The Vatican has excommunicated senior leaders of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X (SSPX) after the group proceeded with the episcopal consecration of four priests without papal approval, declaring the act schismatic and warning Catholics against joining or supporting the movement.
In a decree issued on July 2, 2026, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith said SSPX Superior General Bishop Alfonso de Galarreta incurred an automatic (latae sententiae) excommunication after consecrating four priests as bishops without a pontifical mandate and against the will of the Pope.
The decree states that the newly consecrated bishops — Pascal Schreiber, Michael Goldade, Michel Poinsinet de Sivry, and Marc Hanappier — have also incurred automatic excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See.
“The Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X once again separates itself from Rome through illicit episcopal consecrations carried out against the Pope’s will, despite the generous efforts of Pope Saints Paul VI and John Paul II, the decision by Pope Benedict XVI to lift the excommunication, and the faculties granted by Pope Francis,” read part of the decree.
Vatican Issues New Decree Against Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X Leaders
Further, the Vatican declared that Bishop Bernard Fellay, who participated as a co-consecrator in the ceremony, has likewise incurred the same penalty after publicly adhering to what the Holy See described as a schismatic act.
According to the decree, the penalties were imposed under Canons 1387 and 1364 §1 of the 2021 Code of Canon Law, which govern unlawful episcopal consecrations and schism.
The Dicastery also issued a warning to clergy and lay Catholics, urging them not to adhere to the schism of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X, cautioning that those who do so could incur the same automatic excommunication.
The SSPX, founded in 1970 by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, has had a long and complex relationship with the Vatican over its rejection of several reforms introduced by the Second Vatican Council.
While previous popes sought reconciliation with the fraternity, the latest decree marks a significant escalation following the unauthorized episcopal consecrations.
Also Read: Pope Leo XIV Appoints New Bishop for Kitui Diocese
About the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X (SSPX)
The Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X (SSPX) is a traditionalist Catholic priestly society founded in 1970 by French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre.
Established with the approval of the Bishop of Fribourg, Switzerland, the fraternity initially sought to preserve traditional Catholic teaching and the pre-Vatican II liturgy.
Relations with the Vatican deteriorated after the Second Vatican Council, as Lefebvre increasingly opposed several of the council’s reforms, particularly changes to the liturgy, ecumenism and religious liberty.
Also Read: Pope Leo Appoints Simon Peter Kamomoe as Bishop of Wote Diocese
Although he signed key Vatican II documents, he later denounced many of the reforms, arguing they departed from Catholic tradition.
The Holy See withdrew recognition of the fraternity but continued to pursue dialogue with Lefebvre in an effort to preserve unity within the Church.
The relationship reached a breaking point in 1988 when Lefebvre consecrated four bishops without the approval of Pope John Paul II.
The Vatican declared the act schismatic and imposed automatic excommunication on those directly involved, while continuing to seek reconciliation with the fraternity in subsequent years.
Despite decades of talks under successive pontificates, the SSPX has remained in an irregular canonical status. Its priests have generally lacked full authorization to exercise ministry in the Catholic Church, although some faculties were granted on a limited basis by later popes as part of ongoing reconciliation efforts.
Follow our WhatsApp Channel and X Account for real-time news updates.
