Research On The Traditional Catholic Group "Pyeo X.

The Second Vatican Council(Vatican II)which met from 1962 to 1965 led to a radical change in almost every field of Catholicism.However,some Catholics were dissatisfied with the reformation caused by the Council.They demanded the pattern of pre-Vatican Ⅱ Catholicism.These dissident Catholics are usually called traditional Catholics,and the traditionalist movement is named Catholic traditionalism now.Marcel Lefebvre,a French-born archbishop,is the most visible figure in the traditional Catholics.Founded by Archbishop Lefebvre in 1970,the Society of Saint Pius X(SSPX)has grown into the largest traditionalist group.In view of the fact that there is still not enough research on the Catholic traditionalism or traditional Catholics in Chinese academia,this thesis selects SSPX,a typical group,as the object of systematic research.In nearly half a century of its development,the Society of St.Pius X has achieved many successes and encountered quite a few problems.One of the well-known events is that Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre was excommunicated because of his 1988 consecration of four bishops without papal permission.Another is that Pope Benedict XVI lifted the excommunications issued against the four SSPX’s bishops in 2009.Today,SSPX is viewed by the Holy See as of irregular status.Above events and irregular status come down to the standpoint that SSPX strongly resists the new magisterium taught by Vatican II and contemporary Catholic Church.SSPX believes that Vatican II mixed Liberal ideas into the traditional Catholic worldview,leading to a string of essential changes.The changes have highlighted the four major issues of religious liberty,ecumenism,collegiality and litrgical abuses.The Catholic Church,on the other hand,counters SSPX by questioning its legitimacy.In last section of the thesis,the nature and characteristics of the Society of St.Pius X are summarized,and the prospect of it is looked forward.Generally speaking,the author does not think that SSPX could achieve all that it expects.However,the traditionalists including SSPX still give us a significant number of inspiring suggestions.