A traditionalist group of Catholic priests in a decades-long rift with the Vatican said Monday it plans to consecrate new bishops on July 1, even without authorization from the Holy See, a move that would likely lead to automatic excommunication of all the bishops who take part.
The Priestly Society of Saint Pius X, or SSPX, exclusively celebrates the traditional Latin Mass and maintains doctrinal differences with certain teachings and reforms of the Second Vatican Council.
It has not consecrated new bishops since 1988, when its founder, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, consecrated four bishops without Rome's approval, according to EWTN News.
That move directly contravened canon law and led to the automatic excommunication of those bishops and Lefebvre.
Even though Pope Benedict XVI remitted the excommunications in 2009, the SSPX is viewed by the Vatican as existing in a state of "institutional irregularity" or "imperfect communion" with the Holy See, lacking a formal, recognized canonical structure, according to EWTN News.
Ongoing doctrinal disagreements are the stated reason no stable canonical structure has been granted.
The SSPX, which has more than 700 priests and about 600,000 followers worldwide, announced Monday that its superior general, Father Davide Pagliarani, requested an audience with Pope Leo XIV in August to present "in a filial manner" the situation of the SSPX, including its need for bishops.
The SSPX has only two serving bishops: Bishop Bernard Fellay, 67, a former superior general of the Society, and Bishop Alfonso de Galarreta, 69, according to EWTN News.
Bishop Richard Williamson was expelled in 2012 for persistent disobedience and open opposition to the society's superiors and their policy toward Rome. He died last year at 84.
Bishop Bernard Tissier de Mallerais died in 2024 at 79.
Consecrating new bishops would ensure that new priests can be ordained in the years ahead as the remaining two bishops approach retirement.
Popes Benedict XVI and Francis tried to regularize the SSPX gradually, with Benedict pursuing a dialogue that was halted in 2017, according to EWTN News.
Francis granted faculties for confessions and marriages while keeping doctrinal issues open.
"Excommunications are back on the menu, obviously because it's automatic," Joseph Bevan, a senior SSPX layman and author of the 2025 book "Traddy Daddy — Memories and Thoughts of the Father of a Catholic Family," told EWTN News.
He said he believes such a development was "inevitable," adding that discussions have been ongoing since last summer but with no progress.
"Who can blame them? Rome is dragging its feet and being obstructive," he said.
A Rome canonist speaking on background to EWTN News held out hope that as the consecrations have not yet happened, a solution could be found and Monday's announcement could press both parties toward a resolution.
Newsmax reached out to the Vatican for comment.
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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