

The Vatican emphasized that the priests joining the new institute had already left St. Pius X.

May this be just one of the signs of the Reform so badly need.

Our Lady Help of Christians, pray for us.