Ultraconservatives x Leo XIV: group ignores pope's request and ordains bishops without authorization; act can lead to excommunication

Pope Leo XIV faces crisis with traditionalist groups
Pope Leo XIV faces a crisis with an ultra-conservative Catholic group that wants to reverse some of the main changes promoted by the Catholic Church since the Second Vatican Council. The Fraternity of Saint Pius bishops held by the Society of Saint Pius Four new bishops were consecrated: two French, one American and one Swiss.
Before the ordination, Leo XIV had made a last appeal to the superior of the Society of Saint Pius X, Father Davide Pagliarani, to give up the ceremony. In a letter released by the Vatican, the pontiff asked the group to "renounce the project" and warned of the consequences of the decision.
According to the Holy See, ordaining bishops without the pope's consent represents an act of direct insubordination and breaks communion with the Church. In addition to the automatic excommunication of new bishops, the Vatican states that, in the event of schism, sacraments celebrated by them, such as marriages and confessions, are no longer recognized by the Catholic Church.
Schismatic consecration of bishops carried out by the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius AFP
What does the Society of Saint Pius X stand for?
Founded in 1970 by the French bishop Marcel Lefebvre, the Society of Saint Pius Among the changes, masses were no longer necessarily celebrated in Latin and began to be held in the language of each country. Priests also began to celebrate with the faithful in mind, and the Church expanded dialogue with other religions.
The fraternity, however, considers that these reforms distorted the Catholic tradition. The group advocates the preservation of the liturgy prior to the Second Vatican Council and a stricter interpretation of the Church's doctrine.
This photograph shows the tonsure of consecrated French bishop Michel Poinsinet de Sivry during the schismatic consecration of bishops by the Society of Saint Pius AFP
A conflict that spans decades
The confrontation between the Society of Saint Pius X and the Vatican did not start now. In 1988, the founder of the community also ordained four bishops without authorization from the then Pope John Paul II, despite an appeal to withdraw from the decision.
At the time, the ordination led to the excommunication of those involved. The punishment was suspended in 2009 by Pope Benedict XVI, in an attempt at rapprochement, but the canonical situation of the fraternity remained irregular and the differences were never fully resolved.
Now, with the ordination of four new bishops, the group once again directly challenges the authority of the Vatican, reopening an impasse that spans six pontificates and places Leo XIV facing one of the first major crises of his government.
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Ultra-conservative group challenges Leo XIV and deepens crisis with the Vatican
Reproduction/GloboNews

Source: G1