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The Vatican has announced that the Society of St Pius X (SSPX) to be in ‘schism’ and the Catholic Church after a orthodox group defied Pope Leo XIV by consecrating four bishops without papal consent.
To split is to break the unity of the Catholic Church. It happens when a person or group rejects the authority of the pope, who Catholics believe is the successor of Saint Peter, one of the 12 apostles of Jesus.
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In a decision issued on Thursday, the Vatican’s doctrinal office said the bishops involved, along with priests and lay people who deliberately followed the separatist movement, have been excommunicated from the Church and are no longer in the Church. to be allowed to be members of the Church. It warned that the celebration of the sacraments by the Swiss community is considered illegal and can no longer conduct weddings or hear confessions.
The unsanctioned consecration is the latest sign of a decades-long conflict between the Vatican and the SSPX, which broke out after Rome rejected a new reform of the Catholic Church introduced by the Second Vatican Council.
Here’s what we know:
What has happened and what is surrender?
On Wednesday, the traditionalist Catholic group SSPX directly insulted Pope Leo XIV by consecrating four new bishops without his papal consent.
In the Catholic Church, the consecration of a bishop is a highly symbolic religious ceremony that transfers the Holy Spirit from one bishop to another.
During the dedication ceremony, the presiding bishop places his hands on the heads of the new bishops, a sign that remembers what Jesus Christ did to his apostles. As part of the ceremony, newly ordained men also receive symbols of their new authority, which include hats and pastoral staffs.
The five-hour ceremony was held at the SSPX seminary in Econe, Switzerland, and was attended by about 16,500 faithful followers.
Despite a last-minute appeal by Pope Leo XIV, who warned in a letter on Tuesday that performing the consecration without his approval would be a “grave sin” that would ultimately harm the faithful, the group went ahead with the event.
During the Mass, Bishop Alfonso de Galarreta consecrated the four new bishops, Pascal Schreiber, Michael Goldade, Michel Poinsinet de Sivry and Marc Hanappier.
By participating in this ritual without papal permission, the new bishops and the consecrated bishop were automatically excommunicated, which is the most severe punishment in the Catholic Church.
The SSPX abolished the sanctions that followed, with the priest reading a statement that the dedication was a “sacred duty” necessary to protect the Catholic faith from modern change.
What is the Society of St Pius X (SSPX)?
The SSPX is a traditional Catholic organization founded in 1970 by French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre.
It was established against the great changes introduced by the Second Vatican Council (Vatican II), especially away from the traditional Latin Mass and many efforts to improve the Church.
Today, the SSPX works all over the world with its bishops, hundreds of priests, seminaries and religious groups. Although it considers itself Catholic, the Vatican has always maintained that it has no official (legal) position within the Church.
In his sermon on Wednesday, Reverend Davide Pagliarani, head of the group, acknowledged that many have seen the surrender as rebellion.
“The greatest sacrifice that God can ask of us is to be treated as rebels when we want to serve the church as mothers in trouble, overwhelmed, suffering,” said Father Pagliarani.
What is the Second Vatican Council (Vatican II)?
The Second Vatican Council, also known as Vatican II, was a memorable meeting of Catholic bishops that took place between 1962 and 1965, which introduced major changes to help better integrate with the modern world.
Among his major changes were allowing the Mass to be celebrated in local languages instead of Latin, and improving relations with Jews, other Christian churches and followers of other religions.
Pope Leo XIV has repeatedly stated that Vatican II contains “major principles” of Catholic teaching. The SSPX, however, rejects the council’s radical reforms, saying they are departing from the Church’s ancient traditions.
The desecration of Switzerland represents the biggest challenge to Pope Leo’s rule since he was elected last year and a setback in his efforts to end divisions in the Catholic Church.
What does excommunication mean in the Catholic Church?
Excommunication is the most severe punishment under Catholic law. The term comes from the Latin word meaning “from communion” with the Church.
It prohibits a Catholic from receiving the sacraments, marrying or holding a position in the Church, among other things.
The Church considers excommunication to be a “medicinal” punishment. It is a temporary measure that can be removed when the offender repents and asks for forgiveness.
Has this story already started?
Yes. The current crisis mirrors the events of 1988.
That year, Archbishop Lefebvre, the founder of the SSPX, excommunicated four bishops without the consent of Pope John Paul II. The Vatican declared the act inconsistent and removed Lefebvre and four new bishops.
One of them was Alfonso de Galarreta, who presided over Wednesday’s dedication ceremony in Switzerland.
In both cases, the SSPX deliberately consecrated bishops without papal consent to ensure continued leadership, despite the Vatican’s objections.
Although Pope Benedict XVI lifted the excommunication of 1988 in 2009 to encourage dialogue, the SSPX is not officially recognized in the Catholic Church.
So, did the SSPX ever become part of the Catholic Church?
Not legally. The SSPX considers itself Catholic, but the Vatican says it has no official place in the Church.
Although the group has maintained an uneasy relationship with Rome for years, Pope Benedict XVI excommunicated four of its bishops in 2009 in an effort to promote unity. However, no final agreement to restore the SSPX to full communion was reached.
The action was also a source of embarrassment for him and led to conflict with Jewish leaders because one of the four – Bishop Richard Williamson – was a known Holocaust denier.
In an interview with Swiss TV shortly before the Pope’s decree was issued in 2009, Williamson said he did not believe Jews were killed in gas chambers during World War II.
Benedict later admitted that he should have known more about the matter, admitting that a simple internet search would have revealed Williamson’s opinion.
