Thursday | 2nd July 2026
Rome — The Vatican announced on Thursday that priests and members of a breakaway Catholic movement that proceeded with the unauthorized ordination of four new bishops have officially entered into schism and incurred the penalty of excommunication. The move marks one of the strongest disciplinary actions the Holy See can impose and underscores the seriousness with which it views the group’s continued defiance of papal authority.
The action follows a decision by the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX), an ultra-traditionalist Catholic group, to ordain four bishops on Wednesday without the approval of Pope Leo XIV. The ordinations took place despite repeated appeals from the pope urging the group to abandon its plans and remain in full communion with the Catholic Church.
According to the Vatican, the ordinations were carried out in direct violation of canon law, which requires explicit papal authorization for the consecration of bishops. By proceeding without that approval, the society was deemed to have committed a grave act against the unity and hierarchical structure of the Church.
In response, the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a formal decree on Thursday declaring that the four newly ordained bishops have been excommunicated. The decree also extends the same penalty to the two bishops who participated in performing the episcopal ordinations.
Excommunication is the Church’s most severe canonical penalty. It excludes those affected from receiving the sacraments and participating fully in the sacramental life of the Catholic Church until the penalty is lifted through reconciliation with ecclesiastical authorities.
The Vatican accompanied the decree with an explanatory note clarifying that the consequences are not limited to the bishops directly involved in the ceremony. It stated that priests belonging to the Society of Saint Pius X, as well as lay faithful who “formally adhere” to the society, are likewise considered to be in a state of schism and are therefore also excommunicated.
The explanatory note emphasized that formally joining or maintaining allegiance to the society represents a rejection of communion with the Roman Pontiff and the Catholic Church. As a result, those who deliberately and publicly align themselves with the group are considered to have separated themselves from the Church’s legitimate authority.
The decree also contains a warning addressed to all Catholic clergy and lay faithful, urging them not to formally associate with or follow the Society of Saint Pius X. The Vatican cautioned that anyone who knowingly and formally adheres to the group will automatically incur the penalty of excommunication under the provisions of canon law.
The announcement reflects the Vatican’s determination to safeguard ecclesial unity and reinforce the principle that the appointment and ordination of bishops must remain subject to papal authority. By issuing both the decree and its accompanying explanation, Church officials sought to make clear the canonical consequences of participating in or supporting actions that they say undermine the unity of the Catholic Church.