Fr Lorens, SSPX spokesman, has confirmed "as positive" the fact that +F has indeed responded to Vatican demands for clarification, but that "not everything is arranged yet" as BXVI and the CDF have yet to examine +F's clarifications.
Fr Lorens states the Society is waiting for a communiqué from the Vatican, which he expects today, 18th April, before making its own official communiqué.

Lord Help Us.

In other words, what Tornielli said is wrong. Bishop Fellay has not signed "the Preamble" or anything similar. He has done what he said he would do, which is to send a further letter clarifying the SSPX position.

This is not news, it was known publicly beforehand, but it isn't good, as none of this has been good.

Lorans, a known liberal, is obviously expecting a deal. That's bad too. Very.

Could this drag on to Pentecost and the end of + Fellay's Third Rosary Crusade? What then? Solemn gratitude for a "third miracle" of the Blessed Virgin Mary for the "greater good of the Church" and the magnanimity of the Holy Father?

But there will be resistance, your Excellency, if this be so.

Translation of the French news item from the Swiss International Catholic Press Agency, APIC

The German news item on the website is rather different:

Strange then that +F allows him to have such an important role and speak on his behalf...

So all we know is that the Vatican should make a statement today, that nothing is known of the contents of Bishop Fellay's letter, and that the Pope is to make the decision. And that Ecclesia Dei has got involved.

And that Fr. Lorans will soon make a statement.

Well, he runs DICI, which is the official communications agency of the SSPX (kind of a press bureau, I guess).

I did notice that DICI didn't public the condemnation of Assissi III, by Fr. Regis de Cacqueray, which Bishop Fellay specifically approved. It was published on laportelatine.org (SSPX France District Web site) but not on DICI.org. Speaks volumes.

Dear Shamus and gregj,

Fr. Lorans alongside Fr. Célier are collaborators of the Conciliarist-ecumenical group Grec - Groupe de Réflexion Entre Catholiques (Reflection Group Between Catholics).

Fr. Célier was put in charge of Fideliter before being put in control of the Society's French website, La Porte Latine.

Fr. Lorans, of course, is in charge of Menzingen's media relations arm DICI.

Fr. Célier authored the book Benoît XVI et les Traditionalistes in which he welcomed as a future development what he termed the "Pipaule" Mass (derived from Pius-Paul) a synthesis of the Traditional Mass with the Novus Ordo à la Benedict XVI's infamous "Reform of the Reform" and "Hermeneutic of Continuity".

Fr. Célier's book was edited, and the introduction written, by Jean-Luc Maxence who writes for La Chaine d'Union, the journal of the Grand Orient of France.

Fr. Pfluger wrote in regard to Benoît XVI et les Traditionalistes that it was a "masterpiece".

Then throw into the mix the fact that the French District Superior Fr. Cacqueray is very solidly opposed to any deal.

Make of all that what you will.

"Approbation" was the verb used to describe +F's attitude toward Fr de Cacqueray's article on Assisi. This can mean "approval" or just "consent". He may just not have forbid it, without actually approving it positively.
In any case, DICI is the official voice of the SSPX and the only voice authorized by Menzingen (remember Fr Morgan after Albano...) to comment on the talks with the Vatican. +F has no valid excuse to have an untrustworthy priest as his mouthpiece. If Fr Lorans is there, its because +F wants him there. Or he has lost control of the SSPX. Either way, there is a major problem.

Yes, those are all correct facts Dumb Ox.

Interesting comments from Father Lelong who chairs in the GREC alongside Frs Lorans and Célier:

http://www.la-croix.com/Religion/S-informe.../ACCESS_CONTENT

I don't have time to translate, but he says many within the SSPX have long desired reconciliation, believing JPII and BXVI have proven it is possible to adhere to Vatican II whilst remaining faithful to Tradition. Unfortunately says Fr Lelong, +F instead of giving strategic posts to those who could prepare the faithful for this reconciliation, he allowed the expression of negative or aggresive views...

There are plenty examples, and more and more each hour, which corroborate what Fr Lelong says.

There is little doubt that we are headed for that "reconciliation". Little doubt that "reconciliation" is what +F wants now.

But there will not be no resistance your Excellency

Pope's desition on may... what a coincidence!

http://affaritaliani.libero.it/politica/va...html?refresh_ce

Shamus: If Fr Lorans is there, its because +F wants him there. Or he has lost control of the SSPX. Either way, there is a major problem.
[QUOTE]

I suspect that the only "major problem" may only exist between our ears. Whatever events unfold; whoever is shown to be in charge, or not in charge, is of no consequence to us lay folk, growing and nourished in our dimly lit mushroom beds. We continue going to Mass and availing ourselves of the Sacraments provided by the Church.

Yes and right alongside Tornielli, Heiner was also wrong because he was spreading the same false rumors on this Forum, and others. After getting everyone in a frenzy he slithered out of here and has yet to offer a retraction of his statements that "the Society has signed, a deal has been reached"...

Still waiting, Heiner. Or perhaps you're too busy eating your own crow.

Heiner won't retract. He wouldn't retract when he was here and was faced with the humiliation of being flatly wrong, basing his declaration of pseudo-fact upon something that was explicitly stated to be rumour (by Tornielli). Instead, he insisted that he was right.

Heiner doesn't eat crow, apparently, it's a dish he serves but doesn't share.