SSPX to Consecrate Four Bishops Without Papal Consent on July 1

The Society of St. Pius X plans to consecrate four bishops without papal consent on July 1 at its seminary in Écône, Switzerland. The four-day, livestreamed event will include the consecrations of Pascal Schreiber of Switzerland, Michael Goldade of the United States, Michel Poinsinet de Sivry of France and Marc Hanappier of France.

The group is also offering a limited-edition set of four wines for 75 Swiss francs to registered participants. The SSPX was founded in 1970 and first broke with Rome in 1988 when Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre consecrated four bishops without consent. The Vatican excommunicated Lefebvre and those bishops.

The group currently has no legal status in the Catholic Church and reports 733 priests, 264 seminarians and other members across 50 nationalities. SSPX superior Rev. Davide Pagliarani cited the age of the two surviving 1988 bishops and a state of necessity to justify the new consecrations.

The group stated the ceremony aims only to ensure continued administration of the sacraments of Holy Orders and Confirmation according to the traditional rite. The Vatican has described the planned consecrations as a schismatic act incurring automatic excommunication. After the announcement, the Vatican invited Pagliarani for talks.

Pope Leo said last week he was considering a new appeal to the SSPX. “But it is their choice. We need to realize what this means for them and for the church,” Pope Leo stated. He added that the group refuses to accept certain elements of the Second Vatican Council.

On Tuesday the Vatican rejected a German request to allow laypeople to preach homilies at Mass, restating that only priests and deacons may do so.