VATICAN (SE): Bishop Alfonso de Galarreta and Bishop Bernard Fellay of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X [SSPX] have incurred “ipso facto” [by the fact itself] “latae sententiae” [automatic] excommunication, reserved to the Apostolic See, for performing an act of a schismatic nature: the episcopal consecration of four priests without a pontifical mandate and against the will of the Supreme Pontiff, Vatican News reported on July 2.
This was stated in a decree released on July 2 and signed by Víctor Manuel Cardinal Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, and countersigned by the two secretaries of the dicastery.
The decision came 24 hours after a ceremony in Écône, Switzerland, on the morning of July 1 in which Bishop Galarreta and Bishop Fellay illicitly consecrated Pascal Schreiber, Michael Goldade, Michel Poinsinet de Sivry, and Marc Hanappier as bishops.
The decree states that, by performing the consecration, both the consecrators and those consecrated incurred the prescribed excommunication.
This painful outcome was the consequence of the SSPX decision, taken against the wishes repeatedly expressed by Pope Leo XIV.
The note cautioned the faithful that sacraments administered by SSPX ministers are illicit, and that marriages witnessed by them are invalid
The excommunication once again separates the bishops and priests of the Fraternity of Saint Pius X from the Church of Rome.
Vatican News also reported that lay faithful who formally adhere to the fraternity are to be considered excommunicated.
An Explanatory Note explained that there have been many attempts to bring the SSPX back into full communion with the Church since the time of Pope St. Paul VI.
“This situation has been further aggravated by the recent episcopal consecrations celebrated without pontifical mandate, against the will of the Holy Father, and in open violation of canon law,” the note said.
“Therefore, this Dicastery, in the faithful exercise of the functions entrusted to it, considers it necessary to state that this act constituted the delict of schism, with the canonical consequences for the sacred ministers and lay faithful involved.”
The Explanatory Note cautioned that “sacred ministers belonging to the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X are in schism and must therefore be considered schismatics,” and that “those who formally adhere to the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X are to be considered schismatics and excommunicated under the conditions established in the 1996 Explanatory Note of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts.”
The note cautioned the faithful that sacraments administered by SSPX ministers are illicit, and that marriages witnessed by them are invalid.
Vatican News reported that the Explanatory Note as saying the Catholic Church “will welcome with sincere affection and lively solicitude all those who wish to return to full communion,” and that “all the faithful are urged to remain steadfast in communion with the Roman Pontiff, with the bishops in communion with him, and with the whole Church [cf. Lumen Gentium, 22; can. 751 CIC], and to refrain from taking part in celebrations and activities promoted by the aforementioned Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X.”
