The SSPX named four priests to be consecrated as bishops without papal permission \u2014 despite a warning from the Vatican that the \u201cschismatic\u201d consecrations would incur excommunication.<\/p>\n
The Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) announced the names of four priests to be consecrated as bishops on July 1 without the permission of Pope Leo XIV. <\/p>\n
The general house of the society published the announcement on May 26 after being warned by the Vatican on May 13 that its plan to consecrate bishops without a papal mandate would constitute \u201ca schismatic act\u201d and carry the penalty of excommunication. The consecrations will take place at its seminary in \u00c9c\u00f4ne, Switzerland.<\/p>\n
The four priests announced are Fathers Pascal Schreiber (Switzerland), Michael Goldade (United States), Michel Poinsinet de Sivry (France), and Marc Hanappier (France).<\/p>\n
The statement from the SSPX general house declared that the decision to move on with the consecrations was made \u201cin a spirit of respect toward the supreme authority of the universal Church\u201d and would be \u201ca service rendered to souls and to the Church amid this unprecedented crisis of the faith.\u201d<\/p>\n
The SSPX, which exclusively celebrates the Traditional Latin Mass, maintains doctrinal differences with certain teachings and reforms of the Second Vatican Council, particularly regarding religious freedom and the Church\u2019s approach to other faiths.<\/p>\n
The decision to proceed with the consecrations without papal approval was confirmed in a Feb. 18 letter from SSPX superior general Father Davide Pagliarani, following talks with the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith that had broken down earlier that month.<\/p>\n
The Holy See Press Office did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.<\/p>\n
This article was originally published by EWTN News English.<\/p>\n