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Cardinal Kurt Koch has expressed hope that dialogue between the Holy See and the Society of Saint Pius X can one day resume despite the recent episcopal consecrations. Speaking on the Communion podcast, the Prefect for Promoting Christian Unity also questioned whether the current situation can yet be described as a formal schism. Cardinal Kurt Koch has expressed hope that dialogue between the Holy See and the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) can eventually resume despite the Society’s recent episcopal consecrations. Speaking on the Communion podcast, the Swiss cardinal, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, described excommunication as a “medicinal penalty” intended to encourage repentance rather than permanently sever communion with the Church. He insisted that the penalties incurred should not be viewed as the final chapter in relations between Rome and the traditionalist movement. “An excommunication is a medicinal penalty. It is not intended to be definitive; rather, it is meant to invite repentance so that one may find the way back,” Cardinal Koch said. Although the Prefect acknowledged that prospects for renewed discussions appear remote in the immediate aftermath of the consecrations, he nevertheless expressed confidence that reconciliation remains possible over the longer term. “I hope it will be possible in the future to resume new talks, so that they may find their way back into the Catholic Church,” he said, before adding: “At the moment I do not see that happening, but it would also be far too early.” Cardinal Koch suggested that patience would be required, pointing to previous ecclesiastical disputes that took years before meaningful conversations could begin again. Drawing a historical comparison, he noted that meaningful dialogue with the Old Catholics only became possible after several decades. He suggested a similar period of reflection may now be necessary before relations with the Society can progress. The cardinal also questioned whether it is yet accurate to describe the current situation as a formal schism. “I am not entirely convinced that one can already speak of a schism,” he said. Referring to the illicit episcopal consecrations carried out by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre in 1988, Koch observed that Pope John Paul II had deliberately used the expression “schismatic act” rather than declaring that a completed schism existed. “Even in 1988, Pope John Paul II spoke of a ‘schismatic act.’ That is not necessarily the same thing, because a schismatic act concerns those who carried out the act and those who submitted themselves to it. That is not yet schism in the proper sense.” The distinction suggests that, in Koch’s view, the canonical consequences of the recent consecrations should not automatically be understood as creating a separate ecclesial body. Cardinal Koch also rejected suggestions that the Society has already established a fully fledged parallel Church. While acknowledging that the Society possesses bishops, he argued that it lacks the ordinary hierarchical structures that would normally characterise such a body. According to Koch, the Society has consistently maintained bishops for the sacramental power of orders rather than granting them ordinary jurisdiction. The Prefect noted that the Society continues to be governed by a priest superior rather than by a diocesan-style episcopal hierarchy, making the description of a parallel Church difficult to sustain. Earlier this year, when asked by this publication’s Vatican correspondent about dialogue with the SSPX, Cardinal Koch replied: “I am not involved in the dialogue with the SSPX. It is the responsibility of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. Because of that I cannot be disponible for the meetings.” Cardinal Koch devoted considerable attention to what he sees as the deeper theological issues that continue to divide Rome and the Society. The Prefect argued that one of the central contradictions lies in the Society’s attitude towards papal authority. “This amounts to a form of self-authorisation for carrying out episcopal consecrations,” he said. He continued, “…a self-contradiction: on the one hand, they invoke the authority of the Pope in the most beautiful terms, yet on the decisive issues they go their own way.” Furthermore, Cardinal Koch argued that disagreement with particular papal decisions amounts to an incomplete acceptance of the post-conciliar papacy. “To me, this gives the impression of an abstract recognition of the Petrine primacy rather than a concrete recognition of the present Pope and of all the Popes since the Second Vatican Council.” Alongside his criticisms of the Society, however, Koch argued that recent events should also prompt self-examination within the wider Church. “It would be good to take the present dispute with the Society of St. Pius X as an opportunity to beat our own breast and reflect on what needs to be corrected,” the Prefect said. The prefect identified three areas where he believes misunderstandings or distortions have emerged in the decades following the Second Vatican Council. The first concerns the continuing relationship between the traditional Roman liturgy and the post-conciliar form of the Roman Rite, which he described as an unresolved question. Secondly, he criticised what he called ecclesiological pluralism within modern ecumenical thinking, arguing that some approaches wrongly treat all Churches and ecclesial communities as essentially equal, thereby obscuring the Catholic Church’s unique identity. His third concern was religious pluralism, which he described as the widespread belief that all religions provide equally valid paths to God. Koch maintained that these developments should not be confused with the authentic teaching of the Second Vatican Council itself. Instead, he suggested they represent later interpretations that have developed in the years since the Council. Furthermore, Cardinal Koch appeared to acknowledge that some of the concerns long raised by the Society relate to genuine post-conciliar tendencies, even while insisting that these should not be attributed to the Council’s actual texts. Despite the tensions created by the latest consecrations, Cardinal Koch believes that any return to formal discussions will require time, patience and, ultimately, the work of the Holy Spirit. As he put it, while the Church is responsible for what is possible, “the impossible is the realm of the Holy Spirit.”

After declaring the SSPX bishops excommunicated, the Vatican has published a document outlining how priests and certain lay faithful associated with the Society can be reconciled with the Catholic Church The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith has released a document entitled the “Procedure for the Reconciliation of Priests from the Society of Saint Pius X”, outlining the process of reconciliation for priests attached to the Society of Saint Pius X. The move comes after the consecrations of four new bishops for the Society and a decree which declared that the four bishops, alongside Bishop Alfonso de Galarreta, the principal consecrator, and Bishop Bernard Fellay, had “incurred the ipso facto penalty of latae sententiae excommunication”. The document is intended to help bishops understand what must be done to facilitate a person being fully reconciled with Rome after being aligned with the SSPX. The document states that “a priest who has decided to leave the Priestly Society of Saint Pius X” and is “willing to accept the Second Vatican Council and the legitimacy of the Novus Ordo Missae”, even though he might be “bound by the usus antiquior”, must go through a certain process for reconciliation. For an SSPX priest to be reconciled, he must first find an Ordinary and then write a “handwritten letter to the Holy Father in which he introduces himself and requests the remission of the censures incurred as a result of ordination received from an excommunicated or irregular Bishop, or, having been validly and legitimately ordained, subsequently entered the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X.” He should then attach his certificate of priestly ordination together with a dated and signed copy of a Professio fidei and the Formula Adhaesionis , which is attached to the document and outlines the necessary theological convictions for reconciliation. The documents are then sent to the DDF by the Ordinary, “who will express in the accompanying letter his willingness to accept him ad experimentum in his diocese or his institute.” The Professio fidei document which the priest must sign begins with the Nicene Creed, and continues with a declaration that the priest believes “all those things which are contained in the written or handed-down Word of God and which are proposed by the Church—either by solemn judgment or by the ordinary and universal Magisterium—to be believed as divinely revealed”. The document continues with the priest agreeing that he “firmly embraces and holds all and everything regarding the doctrine of faith or morals that is definitively taught by the same Church”. It concludes with him agreeing that, with “a religious submission of will and intellect”, he adheres “to the teachings which either the Roman Pontiff or the College of Bishops enunciate when they exercise the authentic Magisterium, even if they do not intend to proclaim them by a definitive act.” The final document which the priest must sign, entitled Formula Adhaesionis , asks the priest to agree that he accepts “the doctrine taught in no. 25 of the Dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium of the Second Vatican Council regarding the Magisterium of the Church and the adherence due to it.” With regard to “certain doctrines taught by the Second Vatican Council, or regarding subsequent reforms—whether of the Liturgy or of Canon Law—which some find difficult to reconcile with previous declarations of the Magisterium”, he agrees to “follow a positive approach in interpreting the doctrine”. He is further asked to accept “the validity of the Sacrifice of the Mass and of the Sacraments celebrated with the intention of doing what the Church does, and in accordance with the rites found in the typical editions of the Roman Missal as well as the Rituals promulgated by the Supreme Pontiffs Paul VI and John Paul II.” And finally, he must “promise to adhere to the common discipline of the Church and to its laws, especially those contained in the Code of Canon Law promulgated by the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II.” This part of the document is essentially asking the priest to renounce his criticism of the Second Vatican Council and parts of Church teaching which he finds objectionable. This is a requirement which arguably goes further than what is required for priests in normal circumstances to be in good standing with the Catholic Church, with many drawing parallels between the requirements imposed on the Society’s priests and the apparent lack of censure afforded to groups such as the German Synodal Way. The document is understood to have already been in place for priests in similar situations before the 1 July consecrations took place. It is not known at present whether any priests have taken the opportunity for reconciliation. The document also makes provision for “Laypeople who are members of the Third Order of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Pius X; 2. Laypeople who habitually participate in the celebrations of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Pius X, formally sharing its doctrinal positions.” Reconciliation is not needed for those who “have attended the Priestly Fraternity of St. Pius X solely for liturgical or spiritual reasons”, or for faithful who “while aware of the tensions with the Holy See, do not reject the Magisterium or the authority of the Roman Pontiff”. The faithful who are in need of reconciliation must also sign the Professio fidei and the Formula Adhaesionis . They then present themselves to their Ordinary, who should “welcome the lay faithful member in the manner and within the timeframe he deems most appropriate, using, for example, the Rite of Admission to Full Communion with the Catholic Church for Those Who Have Already Been Validly Baptized, duly adapted.” Speaking to the SSPX faithful on the ground, the reaction was defiant. William Waith from Australia stated he “suspected this was not a valid excommunication”, with another pilgrim stating he believed it was a “war against tradition”. When questioned on the possible excommunication of those attending the event at Écône, Abbé Michel Rion, spokesperson for the consecrations, stated that “all the parishioners who are here are certain to be in the Church” and that they are “hurt and so sad that they may be considered that way”.

As the more than four-hour ceremony in which the Society of Saint Pius X consecrated four new bishops draws to a close, AdVaticanum is publishing excerpts from the sermon delivered by Fr Davide Pagliarani, Superior General of the Society of Saint Pius X The ceremony in which the Society of Saint Pius X consecrated four new bishops has taken place, lasting more than four hours. AdVaticanum can now release excerpts from the sermon delivered by the Superior General of the Society of Saint Pius X, Fr Davide Pagliarani. Fr Pagliarani presents the consecrations as a necessity rather than a choice, justified by what he described as the need to preserve and transmit the Faith. He also urged the four new bishops to remain steadfast and never to yield to “the spirit of the world” or adapt Catholic teaching to contemporary cultural pressures. At last, this day has arrived. A historic day. Why are we here? How should we understand these episcopal consecrations? This is a divisive event before which it is impossible to remain indifferent. What does it mean for us? This ceremony must be a manifestation of faith. We do not choose what we believe or do not believe. We cannot reinterpret or reconsider it. We simply have the duty to preserve the faith that the Church has always taught. We must love it, live it and hand it on. If we truly love Our Lord, we have the duty to share the treasures that come to us through the faith. Anyone who has no desire to transmit the faith shows that he himself is not living by faith. The more the faith is attacked and disappears, the more urgent this duty becomes. Without faith it is impossible to please God, to live well or to be saved. Today we are taking exceptional measures proportionate to this necessity. Some might therefore think we are facing a dilemma. We choose the fullness of the faith, but separate ourselves from the Church. We are choosing between faith and the Church. In preserving the faith, are we breaking with the Church? This is a false dilemma. We belong to the Church first of all through the faith, just as one belongs to a nation by sharing the same language, identity and culture, or to a family by bearing the same name and living in the same home. We belong to the Church because we profess the same faith. Therefore we cannot choose between faith and the Church. We want the faith of the Church in order to remain in the Church, and we want the Church through the faith and in the faith. It is important to understand this, even if those facing us refuse to do so. This is not an opinion, a preference or an option. It is a necessity. We are accused of not loving the Pope and of not respecting him. But it is precisely because we sincerely love the Pope as the Vicar of Christ and head of the Church that we no longer want to see him humiliated alongside false shepherds representing false religions. We have seen this happen so many times over the years. Because we love the Vicar of Christ, we no longer want this humiliation for the Pope, a humiliation that falls upon the whole Church, treating her as though she were on an equal footing with false religions. We have explained this countless times, almost in every language on earth. Yet why are we still not understood? At heart, we are speaking two different languages. We speak the language of faith. We want it in all its simplicity. It is the language of Tradition. Those on the other side speak another language altogether: the language of inclusion, listening, dialogue and accompaniment. We want the faith, and then within the faith we accompany people. We listen to them in order to lead them to the faith and convert them. But we must stop talking simply for the sake of talking, or accompanying for the sake of accompanying. That is not what souls need. Souls need Our Lord, and we reach Him through the full Catholic faith. There is only one faith. That is why there is this difficulty: two languages that continue to drift further apart over time. We live these consecrations in hope, not in tension, controversy, bitterness or resentment. We live them in joy and hope. In 1988 those who condemned the Society of Saint Pius X predicted its disappearance. God has not abandoned us and He will not do so. All these years have shown it, and these consecrations show it again. Why? Because God has only one will: to save souls. Whoever applies the principles that save souls is acting according to God’s own law. That is why, contrary to all human expectations, God sent His Son and asked Him to sacrifice Himself on the Cross. He will therefore never abandon us and will always provide means proportionate to our needs. The more we suffer, the more we struggle and strive to remain faithful, the more He is with us and makes His presence known. Above all, these consecrations must be understood and lived in a spirit of charity towards souls and especially towards the Church. The more souls are confused and disorientated, the more we must seek them out and support them. The more the Church is insulted, the more we must love and serve her. We must be ready to pay any price to serve the Church. The greatest sacrifice is to be treated as rebels when all we want is to serve and love the Church as a mother: a mother in difficulty, burdened, suffering and sometimes betrayed, a mother who needs and deserves our help in return for everything she has given us. Could we remain indifferent and do nothing? Could the Society? No. That would be to betray the Church. Today’s feast providentially expresses and summarises the meaning of these consecrations. It brings everything back to one point: the Precious Blood of Our Lord, the remedy for every evil of humanity. All evil comes from sin, and above all from one sin that has always remained the same: the exaltation of man. We are saturated with it. We are told that man is marvellous, perfect and possesses infinite dignity. All this feeds pride and, in time, contempt for God and silent apostasy. The more man is encouraged in this obsession with himself, the further he is led from God. Man, full of himself, refuses to turn towards God. He cannot recognise that he is wounded by sin and needs redemption through the Blood of Christ. This plague penetrates deeply, even into the Church. It blinds and paralyses souls. It is not this that brings souls back to God. Through these consecrations we wish to continue preaching the Precious Blood of Our Lord and continue pouring it out upon souls. It is in this Blood that Our Lord founded His Church, the New and Eternal Covenant. There is only one. Whoever believes there are several covenants no longer truly believes in the unique and infinite value of the Blood of Our Lord. Everything revolves around Our Lord because everything revolves around the faith. That is what you, future bishops, must preach. What a responsibility and what an honour. What advice can one give you? Your mission is so delicate, so important and so great that I would rather let Our Lord Himself speak through the Gospel: “Behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.” To be lambs means perfect docility and submission to the will of God, just as Our Lord was subject to the will of His Father. But never forget that the Lamb of God is also the Lion of Judah. As perfectly obedient as He is to the Father’s will, He never bows before the spirit of the world. To serve God is to come into conflict with that spirit. A bishop must proclaim the rights of Our Lord, not the rights of man. A lion does not retreat, nor does it bow. Never bow before the spirit of the world. Do not move. Do not retreat. These consecrations will give you an irresistible strength. From today, people throughout the world will watch you and listen to you. In thirty or forty years’ time they must be able to say: “They never bowed before the spirit of the world, but only before Our Lord the King.” That is the finest legacy you can leave. Our Lord also said: “Be simple as doves and prudent as serpents.” This is so that you may recognise the duplicity, ambiguity and cunning that exist in the world and among the enemies of the Cross. Your greatest enemies will not confront you openly. They will try to draw you gradually towards a more fashionable understanding of the Christian life and of the Church’s relationship with the world. When you sense that danger, step back, pray and remain still before reacting, like a serpent. Then, when you do act, act decisively—and never go back.

The SSPX has reacted to Pope Leo XIV’s final plea not to proceed with tomorrow’s episcopal consecrations at Écône, with priests and faithful telling AdVaticanum the appeal will not change the Society’s plans. Read the full story Pope Leo XIV has made a final appeal, a day before the consecrations, to the Society of Saint Pius X not to proceed with its planned episcopal consecrations. The Pope’s letter, dated 29 June, the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, was published by the Vatican on 30 June, the eve of the consecrations due to take place at Écône, Switzerland. It was addressed to Fr Davide Pagliarani, the Superior General of the SSPX, and, through him, to the society’s bishops, priests, seminarians and faithful. It warned that the ceremony would constitute a “schismatic act” and urged the SSPX to “please turn back”. Writing “with a paternal heart”, Leo acknowledged the qualities he said had characterised many within the society, praising their “devotion to liturgical life, commitment to priestly formation, apostolic zeal and desire for fidelity to Tradition”. He added that these qualities had motivated the “attentive and generous attitude” consistently shown to the fraternity by his predecessors. The Pope nevertheless made a direct plea for the society to abandon its plans. “In this spirit, and filled with Christian affection, I plead with you and ask you with all my heart: please turn back!” His Holiness wrote. “I urge you to consider carefully the spiritual good of the faithful, because the schismatic act you are about to undertake would deprive them of the licit and, in some cases, even valid reception of the sacraments, which they love and seek for their sanctification,” His Holiness continued. Leo also stressed that the Holy See remained willing to continue discussions with the fraternity. “The Church is open to a path of dialogue and understanding that the Holy Spirit can make possible and fruitful,” the Pope wrote. Concluding the letter, the Pope warned of the seriousness of the proposed consecrations, writing: “I pray for you, because to tear the seamless garment of Christ is a sin of extreme gravity. May the Lord enlighten your consciences and awaken your hearts.” He concluded: “With a sorrowful yet hopeful heart, I feel it is my duty, through the authority received from Christ, to ask you to desist from your intended act.” The letter is the latest intervention by the Holy See as it attempts to prevent the society from proceeding with the consecrations without a pontifical mandate. On 13 May, the Vatican warned that the planned consecrations would constitute a schismatic act and said that the bishops carrying out the ceremony, together with those receiving episcopal ordination, would incur automatic excommunication. Pope Leo subsequently confirmed on 16 June, outside Castel Gandolfo, that the Holy See was preparing a final appeal to the SSPX, warning that the proposed consecrations risked creating a new schism within the Church. The situation recalls 30 June 1988, when Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre consecrated four bishops at Écône without the approval of Pope St John Paul II. The Vatican declared the act schismatic, and Lefebvre, Bishop Antônio de Castro Mayer and the four newly consecrated bishops incurred automatic excommunication. Although Pope Benedict XVI lifted the excommunications of the surviving bishops in 2009 as part of efforts to encourage reconciliation, the SSPX has remained without canonical status in the Church. The society had not publicly responded to the Pope’s letter at the time of publication. However, reporting from Écône suggests that many priests and lay faithful have reacted strongly to the letter. Sources within the SSPX, speaking both on and off the record, have highlighted what they perceive as a lack of genuine doctrinal resolution and a continuation of past perceived betrayals. Brother Gabriel of the SSPX in the United States told AdVaticanum that the letter would not change anything, stating: “I don’t agree with that [letter from Leo].” A priest of the Society stationed in Asia, speaking to AdVaticanum strictly off the record, dismissed the papal letter in blunt terms. “This was complete nonsense,” he said. He added that the letter failed to address the core theological and liturgical concerns that have defined the SSPX for decades. Another Society priest said: “Far from offering any meaningful path forward, this letter sidesteps the real issues.” A French priest of the Society offered an even sharper critique, framing the letter as a belated and inadequate gesture. “It is a little too late for reconciliation after the betrayal of the Holy Father,” he remarked. He continued: “After years of ambiguities and a steady erosion of doctrine under the guise of ‘dialogue’, this won’t change anything.” An American priest of the Society described the letter as largely ineffective and expressed a measured note of spiritual concern for the Pope. “It was useless,” he said plainly, “and I pray for the Holy Father.” Jim Piante, a longtime lay supporter of the Society of Saint Pius X from the Charlotte area of North Carolina, offered a direct and unapologetic assessment of Pope Leo’s recent letter urging the Society not to proceed with the 1 July episcopal consecrations. Speaking personally and not on behalf of the Society or his parish of Saint Anthony in Mount Holly, Piante noted that the letter itself acknowledges the Society’s fidelity to Tradition, devotion to the Faith and robust liturgical life. “What is it that makes this a quote-unquote schismatic act?” he asked. “Only that Pope Leo does not grant authorisation.” In his view, the entire controversy would evaporate if the Holy Father simply recognised the worthiness of the men chosen for consecration, who have “proven themselves as genuinely Catholic in every way”. Piante argued that authorisation would resolve the matter instantly, highlighting what he sees as the letter’s failure to address the real pastoral needs of the Church. Regarding the possibility of excommunication extending beyond the bishops and priests to the lay faithful who attend SSPX chapels, Piante remained resolute and unmoved. “I would do the same thing tomorrow that I did today. Nothing different,” he stated firmly. He emphasised that his primary duty as a Catholic layman is not to resolve the institutional problems of the Church but “to save my soul and the souls of my wife and my children, and all those whom I can potentially influence.” Marie Flick, a parishioner at a Society of Saint Pius X church in Kansas City, Missouri, described the atmosphere ahead of the 1 July episcopal consecrations as vibrant and full of hope. When asked about the prolonged negotiations with Rome and Pope Leo’s recent letter urging the Society to reconsider the consecrations, Flick expressed disappointment. She pointed out that talks had dragged on since February with little progress and questioned why the Holy Father had not met personally with the Society’s Superior General. She said: “The Pope could have met with the SSPX, just like he met with the head of the Anglican bishops, the Archbishop of Canterbury. He’s been very open about meeting with other figures as well. Why not be open to meeting with the head of the SSPX? That’s just my opinion.” Despite being released at around 11 a.m. on 30 June, the letter was intentionally dated the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, 29 June. This is understood to signal the authority with which the Pontiff issued his appeal, noting in the text that he has a “paternal” “duty”, as “the Successor of the Apostle Peter”, and possesses “authority received from Christ”. It is understood that this was intended as a signal to the SSPX of the Pope’s willingness to exercise his pontifical authority if the Society proceeds with the consecrations, while also implicitly calling for its obedience to him as Supreme Pontiff. The letter’s opening praise for the Society’s fidelity and apostolic work also appears to express a willingness to pursue reconciliation. It is notable that the text implies that, at present, the Society possesses licit and valid sacraments, which would be jeopardised if the consecrations were to proceed. Despite stating that there remains within the Church a “path of dialogue and understanding”, the letter offers no further indication of how the two parties might be reconciled beyond cancelling the consecrations, which Leo describes as a “sin of extreme gravity”.

The SSPX has released the episcopal mottos and coats of arms of the four priests who will be consecrated bishops at Écône on 1 July Ahead of the 1 July consecrations at Écône, the Society of Saint Pius X has released the coats of arms and episcopal mottos of the four priests who are to be consecrated bishops. With two of the bishops from France, one from Switzerland and one from the United States, the coats of arms incorporate their nationalities and cultural heritage, as well as their spiritual influences and the paths that led them to the priesthood. Tens of thousands are expected to gather at Écône for the consecrations, which will go ahead without a papal mandate, with the Society stating that there is a “grave necessity for the salvation of souls”. At present, only two of the bishops consecrated by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre in 1988 are still alive: Bishop Bernard Fellay and Bishop Alfonso de Galarreta. The Society has more than 700 priests serving an estimated one million faithful throughout the world. With both remaining bishops now in their late sixties, the Society considers it necessary to provide younger bishops to continue its work and provide for the needs of its priests and faithful. Below are their coats of arms, alongside their official photographs released by the Society. Bishop-elect Schreiber Bishop Pascal Schreiber’s coat of arms is quartered, following a long-standing heraldic tradition in German-speaking countries. The first quarter features the triumphant face of Christ the King as seen in the vision of Saint Nicholas of Flüe, patron saint of Switzerland, whose spirituality the bishop credits with inspiring his vocation to the priesthood. In the saint’s vision, the six rays surrounding Christ’s face symbolise God’s perfect knowledge, wisdom and presence, while also expressing the believer’s journey towards a deeper understanding of the divine through prayer and contemplation. The second and third quarters display the Schreiber family arms: a golden lion holding a quill on a red field. The lion represents courage, strength and kingship, while the quill is a reference to the family name, Schreiber , meaning “scribe” or “writer”, and symbolises literary work. The fourth quarter contains an eight-pointed golden star on a black field. The star recalls both Christ, the “bright morning star”, and the Blessed Virgin Mary under her title Stella Maris (“Star of the Sea”), while also referring to Saint Nicholas of Flüe, who recounted seeing a star that illuminated the world before his birth and later became a recurring feature of his mystical life. The use of black, red and gold throughout the shield also reflects the colours of the German flag, acknowledging the country in which the Society’s seminary at Zaitzkofen is situated. The bishop-elect has chosen the motto Virgo Fidelis (“Virgin Most Faithful”), taken from the Litany of Loreto. The title expresses Mary’s perfect fidelity to God as daughter of the Father, Mother of the Son and Spouse of the Holy Ghost, while asking her intercession that Christians may remain faithful to their own vocation. The motto also holds particular significance within the Society of Saint Pius X. Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre included the invocation Virgo Fidelis in the Society’s statutes, encouraging its members to renew their commitments each year on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception by seeking from the Blessed Virgin “the grace of fidelity”. The bishop-elect also points to the title as a reminder of the virtues of purity and fortitude, concluding with Christ’s words from the Beatitudes: “Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God.” Bishop-elect Michael Goldade Bishop-elect Goldade’s coat of arms is set against a blue field with a decorative border of twelve golden ears of wheat linked by intertwined stalks. At its centre is a golden shield bearing the Vendéen Heart: two intertwined red hearts surmounted by a crown and a cross. The wheat carries both personal and biblical significance. It recalls the bishop’s roots in North Dakota and his upbringing in Kansas, the two leading wheat-producing states in the United States, while the twelve ears also represent the twelve members of his family. The symbolism extends throughout Sacred Scripture. The wheat recalls the patriarch Joseph, one of Jacob’s twelve sons and guardian of Egypt’s grain, who is seen as a foreshadowing of Saint Joseph, foster-father of Christ and protector of the universal Church. It also points to the Blessed Eucharist and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, which stand at the heart of the Society of Saint Pius X. The number twelve evokes both the Apostles, the foundations of the Church, and the twelve baskets of fragments gathered after the multiplication of the loaves, symbolising the fullness of God’s providence. The blue background is a tribute to the Blessed Virgin Mary, described as the virginal field from which the Bread of Life came forth, while the gold of the central shield signifies the divinity of Christ and also alludes to the bishop’s family name, Goldade. The crowned intertwined hearts represent the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, a longstanding devotion of the Goldade family, and also form part of the heraldic tradition of the Society of Saint Pius X. The bishop-elect has chosen the motto *Adeamus Cum Fiducia* (“Let us go therefore with confidence”), taken from the Letter to the Hebrews: “Let us go therefore with confidence to the throne of grace: that we may obtain mercy, and find grace in seasonable aid” (Heb. 4:16). These words also open the Introit of the Mass of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, linking the motto closely to the liturgy. The motto expresses complete confidence in the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary as Mediatrix of all graces and “Throne of Grace”, through whom Christ dispenses his gifts. It also recalls the opening prayers of the Mass — “I will go in to the altar of God” — reflected in the ears of wheat surrounding the shield. Through the united Hearts of Jesus and Mary and the graces flowing from the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the bishop-elect presents the motto as an expression of hope and trust in God’s providence. Bishop-elect Poinsinet de Sivry Bishop-elect Michel Poinsinet de Sivry’s coat of arms is divided horizontally into two halves. The upper section features a silver sword with a golden hilt crossed by a golden palm branch on a red field, while the lower section depicts a white swan with a golden beak swimming on silver waves against a blue background. Together, the two halves express the themes of combat, victory and fidelity that underpin the bishop’s chosen episcopal motto. The sword represents the spiritual battle waged by the Church to extend the reign of Christ over the world through the fruits of his Redemption. It also symbolises the “sword of the Spirit” described by Saint Paul in the Letter to the Ephesians, identifying the Word of God as the Church’s chief weapon against the errors of the world. Crossing the sword is a palm branch, the traditional emblem of victory and martyrdom, representing the triumph won by the Church through the witness of the saints and martyrs. The lower half of the shield bears a swan taken from the Poinsinet de Sivry family coat of arms. The swan symbolises fidelity through its lifelong pairing with a single mate, while its white plumage represents purity. Together, these qualities are presented as virtues closely associated with the life of faith. The bishop-elect has adopted the motto Fides Vincit Mundum (“Faith Conquers the World”), taken from the First Letter of Saint John: “This is the victory which overcometh the world, our faith” (1 Jn. 5:4). The words recall Christ’s own declaration, “I have overcome the world” (Jn. 16:33), emphasising that Christians share in that victory through faith in him. The motto also reflects the Church’s understanding of the Christian life as a spiritual struggle, echoing both Saint Augustine’s image of the “Two Cities” and Saint Ignatius of Loyola’s meditation on the “Two Standards”. For the bishop-elect, it expresses confidence that, despite the trials facing the Church today, Christ’s victory is certain, while also reflecting the Society of Saint Pius X’s understanding of its own mission and history. Bishop-elect Hanappier Bishop-elect Marc Hanappier’s coat of arms centres on the Paschal Lamb standing on a blue field, surrounded by three silver fleurs-de-lis. The Lamb bears the banner of the Resurrection and pours its blood into a golden chalice at its feet, while a golden halo marked with a red cross identifies it as the victorious Christ. The imagery is drawn from the Book of Revelation, where the Lamb who was slain is worshipped by the saints and angels as worthy of all honour, glory and dominion. The Lamb symbolises Christ’s victory through his sacrifice and points directly to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The blood flowing into the chalice represents the Precious Blood offered for the salvation of the world and given to the faithful in the Eucharist to purify and strengthen them. The image also recalls the Introit of the Mass of Christ the King, which proclaims the triumph of the Lamb who was slain. Surrounding the Lamb are three silver fleurs-de-lis. Traditionally symbols of royalty, they also represent the purity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, recalling the words of the Song of Songs: “As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.” Set against the blue background, they also evoke France, while their number reflects the arms of the city of Versailles, where the Hanappier family is based. The bishop-elect has chosen the motto Dignus Est Agnus (“Worthy is the Lamb”), taken from the fifth chapter of the Book of Revelation. The phrase recalls Saint John the Baptist’s proclamation, “Behold the Lamb of God”, through which the first disciples were drawn to Christ, and presents the Lamb as the source of priestly vocations. The motto also highlights Christ as both the eternal High Priest and the sacrificial victim whose offering is made present at every Mass. The bishop-elect further links the image of the Lamb receiving the sealed book in Revelation to Christ’s lordship over all of history, affirming that every age and every nation ultimately finds its meaning in his sacrifice. For this reason, the words “Worthy is the Lamb” express both the centrality of the Eucharistic sacrifice and the conviction that salvation is found in Christ alone.

The SSPX has announced the names of four priests who will be consecrated bishops at Écône on July 1, saying the move is intended to preserve the traditional sacraments during what it described as an “unprecedented crisis of the Faith” The Society of Saint Pius X has announced the names of the priests who will be consecrated bishops at Écône on July 1. In a communiqué issued from the SSPX General House in Menzingen on May 26, Father Davide Pagliarani, the Superior General of the society, said the names of the four priests had been presented to Pope Leo XIV “together with certain explanations necessary for a proper understanding of this step”. The statement said the episcopal consecrations would take place “in a spirit of respect towards the supreme authority of the universal Church” and insisted that the move did not represent “a denial of, refusal of, or challenge to the supreme, full, and immediate power of jurisdiction of the Vicar of Christ over the universal Church”. “The ceremony of July 1st will have no other purpose than to ensure the continued administration of the sacraments of Holy Orders and Confirmation, together with those sacramentals reserved to bishops, according to the traditional rite of the Holy Roman Church and the immemorial Faith,” the communiqué said. It added: “The episcopacy to be received by these priests is therefore conceived solely as a service rendered to souls and to the Church during this unprecedented crisis of the Faith.” The four priests named for consecration are Father Pascal Schreiber, rector of the SSPX seminary in Zaitzkofen, Germany; Father Michael Goldade, rector of St Thomas Aquinas Seminary in Dillwyn, Virginia; Father Michel Poinsinet de Sivry, Superior of the Benelux District; and Father Marc Hanappier, professor of theology at the society’s American seminary. Father Schreiber, 53, was born in Switzerland and ordained in 1998 after studies at the seminaries of Zaitzkofen and Écône. After assignments in Germany and Switzerland, he spent more than a decade directing SSPX schools before becoming Swiss District Superior in 2016. Since 2020 he has served as rector of the German seminary. Father Goldade, 45, comes from St Marys, Kansas, one of the principal centres of the SSPX in the United States. Ordained in 2004, he worked in Michigan and Connecticut before becoming prior of the large Kansas City apostolate. He was appointed rector of St Thomas Aquinas Seminary in Virginia in 2023. Father Poinsinet de Sivry, 42, was ordained in 2008 and worked in schools and apostolates in France before being appointed head of the Benelux District in 2022. The communiqué noted his work at Saint Nicolas du Chardonnet in Paris, the church occupied by traditionalists since 1977. The youngest of the four, Father Hanappier, 36, was ordained in 2013 and currently teaches metaphysics and dogmatic theology in Virginia. Before joining the seminary faculty he worked in schools in France and spent a year in Scotland improving his English while assisting in parish ministry. The SSPX was founded in 1970 by Archbishop Lefebvre, the former Superior General of the Holy Ghost Fathers, after disputes over the reforms which followed the Second Vatican Council. Tensions with Rome escalated throughout the 1970s and 1980s, culminating in the consecration of four bishops at Écône on June 30, 1988. Pope John Paul II declared at the time that the consecrations constituted “a schismatic act”, and Lefebvre and the four bishops incurred automatic excommunication. Archbishop Lefebvre defended his actions by arguing that extraordinary measures were necessary to preserve the traditional priesthood and sacraments. Relations between Rome and the SSPX improved under Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who lifted the excommunications of the surviving bishops in 2009 and opened doctrinal talks with the society. Pope Francis later granted SSPX priests faculties to validly hear confessions and allowed local bishops to delegate them to witness marriages under certain conditions. Image: The four priests to be ordained bishop by the Society of St Pius X. From left to right: Father Marc Hanappier, Father Michel Poinsinet de Sivry, Father Michael Goldade and Father Pascal Schreiber. Image: The four priests to be consecrated bishops by the Society of Saint Pius X. From left to right: Father Marc Hanappier, Father Michel Poinsinet de Sivry, Father Michael Goldade and Father Pascal Schreiber.