On July 2, 2026, the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) issued a decree declaring that the July 1, 2026 episcopal consecrations of four priests by the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X (SSPX) constituted an “act of a schismatic nature.” The DDF’s reason was that the consecrations were done without Vatican approval, but how can today’s Vatican declare the approbation of anything when most of what they promote has no approval from On High – homosexuality, feminism, synodality, illegal migrant intrusion, and today’s new religion of man? Can we take the Vatican seriously today?
The Vatican decree states that the excommunication occurred ipso facto (by the very fact) so that it was automatic (latae sententiae) under Canon 1387 and Canon 1364 §1 CIC 2021. The decree says that both the consecrating bishops and those consecrated were excommunicated.
“Both the Bishop who, without a pontifical mandate, consecrates a person a Bishop, and the one who receives the consecration from him, incur a latae sententiae excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See.” — Canon 1387, Rorate Caeli
However, Canon Law also states that the illicit consecration of bishops doesn’t necessarily incur ipso facto excommunication. This only happens if the consecrating bishops deliberately defy the pope for the purpose of being independent from Rome, but if the bishops recognize the primacy of the pope and are acting in the best interests of the Church with the intention of being united with Rome, excommunication does not occur.
This applies even if the judgement of the consecrating bishops is flawed by impulse or fear, but as long as they mean well and they believe it is for the best interests of the Church the bishops are not in schism.
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