It is not often that breaking news from Vatican City has implications right here in Oak Park, but such a story is developing smack dab in the middle of the village. On Jan. 24, the Holy See announced that Pope Benedict XVI had lifted a 20-year excommunication of four bishops of the Society of St. Pius X. The four had incurred excommunication in 1988 when they were consecrated as bishops without the consent of Pope John Paul II, an act of schism under canon law. Pope Benedict characterized lifting the excommunications as a gift of peace, intended to “vanquish the scandal of division” within the Catholic Church. But his action has drawn criticism.
Jewish groups are outraged as one of the four bishops, British-born Richard Williamson, is a vocal anti-Semite and Holocaust-denier along the lines of Hutton Gibson. These groups view the pope’s action as an obstacle to Catholic-Jewish relations, already strained over the Palestinian question. Catholics and non-Catholics alike question why the pope would risk affirming Williamson by restoring his standing as a Catholic. Such thoughts, while understandable, reflect an inadequate grasp of church law. Williamson’s remarks show him to be an ignorant jerk but not schismatic. Thankfully, Williamson’s superior in the society has publicly silenced him. Let’s all hope he listens to his boss and shuts up.
In 1990, the society purchased the Second Presbyterian Church of Oak Park on the northwest corner of Washington and Ridgeland. They converted it into Our Lady Immaculate, a lovely chapel with a tiny school; neither is recognized by the Archdiocese of Chicago. There, they mind their own business and worship with rites that predate the Second Vatican Council. The ladies can be distinguished by their modest style of dress – think mother of 18 Michelle Duggar with a lace mantilla. For reasons that are somewhat complicated to explain, Catholics should not yet worship at Society of St. Pius X chapels; there are still details to work out. In the meantime, anyone interested in attending the Latin Mass can pop down to St. Odilo Parish at 23rd and East in Berwyn.
Although this news seems to be relevant to Catholics, a village committed to diversity should welcome this change of fortunes for the society. Their way of life does speak to the larger community. Although we may not wish to dress or worship as they do, their modesty and reverence for things sacred is admirable. With our modern emphasis on personal comfort and material gain, there is much we can learn from them about refusing to compromise core beliefs even at great personal sacrifice. Does our famous Oak Park tolerance stretch far enough to the right to include those so blatantly different from the majority of our citizens?
Virginia Seuffert moved from New York to Oak Park in 1988. Mother of 12, grandmother of 14, she lectures on and writes about conservative issues, including Catholic family life and home schooling.