On Wednesday, the Vatican again warned a group of traditionalist Catholics from the Brotherhood of Saint Pius X (SSPX) that their planned consecration of bishops without the consent of the Pope is a schismatic act that automatically leads to excommunication. It was reported by the AP agency, writes TASR.
- The Vatican called the planned consecration of SSPX bishops without the Pope as schismatic.
- Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández warned that such a move would automatically mean excommunication.
- There are to be four new ordinations and they are scheduled for the first of July.
- The SSPX was founded in 1970 in Écône as a resistance against the post-conciliar reforms.
- SSPX Superior Pagliarani insists on ordinations for an alleged global spiritual crisis.
Statement by the prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández sa considers it a last attempt to prevent the consecration of four new bishops, planned for July 1.
If this ordination takes place, it will – according to AP – for the most serious challenge to date to the authority of Leo XIV, who is trying to ease the tension in relations with traditionalist Catholics, worsened during the pontificate of Pope Francis.
The SSPX was founded in 1970 in the Swiss town of Écône as an opposition to the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, which took place in the 1960s and which, among other things, made it possible to celebrate mass in national languages instead of Latin. The SSPX celebrates the pre-conciliar Latin mass.
The SSPX first fell out with Rome in 1988 when its founder, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, ordained four bishops without papal approval. The Vatican subsequently excommunicated Lefebvre and the ordained bishops. The SSPX itself still has no legal status in the Catholic Church.
Despite that the brotherhood grew in the following decades and today operates schools, seminaries and parishes around the world. According to his own data, he has two episcopal sees, 733 priests and members from 50 countries.
SSPX superior Davide Pagliarani announced at the beginning of the year that On July 1, new bishops will be ordained, as the two current ones are already old and they fail to provide spiritual administration for the believers all over the world. The Vatican invited Pagliarani to the negotiations, well theological and practical disputes that have prevented reconciliation for decades, according to AP, they continue to persist.
Pagliarani reiterated in recent statements that new ordinations are needed. At the same time he claimed that the Catholic Church is facing a crisis associated with religious pluralism and ambiguities in matters of faith.
The planned ordinations, which would automatically lead to excommunication, represent the first significant crisis situation of Leo XIV’s pontificate. Although the SSPX is not in full communion with the Holy See, several traditionalist Catholics loyal to the Vatican are watching the situation closely and sympathize with the brotherhood’s position, AP added.
