Summary
The Vatican will convene a meeting on February 12 at the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith to address representatives from the Priestly Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) who plan to consecrate bishops without permission. The meeting, led by Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the dicastery, will include Father Davide Pagliarani, 55, as the SSPX superior general. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni stated that this informal dialogue aims to identify tools for positive outcomes, though it is not clear if Pope Francis X will also receive Father Pagliarani. The SSPX announced plans for consecrations on July 1, marking the 20th anniversary of a decree by Pope John Paul II. Founded in 1970 by French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, who ordained four bishops in defiance of John Paul II’s order and excommunicated from Rome, the SSPX celebrates the traditional Latin Mass using pre-Vatican Council liturgical books. In 2014, Benedict XVI lifted the excommunications of surviving bishops, but the group remains in an irregular canonical situation despite ongoing efforts towards reconciliation by Pope Francis.
Key Topics
Vatican City, SSPX, Excommunication
