The ‘Society of Saint Pius X’—a breakaway, ultra-traditionalist Catholic group—has appointed (consecrated) four new bishops, ignoring the explicit prohibition and request of Pope Leo XIV. The consecration ceremony, involving the laying on of hands, took place on Wednesday at the group’s seminary nestled in the mountain valley of Ecône, Switzerland. Under established canon law, such an unauthorized, unilateral move could trigger automatic excommunication for all involved, creating a major formal schism with the mainstream Catholic Church in the Vatican.
Deutsche Welle reported this news. The group was formed in 1970 by French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre and Catholics opposed to the modernizing reforms of the Second Vatican Council (held in the 1960s). The group remains steadfast in conducting traditional Christian worship in Latin and is staunchly opposed to strengthening ties with other religions or denominations. Notably, on this very day in 1988 (38 years ago), the group had similarly appointed four bishops without papal permission, resulting in their immediate excommunication from the Church—though that penalty was subsequently lifted in 2009.
Currently, the group operates 800 places of worship across 77 countries and has justified these appointments as an emergency measure to ensure religious services for their followers. The four newly appointed bishops are Pascal Schreiber (Switzerland), Michael Goldade (USA), and Michel Ponsinet de Sivry and Marc Hanappier (France). Despite the severe rift with the Vatican, the consecration ceremony was marked by a festive atmosphere among followers, with special commemorative items—such as wine bottles bearing the bishops’ emblems and baseball caps—being sold.
