Pope's Plea Ignored: Bishop Consecrations Spark Schism Fears

Pope Francis made a final, personal plea to David Pagliarani, the superior general of the Traditionalist Catholic Society of Saint Pius X, urging him to abandon plans for consecrating bishops. The Pope's letter, dated June 29, arrived just before the planned consecrations, which the Vatican had not authorized. This appeal was the last attempt to prevent a schism within the Catholic Church.

Despite the Pope's request, the episcopal consecrations were carried out. The Society of Saint Pius X, often referred to as Lefebvrists, maintains that these actions were valid, though illicit, and justified by a "state of necessity." This legal and canonical concept is central to the debate, as it can excuse actions that would otherwise be considered criminal or unlawful.

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Even you have not read what David did when he was hungry, he and his men? How he went into the house of God and took the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and gave it to his men? (Luke 6:4), i.e., about a state of higher necessity. With a heart full of pain (...) I feel obliged to ask you to abandon your intention.

The article delves into the definition of a state of necessity across different legal systems. In criminal law, it applies when an action is taken to avert an immediate danger, sacrificing a lesser or not significantly higher protected good. Such actions may not constitute a crime or may negate guilt under specific legal conditions. Similarly, civil law recognizes this state as a defense against liability for damages when private property is violated to prevent a direct threat that cannot be avoided otherwise.

Canon law defines a state of necessity as a situation where an individual faces a serious and immediate danger to themselves or others, and violating a legal norm is the only way to avoid it. Crucially, the action must aim for the good of the Church and the salvation of souls, and the moral nature of the act itself must not be in doubt. The article references the biblical story of David taking consecrated bread when hungry, and Jesus's explanation that the Sabbath was made for humanity, not vice versa, as classic examples, though noting their imperfect fit with current canon law.

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the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.