On July 1, 2026, the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) consecrated four bishops against the express urging and warnings of Pope Leo. The next day, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith decreed that the bishops involved had incurred automatic (latae sententiae) excommunication for committing a schismatic act. Schism is “the refusal of submission to the Roman Pontiff [the pope] or of communion with the members of the Church subject to him” (CCC 2089), and is a sin against the First Commandment.

The Holy See continued that “Clerics and lay faithful are warned not to adhere to the schism of the Priestly Society of Saint Pius X, because they would ipso facto incur the penalty of latae sententiae excommunication.” The Vatican has called all involved to repentance and reconciliation with the Church: the explanatory note accompanying the decree explains that “the Church, as a caring mother, will welcome with sincere affection and lively solicitude all those who wish to return to full communion.”

The Intent of Excommunication
Some people think that if someone has been excommunicated, it means the Church has given up on them and they are condemned to Hell. But the full picture is far more hopeful. Certainly, someone who has been excommunicated has seriously jeopardized their eternal salvation. But excommunication (ex, or out of, and communio or communion or fellowship) is a medicinal penalty. Like a doctor prescribing a difficult treatment to save a patient’s life, the Church intends excommunication to help someone recognize the seriousness of their actions, repent, and, it is hoped, return to full communion with God and His Church.

When a baptized person is excommunicated, he or she remains deeply loved by Jesus and the Church. The person may not receive the Sacraments or exercise certain roles in the Church (such as Godparent or Confirmation sponsor) until the situation is resolved. Excommunicated priests and bishops are barred from performing ecclesiastical acts, such as officiating the Sacraments (though, in the danger of death, any priest may absolve a person of their sins). Ultimately, the sins incurring excommunication may be absolved by the pope, the local bishop, or priests authorized by them. The goal of excommunication is always to encourage the person to return to the loving embrace of Holy Mother Church in faithful discipleship.

The Society of St. Pius X (SSPX)
The history of the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) is also sometimes misunderstood. It was originally recognized by the Church as a “pious union” (a term for organizations approved by Church authority) when it was founded by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre in 1970. Lefebvre believed the Second Vatican Council’s reforms departed from earlier Church teaching and diminished the sacrificial character of the Mass. The SSPX set out to form priests according to traditional Catholic teaching and the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM). Lefebvre’s outspoken criticisms put him at odds with some in the Catholic hierarchy and, in 1975, the pious union status of SSPX was revoked by the Church. In 1976, Lefebvre’s faculties as a priest were suspended after he ordained priests despite being forbidden to do so by Pope Paul VI. He continued to defy restrictions and ignore formal warnings and penalties from the Holy See — and the pope directly — and continued ordaining priests. This meant the SSPX was operating outside of Church regulations (i.e, in what was termed an “irregular” situation). Then in 1988, even after a personal appeal from Pope John Paul II, Lefebvre consecrated four bishops. The pope declared that action to be schismatic, as he had warned, and excommunicated Archbishop Lefebvre, the four newly consecrated bishops, and another bishop who had assisted.

Two decades later in 2009, Pope Benedict XVI made moves towards reconciliation. He made clear that the TLM had never been abrogated and could be offered more widely; he also lifted the excommunications of the four surviving SSPX bishops. (This remission seemed to imply that the SSPX was no longer in schism, since schism carries an automatic excommunication.) Benedict’s successor Pope Francis continued efforts towards reconciliation with the SSPX when he granted the Society’s priests faculties to hear confessions and celebrate marriages.

Over time the dialogue between the SSPX and the Vatican broke down, and as of 2026 only two SSPX bishops remained.

Activity
A. Go over the information above in a mini-lecture, or have your students read the background essay independently.

B. Discuss questions 1–7 as a class.

C. Give students time in class to read from their Bibles and respond to question 8 or assign it for homework. Note: You may also wish to have half the class read the first two suggested parables, and the other half the 2^nd two parables, and then discuss their findings as a large group.

Discussion Questions

1. What does the word communion mean? What does excommunication mean?
2. Why do you think Jesus gave the apostles, and especially St. Peter, the roles that He did in leading the Church?
3. Why do you think the Catholic Church requires a bishop to receive the Pope’s permission before consecrating another bishop?
4. Excommunication is meant to help bring someone back into communion. Why do you think the Church uses a penalty that is intended to heal rather than simply punish?
5. If you were explaining this event to a non-Catholic friend, how would you describe the difference between excommunication and being “kicked out of the Church”?
6. Why do you think the Holy See has repeatedly sought reconciliation with the SSPX, even after serious acts of disobedience?
7. Have you ever experienced a broken friendship that was later restored? What helped bring about reconciliation?
8. How can parables from the Gospels help us understand the Church’s efforts at reconciliation with the SSPX? Read the prompt below and write a reflection in response.
   
   Jesus gave numerous warnings about the consequences of rejecting God, making it clear that not everyone will be welcomed into the Kingdom of Heaven. And yet, He also told many parables about God’s desire to restore relationships. How do Jesus’ parables reveal both God’s desire to reconcile sinners and the importance of responding to His invitation? You may consider in your response

• The Parable of the Lost Sheep (Luke 15:3–7)
• The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11–32)
• The Parable of the Wedding Feast (Matthew 22)
• The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats and/or the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins (Matthew 25)

Extension Option
Research the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) What is the FSSP? How is this organization similar to the SSPX? How does it differ? Why is that difference so significant?