The ultratraditionalist Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) has defied Pope Leo XIV by consecrating four bishops without his consent at their seminary in Econe, Switzerland. This move results in automatic excommunication for the bishops involved and is considered a ‘schismatic act,’ causing a willful break in unity within the Catholic Church.
During the ceremony, held on Wednesday, the ancient Latin Mass was celebrated before thousands of followers. This event marks the first significant crisis for Pope Leo, who has prioritized church unity and aimed to heal tensions with traditionalists exacerbated during Pope Francis’s pontificate.
A Group Formed in Dissent
The SSPX was founded in opposition to the reforms of the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s. These church meetings transformed the Catholic Church’s relationships with other Christians, Jews, and those of other faiths and allowed Mass to be conducted in languages other than Latin.
In 1975, the SSPX founder, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, faced suspension, and the Vatican suppressed the society. In 1988, Lefebvre further defied the Vatican by consecrating four bishops without papal approval, resulting in immediate excommunication for all involved. The group remains without legal status in the church.
Despite this schismatic act, the SSPX has grown and now poses a threat to the Holy See. They represent an ultra-Catholic, pre-Vatican II version of the church. The SSPX includes two bishops, 751 priests, 264 seminarians across five seminaries, 145 religious brothers, 88 oblates, and 250 religious sisters from 50 nationalities based on their statistics.
The Impact of Automatic Excommunication
According to church canon law, consecrating a bishop without the pope’s consent leads to automatic excommunication for the individuals conducting and receiving the consecration. The Vatican does not need to declare these excommunications publicly; they occur automatically.
Excommunication is the most severe penalty under canon law. It is considered ‘medicinal,’ meant to instruct the recipients to acknowledge their wrongdoing and seek repentance, explains Rev. Robert Gahl from the Catholic University of America. The excommunication does not, however, affect the validity of the consecration; SSPX bishops are validly but illicitly ordained.
Pope Leo might extend the excommunications to others attending the event, yet it is unlikely.
Concessions and Crises Under Previous Pontiffs
Pope Francis, despite his general distrust of traditionalists, offered the SSPX concessions. In 2015, he allowed Catholics to validly confess to SSPX priests, recognizing the absolutions given. Initially, this was a one-year gesture within the Jubilee of Mercy, but he extended it indefinitely. He also permitted SSPX priests to conduct marriages legitimately.
Pope Benedict XVI previously worked to reconcile the SSPX. As part of his efforts, he made significant concessions: in 2007, he relaxed restrictions on the traditional Latin Mass, and in 2009, he lifted excommunications on the SSPX bishops. However, this became problematic due to revelations about Bishop Richard Williamson’s Holocaust-denial, which Benedict later admitted could have been uncovered with a basic internet search. Williamson was expelled from SSPX in 2012 for insubordination and passed away in 2025.
Pope Leo’s Efforts for Unity
Although representing a fringe group not in communion with Rome, the SSPX’s actions have drawn attention amid Pope Leo’s broader initiative to maintain church unity. While allowing a prominent American cardinal to celebrate an old Latin Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica last year, Leo remains committed to addressing divisions and fostering harmony within the Catholic community.
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