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Pope Leo calls on breakaway Catholic group to abandon bishop ordination ceremony
Pope Leo XIV sent a letter to the head of the Society of St. Pius X ahead of a planned unauthorized bishop ordination ceremony in Switzerland, calling for the ceremony to be abandoned and for a return to dialogue. The pope stated that the act would constitute an 'extremely grave sin' and carries the risk of automatic excommunication.
Pope Leo's Letter to the Schismatic Society
Pope Leo XIV, the spiritual leader of the Catholic world, made a last-minute appeal to the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX), which was preparing to hold an unauthorized bishop ordination ceremony in Econe, Switzerland, urging it to abandon the planned consecration act.
In a letter addressed to the society's leader, Father Davide Pagliarani, the pope stated that the ceremony would constitute an "extremely grave sin" and would push the bishops outside the Church's bond of communion.
'I Beg You, Come Back!'
Leo said in the letter, "I beg you from the bottom of my heart and ask with all my heart: Please come back!" The pope also stressed that the spiritual welfare of the faithful must be safeguarded, stating, "The schismatic act you are about to undertake will deprive them of the legitimate, and in some cases even valid, reception of the sacraments."
Threat of Automatic Excommunication
According to Church law, consecrating a bishop without papal approval is considered a schismatic act and carries the penalty of automatic excommunication for both the consecrated bishops and the bishop performing the ceremony. The Vatican excommunicated SSPX founder Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre and four bishops during a similar attempt in 1988, although those penalties were lifted in 2009.
The Society's Justification and Growth
The SSPX, for its part, claims to be in a "state of necessity," arguing that it has an obligation to provide bishops for its faithful. Rejecting the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, the society continues to be the largest traditionalist movement outside the official authority of the Catholic Church, with hundreds of priests and seminarians in dozens of countries.
First Major Test of Leo's Papacy
US-born Pope Leo XIV had, since the beginning of his papacy, prioritized mending internal Church divisions and engaging in dialogue with traditionalist Catholics who prefer the Latin rite. The ceremony in Econe is seen as the first major challenge to these efforts.
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