Preface: I am not an authority on "The Old Romans" traditionalist group of Roman Catholic bishops, priests, religious, and laity. I have not read sources from the Vatican or traditionalist priests like that of the SSPX or FSSP about their Catholicity. I only recently discovered who they are.
I am going off of answers to my written questions by their chief bishop, Archbishop Jerome Lloyd, weekly videos I've been viewing lately on his Youtube channel Old Romans TV, which I find refreshingly appealing to someone like myself always looking for sources of Catholic Truth, as a traditionalist Catholic attached to the SSPX (I've noticed trads like myself liking their contribution as of late, commenting in Latin Mass Facebook groups), and their website:
Who they are:
1. Traditionalist Roman Catholic Bishops (I believe 4), priests (around 100), religious, and laity served in Traditional Latin Mass chapels all around the world. Not sedevacantists. They accept Pope Francis as supreme head of the Church.
2. The head bishop presiding over their Synod (based in the US), Archbishop Jerome Lloyd, is himself based in Selsey, England. Many of their priests have to work to support themselves. + Lloyd himself, to support himself, founded and runs a local restaurant that employs formerly homeless and itinerant people, and trains them in the culinary arts to give them a renewed start. He shepherds priests in England and continental Europe, while broadcasting live TLMs, sermons, talks, prayers from his Chapel on YouTube. Other "Old Roman" Bishops of their union oversee TLM Chapels on other continents.
3. Originally, they were Roman Catholics in Holland, who believed they had the right to elect their own Archbishop (despite the current pope at the time insisting otherwise) based on a standing decree by a previous pope, and likewise that of an ecumenical council. This resulted in a certain separation from Rome, and eventually branching outside of Holland after the liberal-modernist "Old Catholics" took over locally. Ever since they have been in a sort of limbo with the Holy See, though apparently not in formal schism.
The "Old Roman Catholics'" Positions:
1. They accept and believe in the all the Catholic dogmas, including the Immaculate Conception, Assumption of Mary, and Vatican I's teaching, principally the formal dogmatic teachings of "papal primacy" and "papal infallibility," according to the actual definitions as written.
2. They are not "Old Catholics." They reject the Liberalism, Modernism, and Protestantism of those called "Old Catholics."
3. The Old Romans identify as Traditionalist, opposing the Modernism of the post-Vatican II Church, but have been staunchly opposed to Modernism, and in defense of Catholic Tradition, since the 1800's.
4. They say the Tridentine Latin Mass, and are opposed to the Novus Ordo Missae, having the same positions as the SSPX on the post-Vatican II liturgical reform.
5. They accept Vatican I as a valid Council, but criticize, in their view, an Ultra-montane theology on the papacy (as did Archbishop Lefebvre).
6. They accept Vatican II as a valid Council, but take the same general view as the SSPX as to its Modernist errors and orientation.
7. They strongly oppose abortion, birth control, homosexuality, divorce, women priests, or any form of modernism or liberalism in the Church.
8. They accept as valid the popes of Vatican II, including Francis who they pray for at Mass, though they publicly oppose his errors. Like recently his motu proprio on the TLM.
9. The "Old Romans" were in a formal discussion with the Holy See only a few years before Vatican II, to possibly become "regularized," but have backed off for now due to, in their view, the errors of the "conciliar church" (i.e. errors in VII/New Mass).
10. Yet, they accept the supremacy of the Pope, vow submission to him in matters requiring strict obedience (in the manner the SSPX does), profess the intention to one day, as soon as possible, be re-united in a normal unity to the Holy See as they once were. Based on this, I cannot see that they are in schism or heresy. These bishops and priests often minister to SSPX and other traditionalist Catholics as needed, based on the local situation, and profess communion with all Traditional Roman Catholics, including the FSSP, Institute, etc, and all orthodox Catholics attending the Novus Ordo rite.
Conclusion:
I am no theologian, but if the SSPX are Roman Catholics in full communion with the Church, albeit in a "canonically irregular" way, then my impression is “The Old Romans” are as well, but in a different kind of historical canonical irregularity. They give full acceptance to all the dogmas and doctrines Roman Catholics are required to accept for salvation. They profess submission to the Pope, as does the SSPX. They are deeply dedicated to Catholic Tradition and the fight against Modernism. They do have a controversial lineage going back to the See of Utrecht dispute with Rome over the right to select their own Archbishop, but are orthodox and traditional, and for the most part are almost identical in their doctrinal/liturgical/disciplinary stance to the SSPX.
My hope then would be that more Traditional Catholics know about this group "The Old Romans," and that somehow one day our ranks could work together, at least at times, with those of their ranks. I even suggested to their Archbishop that they could make a Profession of Faith to traditionalist Bishops like in the SSPX, or Bishop Williamson, or the like, if they cannot do so right now directly with conciliar Rome, so that there is an official recognition, even if for now it is practically impossible to approach the Vatican as it is overrun presently by Modernists.
At the very least, these Bishops and priests are offering some very edifying insights into the current, ever-evolving ecclesial situation, in a very personal, engaging, and lively manner. That is fundamentally Traditionalist Roman Catholic. Here are a few of their live stream discussions I thoroughly appreciated:
Questions, constructive feedback, or to just to say howdy, email me at:
JosephOstermeir@gmail.com