A breakaway Catholic traditionalist group rejected the Vatican’s offer of talks, suggesting a collision course with Pope Leo XIV over its planned consecrations of new bishops without his consent.
In a letter to the Vatican’s doctrine chief, the Society of St Pius X said the Holy See’s threat of sanctions and schism if it goes ahead with the July 1 ceremony “is hardly compatible with a genuine desire for fraternal exchanges and constructive dialogue.”
The threat of a new consecration ceremony has created the first tangible crisis for Pope Leo, who has sought to pacify relations with Catholic traditionalists that worsened under Pope Francis. While the SSPX is out of communion with the Holy See, plenty of Catholic traditionalists who are loyal to Rome but sympathetic to the SSPX plight are watching how Leo handles the challenge.
In a letter to the Vatican’s doctrine chief Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández posted on the SSPX website February 19, SSPX superior Fr Davide Pagliarani said doctrinal talks were now impossible and that regardless they will never agree on Vatican II.
“Indeed, the hand extended to open the dialogue is unfortunately accompanied by another hand already poised to impose sanctions,” he wrote. “There is talk of breaking communion, of schism, and of ‘serious consequences.’”
The Vatican said it had no immediate comment.
