Lefebvrist bishops consecrated despite Pope Leo XIV's appeal, deepening schism

Rome – The Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) has consecrated four new bishops in defiance of Pope Leo XIV, prompting what Vatican officials describe as a schismatic act that carries automatic excommunication under canon law and marks a fresh rupture with the Catholic Church.

The consecration ceremony took place on Wednesday at the SSPX seminary in Écône, Switzerland, where more than 17,000 faithful gathered, according to organisers. Conducted in the traditional Latin rite, the ceremony saw Bishop Alfonso de Galarreta, assisted by Bishop Bernard Fellay, ordain four priests as bishops: Fr Pascal Schreiber of Switzerland, Fr Michael Goldade of the United States, Fr Michel Poinsinet de Sivry of France and Fr Marc Hanappier of France.

The move came despite a personal appeal from Pope Leo XIV, who had urged the traditionalist fraternity to abandon the planned consecrations.

In a letter dated June 29, the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, the Pontiff pleaded: "I beg you with all my heart, turn back. To tear the seamless garment of Christ is a sin of the utmost gravity."

He warned that such a schismatic act would deprive many faithful of the lawful, and in some cases even valid, reception of the sacraments.

The SSPX rejected the Pope's appeal, insisting that it had no intention of separating itself from the Roman Catholic Church. In a written response before the ceremony, the fraternity argued that it sought instead to preserve the Catholic faith and tradition.

During his homily at the consecration, SSPX Superior General Fr Davide Pagliarani defended the decision.

"We are accused of not loving the Pope and not respecting him," he said. "It is precisely because we love the Pope as the Vicar of Christ that we no longer wish to see the Pope humiliated or placed on the same level as false shepherds."

Pagliarani argued that the disagreement reflected fundamentally different visions of the Church.

"We speak the language of faith and tradition," he said. "Before us we find the language of inclusion, dialogue and accompaniment. We seek faith."

The consecrations echo the events of June 30, 1988, when Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre consecrated four bishops without the approval of Pope John Paul II. That act led to the automatic excommunication of Lefebvre, the co-consecrating bishop Antonio de Castro Mayer and the four newly ordained bishops, while Pope John Paul II formally described the move as a "schismatic act".

The Vatican has yet to issue its formal decree concerning Wednesday's consecrations, although officials have indicated that such a statement is expected shortly.

Speaking after the ceremony, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin described the development as "a great sorrow because such an act deeply wounds the unity of the Church".

"I hope that despite what has happened today, dialogue can resume and a solution can still be found," he said.

Parolin added that the rejection of the Second Vatican Council by the traditionalist movement remains one of the central obstacles to reconciliation, describing the council as "a milestone in the history of the Church that must be accepted."

The SSPX, founded by Archbishop Lefebvre in 1970, has remained in an irregular canonical position for decades, opposing several teachings and reforms introduced by the Second Vatican Council while maintaining that it wishes to remain faithful to the Catholic tradition.

The latest consecrations represent the most serious escalation in relations between the Vatican and the fraternity since the 1988 schism and are expected to further complicate efforts at reconciliation under Pope Leo XIV.

PS