Bishop Philip Egan gives his verdict on whether SSPX Mass fulfils Sunday obligation

Bishop Philip Egan, Bishop of the Diocese of Portsmouth, has warned that Catholics cannot ordinarily fulfil their Sunday obligation by attending Mass celebrated by priests of the SSPX, appearing to pre-empt a possible schism on July 1.

In comments given to the Catholic Herald, Bishop Egan first addressed the broader question of the Society’s relationship with the Church: “Schism is a great sadness for the Church,” he said. “Recent popes have gone a long way to reach out to members of the Society of St Pius X. Let us pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit that the bonds of communion might be healed, strengthened and restored.”