Guwahati | July 3, 2026
The Vatican has formally declared that six bishops of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X (SSPX) have incurred automatic (latae sententiae) excommunication after participating in the episcopal ordination of four bishops without papal approval in Écône, Switzerland, on July 1.
The decree, issued on July 2 by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF), states that the ordinations constituted a schismatic act because they were carried out without the papal mandate and against the explicit will of Pope Leo XIV, in violation of the Code of Canon Law.
The decree was signed by Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, along with Msgr. Armando Matteo, Secretary of the Doctrinal Section, and Archbishop John J. Kennedy, Secretary of the Disciplinary Section.
Six Bishops Declared Excommunicated
The Vatican named the following bishops as having incurred automatic excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See:
- Bishop Alfonso de Galarreta, principal consecrator
- Bishop Bernard Fellay, co-consecrator
- Bishop Pascal Schreiber
- Bishop Michael Goldade
- Bishop Michel Poinsinet de Sivry
- Bishop Marc Hanappier
According to the decree, Bishop Bernard Fellay incurred excommunication through his direct participation in the liturgical celebration and his public adherence to the schismatic act.
Warning to Clergy and Faithful
In a significant development, the Vatican also warned priests, religious, and lay faithful associated with the SSPX not to formally adhere to the schism.
The accompanying explanatory note states that SSPX clergy who freely continue their ministry within the schismatic movement are to be regarded as schismatics and are therefore subject to excommunication.
Regarding the laity, the Vatican explained that those who formally adhere to the SSPX by embracing its rejection of ecclesial communion and obedience to the Roman Pontiff may likewise incur automatic excommunication, in accordance with a 1996 explanatory note of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts.
Sacramental Concerns
The DDF further stated that ministers belonging to the SSPX administer the sacraments unlawfully. It also asserted that confessions and marriages celebrated by SSPX clergy are invalid, a point expected to generate canonical discussion because Pope Francis had previously granted SSPX priests faculties for valid confession and marriage during and after the Jubilee of Mercy.
A Call to Return to Full Communion
While taking a firm canonical position, the Vatican emphasized that the Church remains open to reconciliation.
The explanatory note assures members of the SSPX that the Church "will welcome with sincere affection and deep concern all those who desire to return to full communion." It also states that papal nuncios will assist bishops in establishing procedures to facilitate reconciliation.
The faithful are encouraged to remain united with the Roman Pontiff, their diocesan bishops in communion with him, and the universal Church, and are advised not to participate in liturgical celebrations or activities organized by the SSPX.
History
The SSPX was founded in 1970 by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. Tensions with the Holy See culminated in 1988 when Archbishop Lefebvre consecrated four bishops without papal approval, leading St. John Paul II to declare the act schismatic in his apostolic letter Ecclesia Dei.
Although subsequent pontificates sought dialogue and reconciliation with the SSPX, the unauthorized episcopal consecrations carried out on July 1, 2026, prompted the Vatican to reaffirm its canonical position and declare the participants excommunicated.
The Holy See reiterated that authentic ecclesial unity is rooted in communion with the Successor of Peter and fidelity to the Church's teaching authority.
Source: Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith; Vatican statements; reporting based on America Magazine.