The Vatican has declared members of a breakaway conservative Catholic group excommunicated after they ordained bishops without papal approval, placing them in formal schism with the church.
In a decree issued Thursday by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican’s highest doctrinal authority, the Society of St Pius X was also barred from administering valid sacraments, including marriages and confession.
The decree followed Wednesday’s consecration of four new bishops in Switzerland, which came days after the group defied a direct appeal from Pope Leo XIV not to proceed with the ordinations.
The Catholic Church holds that only the pope may authorize bishop consecrations to preserve apostolic continuity tracing back to Jesus Christ’s 12 disciples, whom the church regards as the original priests and bishops.
Thursday’s declaration specifically excommunicated the two bishops who led the unauthorized ordinations in Switzerland, along with the four priests who participated in the ceremony.
The Society of St Pius X did not immediately respond to the excommunications. On Wednesday, the group stated it felt compelled to proceed with the ordinations due to what it described as “exceptional circumstances.”
The ultraconservative organization has previously been sanctioned for rejecting core church teachings and has operated semi-independently from papal oversight for decades.
Also Read
- Barcelona Lists Kounde for Sale Amid Strong World Cup Performances
- Critical Update on Venezuelan Quake Survivor Rescue Effort
- Caller Earns $80,000 Annually But Dave Ramsey Says Sports Car Purchase Could Derail Wealth-Building
- GenAI.mil Surges to 1.7 Million Users, Announces Expansion to Higher Classification Levels and New Model Integrations
