VATICAN CITY – The Vatican yesterday told an ultra-traditionalist splinter group it would have to accept some non-negotiable doctrinal principles before it could fully rejoin the Roman Catholic Church.
Leaders of the dissident Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) held several hours of meetings with the Vatican's doctrinal officials to discuss how to finalise two years of negotiations aimed at eventual reconciliation.
A statement said the Vatican told the head of the traditionalists, Swiss-born Bishop Bernard Fellay, that the SSPX must accept the principles outlined in a "doctrinal preamble", before moving on to a "hoped for reconciliation".
The Vatican did not release the text of the preamble handed to Bishop Fellay.