Vatican excommunicates followers of conservative Catholic sect
The Vatican has excommunicated followers of a conservative Catholic splinter sect, the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX), a day after it consecrated four new bishops against Pope Leo XIV's direct instruction.
In a decree, it said the Society's total of six bishops were excommunicated – and, in a highly unusual move, it added that any lay members who "formally adhere" to the group "are to be considered schismatic and excommunicated".
But those who left the SSPX would be welcomed back "with sincere affection".
The Vatican later clarified that not all members would be excommunicated automatically, but those who "habitually participate" in SSPX celebrations and "formally share its doctrinal positions" would be.
The Society was founded in 1970 in opposition to the modernising reforms of the Second Vatican Council. According to the Vatican, the SSPX holds Masses in Latin, retains traditional Latin rites, and rejects many post‑Constitutional adaptations such as the use of vernacular languages and contemporary liturgical changes.
Rita Reid, a 76‑year‑old SSPX worshipper from Jersey, said she would stay put: "Even if they excommunicate us, go ahead, bring it on, it's not going to make one bit of difference." She praised the SSPX for preserving what she sees as the "true presence of Jesus" and criticized the standard Catholic Mass as "weak and wishy‑washy".
The SSPX’s main presence is in the US and France, but it maintains 26 sites across the UK, with a key centre in Wimbledon, South London. Historically, bishops from the Society were excommunicated in the 1980s but the decision was later reversed. Attempts at reconciliation have been made, but the latest Vatican response has been more severe than expected.
The decree indicates that excommunication effectively expels adherents from Catholic life, preventing them from receiving sacraments such as confession or priest‑conferred marriage. It also states that SSPX sacraments, including penance and marriage, are illicit and invalid.
With its sequestered stance and strict adherence to traditional doctrine, the SSPX now finds itself far from the centre of power of the Roman Catholic Church.
