In an interview on the occasion of his 75th birthday, Bishop Juan Ignacio Arrieta Ochoa de Chinchetru, secretary of the Dicastery (formerly Pontifical Council) for Legislative Texts since 2007, was asked about the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) and the Vatican’s relations with the Order of Malta, as well as the liturgical dubia submitted by 31 priests of the Diocese of Charlotte.
“I believe it was a grave mistake to have presented this matter as an imposition on the Holy See, announcing directly, as if it were a fait accompli, that they intended to carry out episcopal ordinations,” Bishop Arrieta said of the SSPX’s announcement that it will ordain new bishops.
“This is the attitude of those who, from the outset, consider themselves outside the Church, a stance that contradicts their own awareness that they do not possess ecclesiastical jurisdiction,” he continued. “In fact, when they had to impose disciplinary sanctions for certain conduct by some of their priests, they turned to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which granted them the authority to do so.”
Commenting on the Holy See’s dealings with the Order of Malta during Pope Francis’s pontificate, Bishop Arrieta suggested that “greater consideration should have been given to the instrument of a concordat: a concordat between the Holy See and the Order, similar to those signed with many countries, would have provided a formal framework consistent with how it is actually perceived in the international arena, and within that framework, the various spiritual and charitable issues raised by this important entity could have been resolved with realism and practicality.”
Commenting on the Charlotte priests’ series of dubia about liturgical directives enacted or considered by their bishop, Bishop Arrieta said:
For several years now, our dicastery has been publishing on its website the various opinions and consultations we are asked to provide, omitting, of course, any personal references, whenever we believe they may be of general use to the Church. For us, it is also a way to engage with the legal world and with new situations arising in various parts of the world, seeking to stimulate studies and in depth analysis of specific aspects of canon law. Regarding individual cases, however, as is logical, we are bound to maintain absolute confidentiality, also out of respect for the individuals involved.