Pope Leo XIV is facing the first major challenge of his papacy from the Society of Saint Pius X, a traditionalist Catholic group that rejects recent church reforms. The group, also known as the SSPX, plans to ordain four bishops on Wednesday at its seminary in Écône, Switzerland, without the pope’s approval.

Background

The SSPX was founded in 1970 by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, who opposed the reforms introduced by the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s. The group has around 700 priests and 600,000 followers worldwide, but its decision to ordain bishops without papal approval has been deemed a “schismatic” act by the pope.

The pope has appealed to the group not to proceed with the ordinations, warning that the new bishops will be excommunicated if they do. The SSPX has an active presence in the United States, with a headquarters in Missouri and a seminary in Dillwyn, Virginia.

Implications

The crisis has significant implications for the Catholic Church, with Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago warning that the SSPX’s actions could lead to the establishment of a “parallel structure” within the church. The pope has made fostering church unity a focus of his papacy, but the SSPX’s decision has been seen as a major challenge to his authority.

Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.