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A major clash within the Catholic Church intensified Thursday as the Switzerland-based Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) confirmed its decision to ordain bishops without the approval of Pope Leo XIV.
This move comes despite a stern warning from the Vatican that such actions could result in a significant schism and the Society’s expulsion from the Church.
The SSPX, which boasts a following of approximately 600,000 members worldwide, rejected an offer for dialogue presented by the Vatican just days prior. Despite the Vatican’s plea for negotiation, the Society reaffirmed its plan to go ahead with the ordinations on July 1st, a date it refuses to delay. The decision places the Society in direct opposition to the Holy See, which has warned that any unauthorised ordinations would lead to automatic excommunication.
Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez, head of the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, met with SSPX’s superior general, Davide Pagliarani, in a bid to ease tensions. However, the Vatican’s warning that these actions could result in a “decisive break in ecclesial communion” seems to have fallen on deaf ears.
In response, Pagliarani emphasised the Society’s refusal to alter its course, citing the “concrete, short-term need for the survival of Tradition” as a justification for the decision.
Critics of the Vatican’s stance argue that the Pope’s efforts to impose modern reforms infringe on centuries-old traditions, including the continued use of Latin in the Church’s liturgies. This growing division threatens to reignite the longstanding struggle between the Vatican and traditionalist factions within the Catholic community.
