(LifeSiteNews) — On March 28, participants of a pilgrimage in honor of Our Lady of Sorrows organized by the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) were banned from entering the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Sorrows in Cuceglio, Italy, outside of Turin.
The SSPX posted a video of Father Aldo Rossi, the leader of the pilgrimage, standing in front of the church door and reading aloud a statement. Even though the pilgrimage had been announced, the doors remained closed to them.
The local newspaper La Voce reported on March 29 that several priests, the Consoling Sisters of the Sacred Heart, as well as dozens of lay people, among them young families, were participating in the pilgrimage that stretched over several miles, with some people carrying a statue of Our Lady of Sorrows. As the newspaper wrote, “the faithful of the Priory of San Carlo in Montalenghe had organized a Lenten pilgrimage, which had been announced in advance.” “No Mass, no liturgical celebration: just a few concluding prayers, as a gesture of devotion” were planned.
La Voce, a secular newspaper, continued its report with consternation since, according to their sources, the decision to close the door to the pilgrimage group was made by the chaplain of the shrine, Don Luca Meinardi, but under the influence of his superior, Diocese of Ivrea Bishop Daniele Salera. The newspaper commented, “A choice that inevitably clashes with an ecclesiastical lexicon that in recent years has emphasized words like welcome, inclusion, dialogue, and mercy.”
Don Rossi, the SSPX priest, comes to a similar conclusion when he stated in his videotaped commentary, and we quote his strong words here at length: “Well, in the prevailing culture of inclusion, doors are opened to everyone: to Anglicans who celebrate Mass in the mother of all churches in Rome, St. John Lateran, even though they are not even priests. Just two days ago, Rome sent a message to the female Anglican archbishop on the occasion of her installation, reminding her to walk together, bearing in mind that differences cannot erase the brotherhood born of our shared baptism. Churches are opening their doors to Protestants, even allowing them to celebrate Mass in a parish here in Turin. We pray together with all religions.”
LifeSite had reported about the fact that Pope Leo XIV had sent on March 26 a welcoming message to Sarah Mullally, the new pro-abortionist and pro-LGBT archbishop of Canterbury, invoking the Holy Ghost for her ministry. “In asking the Lord to strengthen you with the gift of wisdom,” the Roman Pontiff wrote, “I pray that you may be guided by the Holy Spirit in serving your communities, and draw inspiration from the example of Mary, the Mother of God.”
Don Rossi went on to say in his speech in front of the closed doors of the Marian shrine, which was built after a Marian apparition: “Churches are also opening to the earth goddess Pachamama, as happened in Rome. Churches are opening to LGBT groups and celebrating Mass with them, particularly at the Church of the Gesù in Rome. Doors are opening to Buddhists and animists, as happened at the 1986 Assisi meeting, where a statue of Buddha was even placed on the tabernacle. But for the Society of St. Pius X, simply to say a prayer for vocations — not Mass, but prayers for vocations — the doors are closed. In this case, there is no inclusion, but exclusion. Why? Because in the Pantheon there were all the gods except our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Further expounding on this exclusion of the truth of Jesus Christ, Don Rossi pointed out that the founder of the SSPX, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre’s own tombstone has inscribed the words: “I have passed on what I received.” The priest continued, speaking with a calm voice: “Well, we do nothing other than pass on this truth, this tradition that we have simply received. But under the system of inclusivity, this cannot be accepted because, precisely, the truth is exclusive; one cannot remain in the middle.”
The story about the fate this pilgrimage met has been picked up by Catholic media, such as the traditional Catholic blog Messa in Latina. While pointing out its own critical attitude toward the SSPX, the author of the post, Luigi Casalini, uses some strong words: “The terrible bishop of Ivrea scandalizes the faithful: think instead of his empty churches and seminaries! A real disgrace.”
Radio Spada also covered the story and printed the entire speech by Don Rossi on its website:
For Don Rossi, the conclusion was to offer up this injustice to those who a the cause of it. “We offer this sacrifice – not being able to enter church – for the Church, for the Pope, for the Bishop, for all priests,” he declared,” so that they may emerge as soon as possible from this darkness, from this false ecumenism, from this false culture of inclusiveness that excludes the truth, that is, excludes our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life.”
For La Voce journalist Liborio La Mattina, there is an angle to this story that goes beyond the local news when he wrote: “We’re not dealing with an abstract theological dispute here. We’re dealing with a concrete gesture: a door closed to those who simply wanted to pray. And immediately afterward, an equally concrete accusation: ‘Open to everyone, except us.’ This is where the story stops being local and becomes paradigmatic.”
This event took place at a time that is not far from July 1 when the SSPX plans to consecrate more bishops in order to be able to continue its work for Tradition, the traditional Latin Mass, the traditional sacraments, and all the lay people who are asking them for their assistance.
