ÉCÔNE, Switzerland – The Society of St. Pius X (SSPX), a group of traditionalist Catholics, openly defied the authority of Pope Leo XIV by ordaining four new bishops without his consent. This move, which they described as their ‘sacred duty,’ took place during a ceremony at their seminary in Écône.
The Vatican had repeatedly warned that such actions would constitute a schismatic act, resulting in automatic excommunication for all involved bishops. On Thursday, the Vatican not only condemned the new bishops, but also declared the excommunication of all participating priests and lay Catholics formally associated with SSPX.
Excommunication is a severe penalty implying that individuals are no longer part of the Church and cannot receive sacraments. According to Church law, excommunication may occur when individuals reject the Pope’s authority or break communion with Church members.
The Vatican hopes for reconciliation with former members despite this schism.
Pope Leo, prior to the ordinations, issued a heartfelt plea to the SSPX’s superior general, Rev. Davide Pagliarani, urging them to abandon the planned consecrations to maintain the Church’s unity.
Despite these pleas, the SSPX conducted their ceremony, attended by over 1,000 clergy and 15,000 faithful, with a bold statement rejecting the validity of any penalties imposed upon them. Pope Leo, who has consistently promoted unity within the Roman Catholic Church, now faces a major challenge.
Background on SSPX
The SSPX was founded in 1970 by French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, opposing the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, which sought to engage laypeople, foster interfaith dialogue, and allow Mass in vernacular languages. In 1988, Lefebvre consecrated four bishops without papal approval, resulting in his excommunication and that of the bishops involved. These actions echoed during the recent ordinations.
Efforts by previous popes to reconcile with SSPX included lifting the 1988 excommunications and granting certain pastoral permissions. However, doctrinal disagreements persisted, leading to SSPX’s irregular status within the Church.
The Motives Behind SSPX’s Actions
Rev. Foucault le Roux, SSPX’s secretary general, articulated their reasoning, claiming that post-Vatican II Church authorities oppose the traditional faith. During the ceremony, Pagliarani framed the ordinations as acts of service.
SSPX perceives the Catholic Church as the sole true faith and views interfaith dialogue as harmful. They criticize reforms like celebrating Mass in local languages and improved relations with other Christian denominations.
Ceremony Highlights
Participants from 70 countries gathered at Écône. The event continued the SSPX tradition of conducting Mass in Latin, with over five hours of rituals and chants. Despite Pope Leo’s appeals and unfriendly weather, the ceremony proceeded.
A thunderstorm briefly interrupted, initiating communal singing. The event was a remarkable experience for attendees, some expressing ambivalence toward the unauthorized ordinations. Alexander De Volleda and Dennis Vu, among others, attended for personal and traditionalist reasons.
This report was created through collaboration between NPR and Religion News Service.