01/07/2026 16:11 - Internacionales
Pope Leo XIV faces his first significant challenge just after assuming his role as leader of the Catholic Church. The Society of Saint Pius X (FSSPX), a traditionalist Catholic group that broke away from Rome, has announced its intention to ordain four bishops without papal approval on July 1, 2026, at their seminary in Écône, Switzerland.
This decision represents a direct challenge to papal authority and could trigger a formal schism in the Catholic Church. The Vatican has already warned that such an action would constitute a schismatic act carrying automatic excommunication for all participants.
The FSSPX was founded in 1970 by French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, who rejected the reforms of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965). These reforms included allowing Mass in local languages instead of Latin, ecumenical dialogue, and religious freedom.
In 1988, Lefebvre consecrated four bishops without papal authorization, resulting in the excommunication of everyone involved. Pope Benedict XVI lifted these excommunications in 2009 as a gesture of reconciliation.
The Superior General of the FSSPX, Don Davide Pagliarani, responded to the Pope with a letter dated June 30, 2026, requesting understanding and time for discernment. In the document, he argues that the fraternity is not schismatic and that their intention is to serve the Church.
Cardinal Blase Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago, warned about the danger of creating a parallel structure within Catholicism, which would further fragment Church unity.
A schism is the formal separation from communion with the Pope. According to the Code of Canon Law, anyone who consecrates bishops without papal mandate incurs automatic excommunication (latae sententiae). This penalty affects both the consecrator and those consecrated.
The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), also known as Vatican II, introduced profound changes in Catholic liturgy, including celebrating Mass in vernacular languages instead of Latin, reforming the liturgical calendar, and greater openness to ecumenical dialogue with other Christian denominations.
The FSSPX considers these reforms a rupture with tradition, while the Vatican maintains they represent a legitimate renewal within the continuity of the Church. This theological disagreement remains at the heart of the current tension.
Sources: Information based on verified knowledge as of June 30, 2026, regarding the crisis between Pope Leo XIV and the Society of Saint Pius X. Infobae (Spanish source)
Alfredo S. Quiroga
