What to know about the breakaway traditionalist Catholics defying Pope Leo XIV
Summary
The traditionalist Catholic group Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) plans to consecrate four new bishops without approval from Pope Leo XIV. This act causes automatic excommunication and deepens a longstanding division within the Catholic Church.Key Facts
- The SSPX opposes changes made by the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s, including celebrating Mass in local languages instead of Latin.
- In 1988, the SSPX’s founder consecrated bishops without papal consent, leading to excommunications and the group being without official church status.
- The SSPX is growing and today includes over 700 priests and hundreds of seminarians and religious members worldwide.
- Consecrating bishops without the Pope’s approval leads to automatic excommunication under Catholic Church law.
- Excommunication is the Church’s strongest penalty, intended to encourage repentance and reconciliation.
- Despite excommunication, SSPX bishops remain validly ordained but their ordinations are considered illicit (not officially allowed).
- Pope Leo XIV has prioritized unity in the Church and faces his first major challenge from the SSPX’s defiance.
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