Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP has invited members of the Society of St Pius X (SSPX) to return to full communion with the Catholic Church after the Vatican’s declaration that the traditionalist group is in schism.
“I welcome with open arms those who wish to return to full communion with the Church and to its regular and valid sacramental life,” Archbishop Fisher told The Catholic Weekly.
The Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith declared the SSPX to be in schism after the society consecrated four bishops in Switzerland on 1 July without the required papal mandate, despite repeated exhortations from Pope Leo XIV not to proceed.
The 2 July decree states that the four new bishops along with the remaining Bishops Alfonso de Galarreta and Bernard Fellay incurred automatic excommunication, as well as any clergy or laity who “formally adhere” to the schism.
It is the latest chapter following efforts by successive popes to reconcile the SSPX with the Church after Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre consecrated four bishops without papal approval in 1988.
The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith has now established a procedure for both priests and lay faithful connected to the Society to return to full communion.
Traditionalist groups disown SSPX consecrations, urge continuation of dialogue
Archbishop Fisher described the consecrations as “a very serious matter” and said those involved cause spiritual harm to themselves and endanger many others.
“[They] occurred without the required papal mandate and against the clear directions and fraternal exhortations of Pope Leo,” he said.
“People who pride themselves on their orthodoxy should know that schism is a grave sin against the Church and against charity because, as St Thomas Aquinas teaches, ‘charity unites not only one person to another with the bond of spiritual love but also the whole Church in unity of spirit’.
“Those who wilfully separate themselves from the unity of the body of the Church ‘offend against the Head of that body, Christ Himself, and against his vicar the Pope,’ against communion with the bishops and with all the faithful.”
He asked the flock of Sydney “to pray for the unity of the Church at this time and for the repentance of these schismatics.”
Archbishop Fisher said the Vatican’s decree should not be interpreted as a criticism of Catholics who worship according to the Extraordinary Form (Tridentine) Mass which is celebrated in Latin.
Most of these are offered in full communion with the Pope and Catholic bishops.
“Here in Sydney we are blessed with the ministry of the Society of St Peter priests in Lewisham and there are other licit celebrations of the Old Mass also,” he explained.
“Those who love the Old Mass should attend these celebrations.”
However, he strongly urged Catholics to “eschew” any liturgies and sacraments celebrated by the SSPX.
“Indeed, in so gravely breaching communion with the Church, the Lefebvrists have forced the removal of their faculties to absolve and marry, making some of their ‘sacraments’ not only illicit but invalid,” he said.
“They have also turned up their anti-Church rhetoric. Both endanger people’s faith and salvation.”
