Bishop Fellay’s November 2015 letter brings to mind one word: SPIN. Most people will read his letter and believe the spin they feel comfortable with—this means accepting his liberalism.

I can now see why the New-SSPX hired a public relations firm to teach the art of spin and monitor fraternity communications. It appears to be a worthwhile investment because with this letter the N-SSPX is surely getting its money’s worth.

Let’s go through the letter to point out obvious aspects of that spin and how it harms trusting souls.

The purpose of Bishop Fellay’s letter was to get laymen and priests in the N-SSPX to accept the upcoming deal with Rome. He knows the deal with Rome is toxic with some (and he can’t afford to lose any more laymen and priests.) So he is playing a previously-negotiated “surprise card”, saying that it’s Pope Francis who is giving ordinary jurisdiction to the Society for Confession (which is the first step toward a full deal), it’s not me—while stating again and again that nothing has changed; “We are preserving Tradition.”

The problem is people believe what they want to believe, regardless of proof to the contrary. An example of this is the Superior General making contradictory statements and most of the Society choosing the one they feel most comfortable with and that agrees with their uninformed conscience.

Bishop Fellay said, We accept 95% of Vatican II, and also said, We mourn the unending destruction that VC II has caused the Church and priests and laymen in the SSPX. People accept the latter statement and ignore the former one, to avoid unwanted (but necessary) action to stand up for Christ the King and against liberalism in the N-SSPX. Now it’s time for those who are always quick to give the N-SSPX the benefit of the doubt, to start connecting the dots and become aware of just what they are willing to believe in order that they can sit on the sidelines and avoid the fight for Tradition.

Let’s start with paragraph one, page one. Bishop Fellay states that his letter is to highlight more clearly how we who are devoted to Tradition..... If that were only true, the New-SSPX would not be losing priests and laymen who are unable to accept the Society leaning liberal and soft on Modernism. Repeating a falsehood doesn’t make it true or more acceptable.

The next point Bishop Fellay makes is that Pope Francis on his own initiative decided to allow...jurisdiction for confession to priests of the Society. Bishop Fellay further states, We were surprised...and learned about it through the press.... Who would believe that? If you were following the last 10 years of negotiations between Rome and the Society, it’d be unrealistic to think that the Bishop was surprised by Rome’s announcement. I suspect this “Trojan Horse” was agreed upon as the first subtle step to recognition. He sent a communiqué thanking the pope for the confession jurisdiction (which the Society does not need because of Necessity).

When you are at war with your enemy (Modernist Rome), you don’t play nice with them. It’s obvious the N-SSPX is not an enemy of Rome and is trying to be best-of-friends. So much for their fight for Tradition.

The next point he discussed in this letter is a petition to Pope Francis regarding the Synod. It was well-known for months that the Synod was going to be a complete disaster. Bishop Fellay ends paragraph one, page two: Why does the Church no longer have the courage to speak this way (i.e., against public sinners)? Well, why doesn’t the New-SSPX have the courage to speak out against the evil and errors of Vatican II, instead of accepting 95% of it?

In further discussing the Synod, the bishop speaks of positive initiatives by several cardinals and bishops against an aspect of the Synod. Behind their feeble criticism of the Synod, these cardinals and “bishops” are promoters and followers of a greater evil: Vatican II, which in all aspects is very detrimental to the salvation of souls. Thus, to finally speak out against one of many liberal and Modernist problems in the Church doesn’t even begin to make up for their regular promoting of the VC II evil and errors.

The next point references the motu proprio on the simplified procedures for declarations of nullity of marriage (“Catholic divorce”). Bishop Fellay pointed out the potential problem of the motu proprio with easy canonical terms, but failed to come down hard on the pope and others who encourage such an attack on the indissolubility of marriage.

The next point concerns the pope’s promotion of the so-called “Year of Mercy” without repentance (i.e., for sin) or conversion (i.e., return to grace). While Bishop Fellay appears to endorse the age-old teaching of the Church on the necessity of conversion and contrition for sins, he nevertheless gives the pope a pass by making an astonishing assumption that these (conversion and contrition) are present in the Synod’s documents. Bishop Fellay wonders why the pope doesn’t ask himself why so many people have left the Church. You may wonder why the bishop doesn’t ask himself why so many priests and laymen are leaving the N-SSPX and joining the Resistance.

Bishop Fellay failed to mention that one receiving the indulgences of the holy “Year of Mercy” must pray in a cathedral that no doubt is desecrated daily by the Novus Ordo mass, which contradicts his assurance about indulgences for the holy year. He states: Nowhere in the remainder of these habitual conditions (for gaining the indulgences) is there any question of adhering to the conciliar novelties.

The last point: The “Year of Mercy” also celebrates the 50th anniversary of Vatican II. Bishop Fellay states, This is most unsettling.... but rather than reject outright the evil and errors of VC II, he laments that We must weep over the ruins caused by this Council. Yet he further stated in the past more than once that the Society accepts 95% of Vatican II and also that he holds that many of Vatican II’s documents are entirely Traditional.

I emphasize that the spin the N-SSPX is using is to avoid further defections from the Society in the coming months when they accept reconciliation with Modernist Rome. Eventually, the Society will suffer domination by Rome as the other six religious communities experienced after their “reconciliation” deal with Rome. Like the N-SSPX, they assured their followers they would never give up their independence and traditionalism. Alas, all six have given up both.

The bishop’s Spin, I fear, will be accepted by most still in the Society, just as the laymen and priests accepted Post-Vatican II spin in the 1960s and ’70s. However, when reconciliation is in effect, and the N-SSPX accepts more and more of Modernism as demanded by Rome, there is hope that some additional eyes will be opened.

Here is a new line in the sand for you fence-sitters, which will also be the “new normal” for the New-SSPX: The local bishop comes to your Mass on Sunday, introduced by your pastor, and in glowing terms warmly welcomes your community (the conciliar expression for “parish”) to the Conciliar Church Diocese. Rome is not going to pass up this chance to silence completely a once-traditional community.

Let us all pray for the poor blind leaders of the New-SSPX and for all the souls whose salvation they put in jeopardy.