The official decree from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith declaring the excommunication of the clergy of the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) was published in the early morning hours today.
Below is an unofficial working translation of the decree and the explanatory note into English:
DECREE
Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith
Prot. No. 99/2009
Despite
the warnings addressed to the Superior General of the Priestly Society
of Saint Pius X, Bishop Alfonso de Galarreta, by carrying out an act of a
schismatic nature through the episcopal consecration of four priests
without a pontifical mandate and against the will of the Supreme
Pontiff, has incurred ipso facto the penalties provided for in can. 1387
and can. 1364 §1 of the 2021 Code of Canon Law.
Therefore, I
declare, with all juridical effects, that the aforementioned Bishop
Alfonso de Galarreta, together with Pascal Schreiber, Michael Goldade,
Michel Poinsinet de Sivry, and Marc Hanappier, have incurred ipso facto
the latae sententiae excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See.
I
further declare that Bishop Bernard Fellay, having participated
directly in the liturgical celebration as co-consecrator and thereby
having publicly adhered to the schismatic act, has incurred the latae
sententiae excommunication provided for in can. 1364 §1 of the 2021 Code
of Canon Law.
Clerics and lay faithful are warned not to adhere
to the schism of the Priestly Society of Saint Pius X, lest they
themselves incur ipso facto the penalty of latae sententiae
excommunication.
Given at the Palace of the Dicastery,
2 July 2026.
Víctor Manuel Cardinal Fernández
Prefect
Archbishop John J. Kennedy
Secretary for the Disciplinary Section
Msgr. Armando Matteo
Secretary for the Doctrinal Section
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith
Prot. No. 99/2009
From the time of St. Paul VI until the most
recent meetings held at this Dicastery, the many attempts to restore to
full communion with the Catholic Church those adhering to the movement
begun by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre have proved fruitless.
This
situation has been further aggravated by the recent episcopal
consecrations carried out without a pontifical mandate, against the will
of the Holy Father, and in open violation of canon law.
Accordingly,
this Dicastery, in the faithful exercise of the responsibilities
entrusted to it, considers it necessary to state that this act
constitutes the canonical crime of schism, with the corresponding
canonical consequences for the sacred ministers and lay faithful
involved.
Indeed, as was already declared in 1988, “such
disobedience—which carries with it a practical rejection of the Roman
Primacy—constitutes a schismatic act” (cf. John Paul II, Apostolic
Letter Ecclesia Dei, no. 3).
Therefore, from this point forward:
1.
Sacred ministers belonging to the Priestly Society of Saint Pius X are
in schism and must therefore be regarded as schismatics (cf. Ecclesia
Dei, no. 5c; Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, Explanatory Note
on the Excommunication for Schism Incurred by Adherents of the Movement
of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, 24 August 1996, nos. 5–6), and are
therefore subject to the excommunication prescribed by law (can. 1364 §1
CIC).
2. With regard to the lay faithful, those who formally
adhere to the Priestly Society of Saint Pius X under the conditions
established in the 1996 Explanatory Note of the Pontifical Council for
Legislative Texts (cf. ibid., no. 7), which remains in force and which
this Dicastery hereby adopts as its own, are likewise to be regarded as
schismatics and excommunicated.
3. Finally, the holy People of God are
informed that the sacred ministers of the Priestly Society of Saint Pius
X administer the sacraments illicitly, and that the sacrament of
Penance administered by them and the marriages at which they assist are
invalid.
The Church, as a loving mother, will receive with
sincere affection and pastoral solicitude all those who desire to return
to full communion. The Apostolic Nuncios will establish procedures that
local Ordinaries may use in individual cases.
Finally, all the
faithful are exhorted to remain steadfast in communion with the Roman
Pontiff, with the bishops in communion with him, and with the whole
Church (cf. Lumen Gentium, no. 22; can. 751 CIC), and to refrain from
participating in celebrations and activities promoted by the aforesaid
Priestly Society of Saint Pius X.
Given at the Palace of the Dicastery,
2 July 2026.
Víctor Manuel Cardinal Fernández
Prefect
Msgr. Armando Matteo
Secretary for the Doctrinal Section
Archbishop John J. Kennedy
Secretary for the Disciplinary Section
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