{"id":2622261,"date":"2026-07-01T14:37:02","date_gmt":"2026-07-01T18:37:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/sspx-defies-pope-leo-xiv-breaks-from-catholic-church-with-illicit-consecration\/"},"modified":"2026-07-01T14:40:06","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T18:40:06","slug":"sspx-defies-pope-leo-xiv-breaks-from-catholic-church-with-illicit-consecration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/sspx-defies-pope-leo-xiv-breaks-from-catholic-church-with-illicit-consecration\/","title":{"rendered":"SSPX defies Pope Leo XIV, breaks from Catholic Church with illicit consecration"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fsspx-defies-pope-leo-xiv-breaks-from-catholic-church-with-illicit-consecration%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2622261&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A group of traditionalist Catholic priests from the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) conducted an illicit consecration of four bishops in \u00c9c\u00f4ne, Switzerland, without the required Apostolic Mandate from the pope, violating Catholic canon law. typically, such consecrations are accompanied by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-era-defense-leaders-should-testify-on-capitol-riot-response-sen-peters\/\" title=\"Trump-Era Defense Leaders Should Te...ify on Capitol Riot Response: Sen. Peters\">formal approval<\/a> read aloud by a notary, but in this case, the ceremony proceeded despite explicit orders from Pope Leo XIV not to do so. The notary involved issued a statement emphasizing the importance of preserving tradition and criticizing recent church authorities for deviating from authentic teachings, leading to the excommunication of all involved clerics. <\/p>\n<p>The SSPX, which adheres to traditional Latin Mass practices and rejects many Vatican II reforms, has historically maintained that it is not schismatic but opposed to what it considers errors within the church. Attempts by SSPX leaders to reconcile or seek dialog with the Vatican failed; instead, they issued open letters reaffirming their disputes and intentions to proceed with consecrations. The pope&#8217;s letter to SSPX leadership urged them to reconsider and avoid schism, highlighting the spiritual risks involved.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the Vatican\u2019s silence leading up to the event, some church officials expressed concerns. Vatican officials, including Cardinal V\u00edctor Manuel Fern\u00e1ndez, acknowledged that dialogue had not been fruitful but expressed hope for future discussions. The consecrations have created a strained relationship between SSPX and the Holy See, with SSPX leaders asserting their desire to serve the church in their own way and requesting the pope to suspend any penalties and consider their perspective. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wi-elections-regulator-faces-records-lawsuit\/\" title=\"WI Elections Regulator Faces Records Lawsuit\">situation underscores ongoing tensions<\/a> over doctrinal and liturgical differences and the society\u2019s rejection of recent church reforms.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When a priest of the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/catholic-church\/\">Catholic Church<\/a> is being consecrated as a bishop, the prelate elevating him is required to ask for the Apostolic Mandate  \u2014 the formal approval of the pope for his new office \u2014 to be read aloud by a notary for all those in attendance.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But when the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/3500162\/traditionalist-catholic-society-vatican-pilgrimage-despite-canonical-irregularity\/\">Society of St. Pius X <\/a>defied the Holy See and consecrated four new bishops in a meadow of \u00c9c\u00f4ne, Switzerland, on Wednesday, Bishop Alfonso de Galarreta\u2019s notary didn\u2019t have an Apostolic Mandate to read. Instead, observers listened to a bizarre and mealy-mouthed statement about the \u201cnecessity\u201d of the occasion, despite unambiguous orders from <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/pope-leo-xiv\/\">Pope Leo XIV<\/a> not to proceed.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4632070\/zelensky-calls-for-peace-after-ukraine-strikes-russian-oil-refinery-and-military-complex\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Zelensky calls for peace after Ukraine strikes Russian oil refinery and military complex<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4632052\/netanyahu-touts-israels-strength-commits-to-take-care-of-what-is-left-of-the-iranian-axis\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Netanyahu touts Israel\u2019s strength, commits to \u2018take care of what is left of the Iranian axis\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4630926\/five-countries-latin-south-america-elected-pro-trump-government-election\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Five countries in Latin America have elected pro-Trump governments since his election<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt is the Catholic and Roman church, always faithful to the traditions received from the apostles, who in entirely exceptional circumstances demands that we provide for the upholding of these traditions, that is the deposit of faith and that we take the means necessary to transmit them faithfully to all men for the salvation of their souls,\u201d the consecrating bishop\u2019s notary said in place of an actual mandate. \u201cFrom Vatican Council II up to the present day, the authorities in the Church have been animated by a spirit that is contrary to that of the faith and have been acting against holy tradition. They will no <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >longer endure sound doctrine<\/a>, turning their hearing away from the truth and turning toward fables.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All the clerics involved are now excommunicated from the Catholic Church. No paperwork was necessary. According to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vatican.va\/archive\/cod-iuris-canonici\/eng\/documents\/cic_lib6-cann1364-1399_en.html\">Catholic doctrine<\/a>, illicitly consecrating a bishop without the approval of Rome, or receiving such an illicit consecration, activates the automatic and immediate penalty upon one\u2019s soul.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">Newly consecrated Bishops, from left, Pascal Schreiber, Michael Goldade, Michel Poinsinet de Sivry and Marc Hanappier, wearing their miters and holding their pastoral staffs, stand at the end of their consecration ceremony in a tent set up outside the Society of St. Pius X seminary in Econe, Switzerland, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo\/Baz Ratner)<\/p>\n<p>&#8221; data-large-file=&#8221;https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2026\/07\/localimages\/AP26182452283347.jpg?w=696&#8243; &#8220;https:><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Newly consecrated Bishops, from left, Pascal Schreiber, Michael Goldade, Michel Poinsinet de Sivry, and Marc Hanappier, wearing their miters and holding their pastoral staffs, stand at the end of their consecration ceremony in a tent set up outside the Society of St. Pius X seminary in Econe, Switzerland, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo\/Baz Ratner)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is a remarkable collapse in relations between the Catholic Church and what used to be its preeminent internal critics. Now, these clerics have moved from the extreme fringe of the Church to a space unambiguously outside it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Society of St. Pius X is a traditionalist Catholic community that has, for decades, drifted in and out of communion with the greater Catholic Church. The priestly fraternity, named in honor of the anti-modernist Pope St. Pius X, was founded in 1970 by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre in response to liturgical reforms issued by the Second Vatican Council (also known as Vatican II).<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">SSPX priests only celebrate the \u201cTraditional Latin Mass,\u201d an all-Latin liturgy codified in 1570, and claim the \u201cNew Mass\u201d as formalized in Vatican II is inferior and insufficiently reverent. The group also laments a perceived drift within the Church toward the error of \u201cmodernism.\u201d SSPX leadership has always maintained that they are not schismatic, only committed to tradition and opposed to theological errors they claim have plagued the church since Vatican II. They acknowledge the papacy as legitimate but decline to bind themselves to its authority.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The society, finding itself in recent years without young bishops who will be able to validly shepherd the community after this generation of geriatric prelates dies off, first announced its intentions to consecrate four new bishops in February. The Holy See immediately issued an order to suspend the consecrations and invited<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vaticannews.va\/en\/vatican-city\/news\/2026-02\/holy-see-fernandez-sspx-theological-dialogue-ordinations.html\"> SSPX representatives<\/a> to participate in a discussion about their theological hang-ups.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Instead, SSPX leadership repeatedly pressed the Vatican for a personal meeting with Pope Leo. These requests were ignored. The society <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/fsspx.news\/en\/news\/open-letter-his-holiness-pope-leo-xiv-and-cardinals-holy-church-59815\">published an open letter<\/a> to the pontiff and his cardinals earlier this month with an attached \u201cProfession of Catholic Faith,\u201d which reaffirmed their disputes with the Holy See and their intention to consecrate.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Vatican was largely silent in the run-up to the ceremony, though <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pillarcatholic.com\/p\/cardinal-calls-for-vatican-commission\">stray comments<\/a> from <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ewtnnews.com\/vatican\/cardinal-zen-urges-sspx-to-trust-pope-leo\">cardinals<\/a> showed the impending schism was on their minds.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Leo, in an unexpected gesture, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vatican.va\/content\/leo-xiv\/en\/letters\/2026\/documents\/20260629-lettera-fraternita-sanpiox.html\">issued his own letter <\/a>to SSPX Superior General Fr. Davide Pagliarani on Tuesday, the day before the consecrations, urging him toward \u201cdialogue and understanding\u201d instead of schism.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFilled with Christian affection, I plead with you and ask you with all my heart: please turn back! I urge you to consider carefully the spiritual good of the faithful, because the schismatic act you are about to undertake would deprive them of the licit and, in some cases, even valid reception of the Sacraments, which they love and seek for their sanctification,\u201d the pontiff wrote.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">Faithful gather in front of a tent set up outside the Society of St. Pius X seminary during a consecration ceremony for four new bishops in Econe, Switzerland, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo\/Baz Ratner)<\/p>\n<p>&#8221; data-large-file=&#8221;https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2026\/07\/localimages\/AP26182455262702.jpg?w=696&#8243; &#8220;https:><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Faithful gather in front of a tent set up outside the Society of St. Pius X seminary during a consecration ceremony for four new bishops in Econe, Switzerland, on Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo\/Baz Ratner)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pagliarani <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/fsspx.news\/en\/news\/letter-superior-general-response-his-holiness-pope-leo-xiv-59914\">published a reply to <\/a>the pope the same day, stating that the consecrations would go on as planned but asking the Holy See to suspend the penalty and embrace SSPX as faithful Catholics in full communion.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFar be it from us to separate ourselves from the Roman Church. We desire, on the contrary, to serve her by means that are extraordinary, as one would assist a mother in distress who requires particular help, even if such help is not understood by everyone,\u201d the superior general wrote back. \u201cThe Holy See has shown itself capable of understanding very <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dr-birx-on-cdc-reform-the-way-you-rebuild-public-trust-is-to-be-transparent\/\" title=\"Dr. Birx On CDC Reform: ...The Way You Rebuild Public Tru... Is To Be Transparent\u2019\">complex situations<\/a> and of allowing time for discernment. May I therefore filially ask Your Holiness to take the time necessary for that discernment.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/in_focus\/4616627\/trump-big-tent-religious-appeal-creed-denomination\/\">TRUMP\u2019S BIG-TENT RELIGIOUS APPEAL DOESN\u2019T CARE ABOUT CREED OR DENOMINATION<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cardinal V\u00edctor Manuel Fernandez,\u00a0Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, offered a surprisingly gentle statement following the episcopal consecrations.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThey didn\u2019t consider useful the dialogue we\u2019ve proposed. But we hope in future, thanks to the action of the Holy Spirit, it\u2019ll be possible,\u201d the Vatican doctrinal chief <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/MLJHaynes\/status\/2072275584009244795\">told the <em>Catholic Herald<\/em><\/a>  on Wednesday. \u201cI\u2019m sure, but we\u2019ll need time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The SSPX does not seem to be particularly concerned about the idea that its actions have excommunicated its clerics, though a later statement on Wednesday said: \u201cThe Society sincerely regrets that, owing to exceptional circumstances, these consecrations had to be conferred without the authorization of the Holy Father.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The excommunication from society can only be lifted by the pope, who has not publicly commented on the situation since his letter on Tuesday was ignored.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>SSPX consecrates bishops without papal approval, defying Church<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3468,"featured_media":2622262,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26182452283347.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[33551,82054,82055,82052,82053],"class_list":["post-2622261","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-catholic-church","tag-illicit-consecration","tag-religious-schism","tag-sedevacantism","tag-sspx"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26182452283347.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2622261","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3468"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2622261"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2622261\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2622265,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2622261\/revisions\/2622265"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2622262"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2622261"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2622261"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2622261"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}