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The canonical status was confirmed on February 18, 1971 by the prefect for the Sacred Congregation for the Clergy, Cardinal <ref>Wrighthttp://www.sspx.org/SSPX_FAQs/appendix_iii_history_1.htm</ref>, who praised the society statues and recognised it as an international Catholic society with the power to incardinate its clergy. Thus, the Society became legally recognised as a legitimate Catholic society, unable to be suppressed without a genuine reason or following strict canonical procedures.
The canonical status was confirmed on February 18, 1971 by the prefect for the Sacred Congregation for the Clergy, Cardinal <ref>Wrighthttp://www.sspx.org/SSPX_FAQs/appendix_iii_history_1.htm</ref>, who praised the society statues and recognised it as an international Catholic society with the power to incardinate its clergy. Thus, the Society became legally recognised as a legitimate Catholic society, unable to be suppressed without a genuine reason or following strict canonical procedures.
==Strained Relations with Rome==
On June 10th 1971, Archbishop Lefebvre formally announces that he will not accept nor celebrate Pope Paul VI's Novus Ordo Mass, accusing it of being Protestant, based on the fact that six Protestant ministers collaborated in its creation <ref>http://www.olrl.org/new_mass/evils.shtml</ref>, and the fabrication of known Freemason Archbishop Annibal <ref>Bugnini.http://www.tanbooks.com/doct/vatican_liturgy.htm </ref> Archbishop Lefebvre would continue to voice these sentiments in denouncing the Novus Ordo Mass throughout the remainder of his life, often accusing it of being a 'bastard rite'.<ref>http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,914596-1,00.html</ref>
In response to Lefebvre's traditional Catholic stance, the French Episcopal Council denounced Econe as 'the wildcat seminary'.<ref>http://www.sspx.org/SSPX_FAQs/appendix_iii_history_1.htm</ref>
In November 1974, two apostolic visitors from Rome arrive at Econe. Whilst speaking to the seminarians and teaching staff, they scandalise the faithful by giving support to contraception and ordination of married men. In response to this, Archbishop Lefebvre pens his Declaration, condeming Rome as 'neo-Modernist' and 'neo-Protestant', and pledging his allegiance to the traditional Catholic faith, regardless of what innovations Rome may espouse. <ref>http://www.sspx.org/SSPX_FAQs/appendix_I._declaration.htm</ref>