DECRETO DE EXCOMUNIÓN DE LA FSSPX. CONFESIONES Y MATRIMONIOS ILÍCITOS Y INVÁLIDOS

DICASTERY FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH Prot. N. 99/2009 DECREE: Notwithstanding the admonitions addressed to the Superior General of the Society of Saint Pius X, Bishop Alfonso de Galarreta, having performed an act of a schismatic nature through the episcopal consecration of four priests, without pontifical mandate and against the will of the Supreme Pontiff, has incurred ipso facto the penalties provided for by canon 1387 and canon 1364 § 1 of the 2021 Code of Canon Law. I therefore declare, for all legal purposes, that the aforementioned Bishop Alfonso de Galarreta, as well as Pascal Schreiber, Michael Goldade, Michel Poinsinet de Sivry, and Marc Hanappier, have incurred ipso facto the excommunication latae sententiae reserved to the Apostolic See. I further declare that Bishop Bernard Fellay, having participated directly in the liturgical celebration as co-consecrator and having publicly adhered to the schismatic act, has incurred the excommunication latae sententiae provided for in canon 1364 § 1 of the 2021 Code of Canon Law. Clergy and lay faithful are admonished not to adhere to the schism of the Society of Saint Pius X, as they would incur ipso facto the penalty of excommunication latae sententiae. Given at the Palace of the Dicastery, on July 2, 2026. Victor M. Card. Fernández, Prefect John J. Kennedy, Titular Archbishop of Ossero, Secretary for the Disciplinary Section Monsignor Armando Matteo, Secretary for the Doctrinal Section Full text of the explanatory note (translation from the original Italian) DICASTERY FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH Prot. No. 99/2009 EXPLANATORY NOTE From the time of Saint Paul VI until the most recent discussions held in this Dicastery, the numerous attempts to bring the adherents of the movement initiated by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre back into full communion with the Catholic Church have been unsuccessful. This situation has been further aggravated by the recent episcopal consecrations celebrated without papal mandate, against the will of the Holy Father and in open violation of canon law. Therefore, this Dicastery, in the faithful exercise of its entrusted functions, deems it necessary to point out that this act constitutes the crime of schism, with the canonical consequences that this entails for the sacred ministers and the lay faithful involved. Indeed, as already declared in 1988, “such disobedience, which entails a practical rejection of the Roman Primacy, constitutes a schismatic act” (cf. John Paul II, Apostolic Letter Ecclesia Dei, 3). In this regard, from now on: The sacred ministers belonging to the Society of Saint Pius X are in schism and must therefore be considered schismatics (cf. Ecclesia Dei, 5 c; Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, Explanatory Note on the excommunication for schism incurred by adherents to the movement of Bishop Marcel Lefebvre, August 24, 1996, 5-6), and are therefore subject to the excommunication prescribed by law (canon 1364 § 1 of the Code of Canon Law). With regard to the lay faithful, those who formally adhere to the Society of Saint Pius X under the conditions established in the Explanatory Note of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts of 1996 (cf. ibid., 7), still in force, which this Dicastery endorses, must be considered schismatics and excommunicated. Finally, the holy People of God are warned that the sacred ministers of the Society of Saint Pius X administer the sacraments illicitly and that the sacrament of penance administered by them and the marriage they assist are invalid. The Church, as a solicitous mother, will welcome with sincere affection and earnest solicitude all those who wish to return to full communion. The Apostolic Nuncios will establish the procedures that the ordinaries may use in the various cases. Finally, all the faithful are urged to remain steadfast in communion with the Roman Pontiff, with the bishops in communion with him, and with the whole Church (cf. Lumen Gentium, 22; canon 751 of the Code of Canon Law), and to abstain from participating in the celebrations and activities promoted by the aforementioned Society of Saint Pius X. Given at the Palace of the Dicastery, on July 2, 2026. Cardinal Victor M. Fernandez, Prefect Monsignor Armando Matteo, Secretary for the Doctrinal Section John J. Kennedy, Titular Archbishop of Ossero, Secretary for the Disciplinary Section