The Society of Saint Pius X announces new ordinations of bishops, without the agreement of the Vatican

The decision had been brewing for several months, but it nonetheless had the effect of a bolt from the blue. Monday February 2, on the occasion of the Day of Consecrated Life, the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X (FSSPX) announced that it would carry out new episcopal ordinations on July 1. In other words, the community founded in November 1970 by Mgr Marcel Lefebvre in order to break with the reforms carried out by the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) decided to provide itself with new bishops, without a mandate from the Holy See. She therefore signs in her break with Rome.

In its press release, the FSSPX is careful to present its decision in a favorable light. It thus follows a meeting last August between his superior general, Father Davide Pagliarani, with Leo XIV to “filially explain to him the present situation”. This meeting, deplore the Lefebvrists, would not have had the expected results since a letter from the Vatican recently reached the superiors of the community which “absolutely does not respond to (their) requests”.

Rome’s opening gestures

It is by arguing “the objective state of grave necessity in which souls find themselves” that the community justifies its decision to proceed with episcopal ordinations without a pontifical mandate. This is not the first time that such an orientation has been taken, since already in 1988, four bishops were ordained without the authorization of Pope John Paul II. In accordance with the code of canon law, the sanction was immediate: the excommunication of consecrating and consecrated bishops.

Father Pagliarani’s decision therefore firmly commits the SSPX to the schismatic path and brings a brutal halt to the policy of rapprochement desired by Rome. For around fifteen years, the Vatican has nevertheless increased its gestures of appeasement towards the fundamentalist community, in particular with the lifting of excommunications by Benedict XVI in 2009. The German Pope had also launched a theological dialogue with the community, hoping for an agreement. The arrival of Pope Francis to the pontificate in 2013 did not slow down this Roman attitude. Even though he had little suspicion of any particular sympathy for those who rejected the Second Vatican Council, the Argentine pope continued this policy of openness, recognizing in particular these priests’ power to confess and facilitating the celebration of fundamentalist marriages in Catholic churches. The theological discussion, on the other hand, had ended without success.

At the crossroads

Nearly forty years after the ordinations of 1988, the SSPX is in reality at a crossroads. The accidental death at the end of 2024 of one of the four illegitimately ordained bishops – Mgr Bernard Tissier de Mallerais – highlighted the need of the community to make a choice to ensure its sustainability: either find a path to reconciliation with Rome, or proceed again with episcopal ordinations to have bishops, essential for certain sacraments.

It is therefore the second option which was favored, further removing than ever the possibility of a return of the SSPX to full communion with the Apostolic See. This decision, by reinforcing the schismatic character of the Lefebvrists, could spark internal movements, notably in the camp of those – often associated with the former superior Mgr Bernard Fellay – who seemed more favorable to a return to unity.

For the moment, the Vatican has not reacted to the announcement of these ordinations.