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| Riddes, Canton of Valais, Switzerland, where the district of Écône is located |
Most Traditional Catholics are familiar with these aspects, but, since we have many new readers these days, this seems appropriate.
Schism, Excommunication… What Are the Stakes of the SSPX Ordinations?
By I.MEDIA at Cath.ch
June 26, 2026
[Written] with the canonical expertise of Pierre Chaffard-Luçon
Why do the new episcopal consecrations announced by the Society of Saint Pius X for July 1, 2026 pose a problem? What will be the status of those involved? And what becomes of the situation of the priests and faithful connected to this traditionalist movement?
Since the SSPX has had no official canonical status since the rupture of 1988, I.MEDIA examines the stakes of these ordinations.
Why Are These Consecrations Controversial?
In the Catholic Church, every episcopal consecration must obtain a mandate from the Pope. The selection of a new bishop follows a rigorous procedure carried out by the nuncio — the Pope's ambassador — and the Dicastery for Bishops. They present three candidates to the pontiff, who then makes the final choice and may also choose a bishop not included on this list of three. To proceed with consecrations without a properly issued pontifical mandate constitutes an offense under the rules of currently applicable ecclesiastical law (canon 1013 [of the Code of Canon Law]).
True Bishops or False Bishops: What Will Be the Status of These Consecrations?
There is a distinction between the validity and the liceity of a consecration. The ceremony of July 1st will have "validity" according to the rules of canon law: the rite will be performed by a consecrating bishop. But the consecration will be illicit, having been carried out without a pontifical mandate. For the Church, the newly ordained will be fully and truly bishops — but they will be, in a certain sense, "outlaws."
What Is a "Schism"?
By committing a deliberate act of disobedience toward the authority of the pontiff, those involved place themselves in a schismatic situation. Schism is defined as a refusal of submission to the Roman pontiff or of communion with the members of the Church (canon 751). It is a matter of discipline, not to be confused with heresy — which is obstinate persistence in doctrinal error — or with apostasy, which is a repudiation of the faith. All three offenses carry the penalty of excommunication.
What Exactly Is Excommunication?
Excommunication — rupture of communion with the Church — is the sanction that flows from the schismatic act. In the event that the SSPX carries out its plan to consecrate four bishops, the excommunication will be latae sententiae: it is automatic, inherent in the gravity of the act and in the publicity given to it. Rome will be able to publicly note a situation already established, as was the case in 1988 with the apostolic letter Ecclesia Dei.
Excommunication is a so-called "medicinal" penalty: its purpose is to lead the person to an awareness of his fault and to regularize his situation — as distinct from "expiatory" penalties.
In other cases, canon law provides that excommunication may also be ferendae sententiae, meaning it is pronounced at the conclusion of a judicial process.
Does Excommunication Send Someone to Hell?
No. In the Church's theology, the rupture of communion produces consequences for earthly life: those who are "excommunicated" can no longer receive the sacraments. The Church does not, however, pronounce judgment on the salvation of the sanctioned person, which belongs to God alone.
Who Will Be Subject to Excommunication on July 1st?
The bishops who confer the consecration and those who receive it will be personally excommunicated by the very fact of the commission of the offense. But this act also has an institutional dimension: it is the SSPX as an institution that is proceeding with this consecration. Its Superior General, Father Davide Pagliarani, made the announcement and declared his intention to pursue this project without a pontifical mandate. As a result, all persons enrolled within the organization — clergy and religious — as well as the laypeople who adhere to this act, also find themselves in a schismatic situation in the eyes of the Church and potentially incur excommunication. It should be noted that during the first illicit consecrations in 1988, presided over by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, Rome declared excommunication only for the consecrating and consecrated bishops — not for the entirety of the SSPX membership.
What Steps Would Be Required for Them to Return to Communion with the Church?
The lifting of excommunication is personal. It is a decision of Rome at the conclusion of a process of repentance. But it can also be a papal initiative intended to encourage a path of dialogue. In 2009, Benedict XVI had the excommunications of 1988 lifted by decree, explaining that he was making "a discreet gesture of mercy" in order to invite "the four bishops once more to return" to the fold of the Church. There exists an "admission to full communion," which consists of a liturgical act including, notably, the recitation of the Creed before a representation of the Catholic community.
What Is the Current Status of Lefebvrian Priests?
They are priests in a "valid" manner, but they are "suspended." Following their ordination by bishops who were illegitimate — in conflict with Rome — they are subject to a suspensio a divinis, which effectively prohibits them from administering the sacraments. They may, however, receive them — unlike those who are excommunicated.
Are the Sacraments They Celebrate "Valid"?
The ordination of an SSPX priest is illegitimate but remains "valid." The sacraments he celebrates have the same status: they are illicit but valid. For the Church, the "grace of God" present in those sacraments continues to be given. In 2015, Pope Francis had indeed permitted Lefebvrian priests to legitimately administer the sacrament of confession, within the framework of the Year of Mercy — a provision he subsequently extended indefinitely. Furthermore, in March 2017, the Argentine pontiff had also granted Lefebvrian priests the faculty to celebrate licit Catholic marriages, on a case-by-case basis and with the authorization of the local bishop. It is not certain that these provisions will remain in force if the announced episcopal consecrations take place.
And for Excommunicated Bishops or Suspended Priests, Are There Exceptions Where the Sacraments They Celebrate Are Both Valid and Licit?
Church law provides for the case of a faithful person who is in articulo mortis — at the point of death — and wishes to receive a sacrament urgently. In that situation, any priest or bishop, even one subject to a prohibition, recovers the capacity to hear confession in a fully valid and licit manner, for the good of the dying person. This is not a favor granted to the excommunicated priest, but a matter of giving priority to the soul of the faithful person and to his or her salvation.
[Source, in French]
