Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández has told the Catholic Herald that he is confident dialogue with the Society of Saint Pius X will “be possible” in the future, even though “we’ll need time”.

The Argentine cardinal-prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith has been the point man for the Holy See’s dialogue with the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) since the 2 February announcement of today’s episcopal consecrations. But Fernández’s dialogue with the Society was short-lived after the SSPX announced on 19 February that the two sides could not find common theological ground.

Writing to this correspondent as the Society’s episcopal consecrations took place on the morning of 1 July, Fernández expressed his hope that dialogue would indeed be possible between the two parties.

“They didn’t consider useful the dialogue we’ve proposed,” he said of the SSPX. “But we hope in future, thanks to the action of the Holy Spirit, it’ll be possible. I’m sure, but we’ll need time.”

Fernández’s statement is notable because it suggests the tone of the Holy See’s possible response to the consecrations.

Already on 13 May, he had informed the Society that the planned consecrations would “constitute ‘a schismatic act’ and ‘formal adherence to the schism constitutes a grave offence against God and entails the excommunication established under Church law’”.

Should the Vatican follow the pattern of its response to the 1988 consecrations, this penalty would be limited to the bishops carrying out the consecrations and those receiving episcopal ordination, under Canon 1387 of the 1983 Code. (The Society has long argued that the penalty under Canon 1387 and the latae sententiae excommunication do not apply; cf Canon 1323.)

But if Fernández hopes to bring the Society back to the discussion table, he can hardly expect to do so by imposing wider penalties across the SSPX.

To the cardinal’s response must also be added the personal appeal made by Pope Leo on Tuesday, the eve of the consecrations. While urging the Society not to proceed, Leo praised the SSPX’s adherence to and esteem for the Church’s tradition, saying:

“The Church recognizes the devotion to liturgical life, commitment to priestly formation, apostolic zeal and desire for fidelity to Tradition that characterize many people and communities connected to your Fraternity.”

The Pope added: “The Church is open to a path of dialogue and understanding that the Holy Spirit can make possible and fruitful.”

Despite numerous attempts to reach him, Leo remained personally silent when contacted by the Society and did not grant an audience.

In recent days, however, he was firmly reminded of the issue. During the weekend’s consistory, Cardinal Gerhard Müller raised the matter when he urged the consistory and the Pope to respond to the open letter the Society had sent to the College of Cardinals the previous week.

Then on Sunday, Cardinal Raymond Burke – one of the Vatican’s foremost canon lawyers – gave an interview to this correspondent for Per Mariam, in which he urged the Holy See to appoint three cardinals to meet with the Society and engage in fruitful dialogue.

By writing personally and affirming that the Church is “open to a path of dialogue”, Leo may have realised, albeit late, that the Holy See’s dialogue with the SSPX had been hampered from the outset because the Vatican’s representative was himself the author of many of the doctrinal positions that had prompted the Society’s concerns.

What form the Holy See’s response to Wednesday’s consecrations will take remains to be seen. The Holy See Press Office has not confirmed anything, but there is an informed understanding among the Vatican press corps that a response is expected in the coming days, possibly even on Thursday, as happened in 1988 when the Vatican issued its declaration concerning Archbishop Lefebvre the day after the consecrations.

Indeed, while affirming an openness to “dialogue”, Leo’s letter also contained a firm warning that, should the consecrations take place, the SSPX would “tear the seamless garment of Christ”, which “is a sin of extreme gravity”.

Following the consecration ceremony, the SSPX’s newsroom issued a statement noting the Society’s regret that “owing to exceptional circumstances, these consecrations had to be conferred without the authorization of the Holy Father.”

The Society also expressed its regret that “the Superior General of the Society was not afforded the opportunity to meet personally with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, in order to set before him filially the grave reasons which rendered this ceremony necessary.”

Penalties imposed by the Vatican are not unexpected by the SSPX. In his homily for the consecration Mass, Superior General Fr Davide Pagliarani noted that “more than 30 years ago he [Archbishop Lefebvre] was condemned: should we look for anything else? Should we weaken?”

For now, the Catholic world watches and waits for Rome to respond.

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Michael Haynes is an English journalist in the Holy See Press Corps. He serves as Vatican Correspondent for the Catholic Herald, while readers can follow him at Per Mariam and on X/Twitter @MLJHaynes.