The risk of divorce is imminent. On Wednesday July 1, the Society of Saint Pius X, which brings together traditionalist priests, ordained its own bishops without the agreement of Pope Leo XIV, during a ceremony organized in Econe, Switzerland. The Vatican had warned that this would be a direct act of insubordination, which would result in automatic excommunication of the bishops and would be considered a "schismatic act", that is to say a total break with the Catholic Church. Franceinfo explains the reasons and scope of this conflict.
A movement that rejects the reforms of Vatican II
Founded in 1970 in Econe by the French bishop Marcel Lefebvre, the Fraternity of Saint-Pie-X rejects entirely the developments in the Church since the Second Vatican Council. His work, between 1962 and 1965, led to reforms which profoundly transformed the Catholic institution with a view to modernizing it and bringing it closer to the faithful. The most emblematic development of this rupture is the establishment of the mass in the everyday language rather than in Latin.
But for the Society of Saint Pius X, these reforms represent an alteration of tradition. Its followers are committed to a strict interpretation of Catholic doctrine and liturgy (the way rites and ceremonies are celebrated). She defends respect for the so-called "Tridentine" rite, codified in the 16th century, which is characterized in particular by the use of Latin during mass and a celebration where the priest faces the altar and turns his back on the faithful. It also involves prayers said in a low voice, more ritual gestures and, often, the wearing of the veil or mantilla for women. The Fraternity also defends a traditionally patriarchal model of society and also rejects the orientations of the Church "in matters of interreligious dialogue, respect for freedom of conscience and more generally in relation to the modern world", details the Catholic magazine Le Pèlerin.
“We are convinced that tradition contains all the remedies for the deepest ills from which the Church and the world suffer,” write the leaders of the Society of Saint Pius X in an open letter to the pope published at the end of June. Influential in conservative circles, this community today boasts 730 priests and more than 260 seminarians, and a presence in nearly 80 countries. It "is well established in France, Switzerland, the United States..." and has around 600,000 followers, Martin Dumont, secretary general of the Research Institute for the Study of Religions, explains to AFP. But it remains a minority compared to the 1.3 billion Catholics around the world.
A conflict to obtain new bishops
The Fraternity therefore consecrated four new bishops on Wednesday, two French, one American and one Swiss. She had argued that until now it only had two bishops, "one having died in 2024, another having himself seceded, not judging the Fraternity radical enough", details Le Pèlerin. According to the community, the loss of these prelates limits its ability to ensure its growth.
She claims to have asked the Pope for authorization to carry out new ordinations, without obtaining a satisfactory answer. However, the Catholic Church does not allow a bishop to ordain new bishops without having received the mandate from the Pope.
According to Martin Dumont, there are also internal differences between radical faithful and other supporters of greater dialogue with the Vatican. Faced with a new pope whose leaders of the Society may disapprove of certain decisions, “it is very clear that they are establishing a balance of power,” he adds.
In 1988, a precedent and an excommunication
Such conflict has precedent. In 1988, the founder of the Fraternity, Marcel Lefèbvre, had already decided to ordain four bishops to ensure his succession. Pope John Paul II had launched an appeal to dissuade him, in vain, and this ordination then resulted in immediate excommunication. But the decision was annulled in 2009 by Pope Benedict XVI, and his successor Francis restored, from 2015, the validity of confessions and marriages celebrated by priests of the Society.
Leo But now reconciliation seems more and more complicated. “Currently, we really have the impression that we no longer get along. What we say is no longer understood in Rome,” said Bernard Fellay, one of the last two bishops of the Fraternity, in front of the faithful.
No concession from Pope Leo XIV
The Vatican, for its part, tried to avoid a rupture. “I beg you from the bottom of my heart: reconsider your decision!”, wrote Leo XIV in a letter addressed to the superior general of the Society of Saint Pius X, dated June 29 and made public Tuesday by the Vatican. “May the Lord enlighten your consciences and awaken your hearts. By the authority received from Christ, with a heavy heart but full of hope, I feel obliged to ask you to renounce your project,” he continued.
“I pray for you, because to tear the seamless tunic of Christ is an extremely serious sin.”
Pope Leo XIV
in a letter to the superior of the Society of Saint Pius
The American pope asked the community to "take into consideration the spiritual well-being of the faithful", stressing that in the event of a schism, the sacraments (such as marriage or confession) administered by bishops would again no longer be recognized by the Catholic Church.
For the Vatican, consecrating a bishop without the agreement of the Pope is a direct act of insubordination, which results in automatic excommunication of bishops (consecrated and consecrating) and characterizes a "schismatic act". Authorizing these ordinations would amount to the Holy See accepting the rejection within the Church of certain teachings considered essential.
Can excommunication be broader? “It’s complicated, because they put Pope Leo at odds, who is concerned not to make things worse, to heal the wounds... But he is also obliged to take action,” underlines Martin Dumont. The historian also recalls that the Fraternity risks "cutting itself off from potential relays in the Church", even though "bridges were beginning to be built".
