The Vatican excommunicates rebellious bishops for ordaining a priest without authorisation

The Vatican has excommunicated two bishops of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X (SSPX) in Switzerland, as well as four bishops they consecrated on Wednesday, for carrying out the episcopal ordinations without the approval of Pope Leo XIV, Vatican News has reported.

The Holy See declared the ceremony to be “an act of a schismatic nature.”

In a decree issued on July 2, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith said the SSPX bishops, Alfonso de Galarreta and Bernard Fellay, together with the newly consecrated bishops Pascal Schreiber, Michael Goldade, Michel Poinsinet de Sivry, and Marc Hanappier, incurred automatic excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See.

The Vatican warned Catholics that sacraments administered by SSPX clergy are illicit, while confessions and marriages celebrated by them are invalid.

The decree, signed by Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, followed the ordination of the four bishops on July 1 in Écône, Switzerland, despite repeated objections from Pope Leo XIV.

The Vatican said the consecrations were carried out “without pontifical mandate and against the will of the Supreme Pontiff,” constituting “an act of a schismatic nature” and violating canon law.

In an accompanying explanatory note, the Dicastery declared that clergy belonging to the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X are in schism and subject to excommunication. It also stated that lay faithful who formally adhere to the fraternity are to be excommunicated.

Despite the sanctions, the Holy See said “the Church, as a caring mother,” remains ready to welcome members of the fraternity who wish to return to full communion with the Catholic Church

The Vatican excommunicates rebellious bishops for ordaining a priest without authorisation