The Superior General of the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) has issued a pastoral letter encouraging the Society’s faithful to remain steadfast after the Vatican declared several of its bishops excommunicated following episcopal consecrations performed without papal approval.
According to LifeSiteNews, SSPX Superior General Father Davide Pagliarani addressed the letter “to all the faithful” after the July 1 episcopal consecrations at Écône, Switzerland, describing the event as one carried out for the preservation of the Catholic faith and the salvation of souls despite the canonical penalties imposed by the Holy See.
The letter follows a July 2 decree from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF), which declared that the four newly consecrated bishops incurred automatic excommunication for receiving episcopal consecration “without a papal mandate” and for what the decree described as an act of schism performed “against the will of the Supreme Pontiff.”
According to LifeSiteNews, Bishop Alfonso de Galarreta, who performed the consecrations, also incurred the same penalties, while Bishop Bernard Fellay received a censure for his participation as co-consecrator.
LifeSiteNews also reported that an accompanying note from the DDF stated that priests of the Society and lay faithful who “adhere to the schism” likewise incur excommunication. The note further indicated that sacramental confessions and marriages celebrated by SSPX priests would no longer be valid, although the publication noted that some canonists have questioned whether the faculties previously granted by Pope Francis could be revoked without an explicit legislative act.
In his message, Father Pagliarani acknowledged what he described as the pain caused by the Vatican’s actions, writing that the sanctions represent “an immense humiliation for people who have no other aim than to defend the true Faith and to work for the salvation of souls.”
He emphasized that the Society’s actions were motivated by concern for the faithful, writing, “A single soul possesses infinite value.” He continued, “If such a humiliation is the price that must be paid to secure the teaching of the true Faith and the administration of the true sacraments, then it is worth it, because a soul has no price.”
Reflecting on the consecration ceremony, Father Pagliarani recalled a powerful thunderstorm that interrupted the outdoor liturgy. Quoting Psalm 17, he described the weather as a symbolic reminder of the challenges facing the Church while praising the thousands who remained in prayer throughout the storm.
“You cannot imagine the consolation that was mine at that moment,” he wrote after witnessing elderly faithful, young families, and pilgrims remain at prayer despite the severe weather. He described them as “faithful animated by an unshakeable faith that nothing could trouble; souls for whom the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is truly the centre of their lives.”
Father Pagliarani also argued that the Vatican’s sanctions ultimately target more than the Society itself. “Ultimately, it is Tradition itself, which we cherish above all else, that is excommunicated in all those who embody it,” he wrote. He added, “It is evident that, before God, such a condemnation cannot be valid, for it would condemn what lies at the very heart of the life of the Church.”
Looking beyond the immediate controversy, the Superior General encouraged Catholics associated with the Society to remain faithful amid ongoing ecclesial tensions. Using the image of a baptismal candle, he urged the faithful to preserve the gift of faith regardless of external circumstances.
“If the outward brightness of the official profession of Faith should disappear,” he wrote, “the little candle that each of you received on the day of your baptism must remain lit in your heart and mind until your last day.”
According to LifeSiteNews, the SSPX announced on July 13 that it had submitted a preliminary appeal to the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, beginning the first stage of a hierarchical recourse against the Vatican’s decree.
Your support brings the truth to the world.
Catholic Online News exists because of donors like you. We are 100% funded by people who believe the world deserves real, uncensored news rooted in faith and truth — not corporate agendas. Your gift ensures millions can continue to access the news they can trust — stories that defend life, faith, family, and freedom.
When truth is silenced, your support speaks louder.
