The consequences of the Society of St Pius X carrying out episcopal ordinations (“consecrations”) without permission from the Pope were predictable in part, because in Canon Law this act carries an automatic penalty of excommunication for those directly involved. What was open to question was exactly if and how the Holy See would comment on the situation. This – or at least the first part of this – has now been revealed in a Decree and Explanatory Note from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF), which reiterates and amplifies the legal implications in very strict terms.
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Schism and excommunication: the fallout of the SSPX consecrations
The Vatican’s response to the Society of St Pius X’s latest episcopal consecrations marks a significant development in its canonical treatment of the Society and raises difficult pastoral questions about the path to reconciliation
Joseph Shaw
5 min read
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