Article by Marc Aupiais
Bishop Richard Williamson, of the SSPX/FSSPX ( "Priestly"/"Fraternal Society of Saint Pius X"), which is a suspended movement, not in full communion with Rome, has apologized for any "Scandal", caused by his comments on the holocaust, and admitted, that he is not a historian. He claims that loosely/vaguely referred to information which he fronts was "available" 20 years ago but not available to the general public, currently: had lead him to believe that the holocaust/Shoah extent was basically some sort of myth.
While apologizing for harm caused by his comments, Williamson, of "Great Britain" has not said enough to revoke them, but only apologized for harm caused. Father Lombardi of the Vatican, has said that his statements do not meet the requirements given to the SSPX Bishop. The Vatican is refering to their demand of a full revocation of the SSPX Bishop's previous denial of the extent of the Genocide known as the "Holocaust", or as "Shoah". Jewish groups say that the "apology" does not revoke his previous statements.
The Vatican claims that they had no knowledge of the Lefebvrite bishop's views on the holocaust/Shoah, when determining whether or not to lift his excommunication: to push forward ecumenical talks between the mainstream and the SSPX priestly schism. The Vatican has also, in the past: lifted the excommunication on the Orthodox Patriarch of at least one, if not many a Eastern Orthodox church, this does not make them a Catholic Patriarch, it is simply ecumenism: how much more in the case of SSPX? (This comparison lies only in the act of lifting excommunications, as compared with the implications, nothing is implied about Eastern Orthodox Churches by it).
Four Leferbvrite bishops, have had their extreme punishment, of an excommunication only the papacy could lift: lifted recently. They were excommunicated, along with Marcel Leverbre, when Leverbvre attempted to ordain them as bishops without Vatican authority. According to Zenit News, the four never were, and still are not Catholic bishops under Canon law.
Williamson's SSPX superior SSPX Bishop Fellay, has asked for him to revoke his views on the holocaust/Shoah, and does not publicly deny the Shoah/Holocaust happened and killed at least 6 million Jewish people.
Note: The word Holocaust has the connotation of a sacrifice to God, however, in order to avoid the connotation, many use Shoah, to describe the events: as this is the Hebrew word for "Calamity". News services, such as this one, do not imply anything theological by using the word holocaust. We believe that the World War II Holocaust, is not some sacrifice to God, but rather a Genocide, the word Holocaust, is simply the most often used phrase, in general usage, by which the World War II Nazi perpetrated Genocide: is referred to.
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