Lefebvrians ordain four bishops without papal consent, sparking new Catholic schism

The ultratraditionalist Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X (FSSPX), known as the 'Lefebvrians,' has escalated its defiance against the Vatican by ordaining four bishops in Écône, Switzerland, without the explicit authorization of Pope Leo XIV. This move, which took place on Wednesday, is set to result in the immediate excommunication of the newly consecrated bishops and marks a significant new schism within the Catholic Church.

Despite direct appeals from Pope Leo XIV, who urged them to reconsider in a letter sent with "paternal spirit" and "from the heart," the FSSPX proceeded with the ceremony. The ordinations were presided over by Spanish bishop Alfonso de Galarreta and Swiss bishop Bernard Fellay, the only two remaining bishops consecrated by the fraternity's founder, Marcel Lefebvre, in 1988. The urgency to ordain new bishops stems from their dwindling numbers.

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We consider ourselves rebels but we not only want to serve the Church, like a mother in difficulty who suffers, sometimes betrayed.

The four consecrated bishops are Pascal Schreiber from Switzerland, Michael Goldade from the United States, and Frenchmen Michel Poinsinet de Sivry and Marc Hanappier. The FSSPX, founded in 1970, opposes several tenets of the Second Vatican Council. This is not the first time the group has clashed with the Vatican; Pope John Paul II excommunicated Lefebvre and four bishops he ordained in 1988 without papal consent. While Pope Benedict XVI lifted the excommunications in 2009, the fraternity has continued its contentious relationship with the Church.

In his homily, FSSPX superior general Davide Pagliarini stated they would "pay any price" to serve the Church, which he described as a mother in difficulty. He addressed accusations of disrespecting the Pope, asserting that their actions stem from a desire to prevent the Pope from being "humiliated" by being placed on the same level as "false pastors" and "false religions," referencing recent papal dialogues with other faiths. The Vatican and the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith had previously warned the FSSPX that these ordinations would constitute a "schismatic act" leading to excommunication, as occurred in the past. The FSSPX comprises 720 priests and approximately half a million faithful worldwide.

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We are accused of not loving the Pope, of not respecting him, but because we love the Pope, we do not want to see him humiliated when he puts himself on the same level as false pastors, of false religions as we have seen in various situations.