Pope convenes top cardinals over relations with schismatic group

Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI convened top cardinals and heads of Vatican departments Monday to discuss relations with the schismatic ultraconservative movement founded by the late Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre.

The Vatican excommunicated Lefebvre in 1988 after he consecrated four bishops without Rome's consent. The four bishops were also excommunicated.

One of Benedict's agenda items the status of Lefebvre groups within the Catholic Church and the excommunication orders.

Lefebvre founded the Switzerland-based Society of St. Pius X in 1969 to oppose liberalizing reforms of the 1962-65 Second Vatican Council, particularly Masses celebrated in local languages instead of Latin.

Benedict wants normalized relations with the society and met in August with its current head, Bishop Bernard Fellay. Both sides said afterward they agreed on steps to resolve differences.

Fellay said Jan. 13 he believed Rome would grant the society a special status known as an apostolic administration, giving the society and local bishops "parallel authority" over Lefebvre's followers.