Consummatum Est: A Crisis of Unity in the Catholic Church
The Priestly Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) has just consecrated four new bishops in Écône, Switzerland, on July 1. They did so despite Pope Leo XIV’s last-minute warning that proceeding without a papal mandate could have serious consequences, including schism. So now the ball is in Rome’s court, and many of us are waiting to see what the Vatican’s official response will be and whether it will formally declare that the SSPX has entered into schism.
Naturally, Catholics everywhere are asking the same questions. What does the Church actually teach about this? What does the Code of Canon Law say? On paper, the law is pretty straightforward. Consecrating a bishop without the Pope’s approval is considered a schismatic act and carries a latae sententiae excommunication. That’s the legal side of the discussion.
But the SSPX has never denied what the law says. Their argument has always been that extraordinary circumstances create a grave necessity. They appeal to the principle that “the salvation of souls is the supreme law of the Church.” They argue that preserving the traditional priesthood, the traditional liturgy, and the perennial Catholic faith justifies extraordinary actions when they believe the Church is suffering through an unprecedented crisis. Whether someone agrees with that argument or not, that’s the reasoning they’ve consistently presented.
Here’s where I stand.
The foundation of the Church’s visible unity is the Pope. It is the Papacy. It is the office given by Christ to Saint Peter. Sometimes people say that the Eucharist is what unites the Church. The Eucharist is certainly the source and summit of the Christian life, but by itself it is not what guarantees visible ecclesial unity. The Orthodox Churches have a valid Eucharist. They have valid bishops, valid priests, and valid sacraments, yet they remain separated from full communion with the Catholic Church. So the visible principle of unity isn’t simply sharing the Eucharist. It is communion with the successor of Peter. Christ built His Church on the rock of Peter, and remaining united to Peter is
what preserves the visible unity of the Church.
That’s why disobedience to the Pope in a matter as serious as episcopal consecrations is so grave. The sin that wounds the unity of the Church is called schism. No Catholic should celebrate division. No Catholic should desire it. Unity is precious because it was established by Christ Himself.
At the same time, I genuinely sympathize with the SSPX and its mission. I don’t think anyone can honestly deny the tremendous work they’ve done in preserving the ancient Roman liturgy, promoting reverent worship, teaching traditional Catholic doctrine, forming priests, and encouraging devotion to the traditions of the Church. Their love for Catholic tradition is real, and their zeal is undeniable. I understand why so many faithful Catholics have found a home there over the decades.
My concern isn’t with their love for tradition. My concern is with the prudence of this particular decision.
Think about the last pontificate. During Pope Francis’ years there were numerous moments when many traditional Catholics thought another episcopal consecration was imminent. There was the Pachamama controversy. There was Traditionis Custodes. There was the Abu Dhabi document.
There were countless doctrinal ambiguities and pastoral controversies that left many Catholics confused and frustrated. Yet despite all of those events, the SSPX never proceeded with new episcopal consecrations.
Now Pope Leo XIV has only been on the Chair of Peter for about nine months, and this is the moment they choose to move forward.
Personally, I think they should have waited. They should have given the new Pope more time. A year isn’t a long time in the life of the Church. Delaying the consecrations would have allowed room for dialogue, for meetings, for negotiations, and perhaps even for a peaceful solution. That’s simply my opinion. Others may disagree, but I think patience could have prevented us from reaching this point so quickly.
I also understand why many Catholics are frustrated with the Vatican. That’s part of what makes this whole situation so painful.
Many look around and see figures who have generated enormous controversy seemingly remaining in good standing. They point to people like Fr. Marko Rupnik. They point to Fr. James Martin. They point to Fr. Theodore McCarrick. They point to bishops and churchmen whose words or actions have caused scandal or confusion among the faithful. Whether every criticism is fair or not, many Catholics perceive that discipline seems inconsistent. Meanwhile, a priestly society that sees itself as defending Catholic tradition is now facing the possibility of excommunication and being formally declared in schism.
So people naturally ask, “What’s going on here?”
They see the Pope meeting warmly with Orthodox leaders, the female Anglican bishop, public figures like Bad Bunny, and leaders of other religions as part of his diplomatic and ecumenical ministry. Then they wonder why the SSPX appears unable to secure the same kind of personal audience to explain its concerns directly. Whether that perception is entirely accurate or not, it contributes to the frustration many faithful Catholics feel.
Here’s the danger I see. If people believe some groups are constantly encouraged, applauded, and welcomed regardless of how far they are from Catholic doctrine, like the LGBT rainbow movement and heretics, while those who are striving to preserve Catholic tradition feel ignored or treated primarily with discipline, resentment begins to grow. Fairly or unfairly, people start feeling like there’s one standard for some and another standard for everyone else.
That perception is unhealthy for the life of the Church.
It’s a bit like a child asking his parents, “Why am I always the one getting punished while my brothers and sisters seem to get away with everything?” Whether the parents are actually being unfair isn’t even the first issue. The fact that the child perceives unequal treatment eventually damages trust. If that perception isn’t addressed, the relationship begins to break down.
None of this excuses disobedience. None of this justifies schism if schism is indeed what has occurred. Two wrongs never make a right. The Church needs unity, and that unity is found in communion with the successor of Peter. At the same time, Rome should also recognize that many faithful Catholics who love tradition are not enemies of the Church. They are not trying to destroy her. Most simply want clarity, reverence, orthodoxy, and the freedom to hand on what countless generations of Catholics received before them.
This is a heartbreaking moment because nobody truly wins. If the SSPX is declared to be in schism, the whole Church suffers. Traditional Catholics suffer. Ordinary faithful Catholics suffer. The credibility of the Church suffers. We should all be praying that cooler heads prevail, that genuine dialogue continues, and that every effort is made to restore or preserve unity without compromising the truth. The Church has survived countless crises over two thousand years. Let us pray that this becomes another wound that, by God’s grace, is eventually healed rather than one that grows even deeper.