The official decree from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith declaring the excommunication of the clergy of the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) was published in the early morning hours today.
Below is an unofficial working translation of the decree and the explanatory note into English:
DECREE
Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith
Prot. No. 99/2009
Despite the warnings addressed to the Superior General of the Priestly Society of Saint Pius X, Bishop Alfonso de Galarreta, by carrying out an act of a schismatic nature through the episcopal consecration of four priests without a pontifical mandate and against the will of the Supreme Pontiff, has incurred ipso facto the penalties provided for in can. 1387 and can. 1364 §1 of the 2021 Code of Canon Law.
Therefore, I declare, with all juridical effects, that the aforementioned Bishop Alfonso de Galarreta, together with Pascal Schreiber, Michael Goldade, Michel Poinsinet de Sivry, and Marc Hanappier, have incurred ipso facto the latae sententiae excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See.
I further declare that Bishop Bernard Fellay, having participated directly in the liturgical celebration as co-consecrator and thereby having publicly adhered to the schismatic act, has incurred the latae sententiae excommunication provided for in can. 1364 §1 of the 2021 Code of Canon Law.
Clerics and lay faithful are warned not to adhere to the schism of the Priestly Society of Saint Pius X, lest they themselves incur ipso facto the penalty of latae sententiae excommunication.
Given at the Palace of the Dicastery,
2 July 2026.
Víctor Manuel Cardinal Fernández
Prefect
Archbishop John J. Kennedy
Secretary for the Disciplinary Section
Msgr. Armando Matteo
Secretary for the Doctrinal Section
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith
Prot. No. 99/2009
From the time of St. Paul VI until the most recent meetings held at this Dicastery, the many attempts to restore to full communion with the Catholic Church those adhering to the movement begun by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre have proved fruitless.
This situation has been further aggravated by the recent episcopal consecrations carried out without a pontifical mandate, against the will of the Holy Father, and in open violation of canon law.
Accordingly, this Dicastery, in the faithful exercise of the responsibilities entrusted to it, considers it necessary to state that this act constitutes the canonical crime of schism, with the corresponding canonical consequences for the sacred ministers and lay faithful involved.
Indeed, as was already declared in 1988, “such disobedience—which carries with it a practical rejection of the Roman Primacy—constitutes a schismatic act” (cf. John Paul II, Apostolic Letter Ecclesia Dei, no. 3).
Therefore, from this point forward:
1. Sacred ministers belonging to the Priestly Society of Saint Pius X are in schism and must therefore be regarded as schismatics (cf. Ecclesia Dei, no. 5c; Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, Explanatory Note on the Excommunication for Schism Incurred by Adherents of the Movement of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, 24 August 1996, nos. 5–6), and are therefore subject to the excommunication prescribed by law (can. 1364 §1 CIC).
2. With regard to the lay faithful, those who formally adhere to the Priestly Society of Saint Pius X under the conditions established in the 1996 Explanatory Note of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts (cf. ibid., no. 7), which remains in force and which this Dicastery hereby adopts as its own, are likewise to be regarded as schismatics and excommunicated.
3. Finally, the holy People of God are informed that the sacred ministers of the Priestly Society of Saint Pius X administer the sacraments illicitly, and that the sacrament of Penance administered by them and the marriages at which they assist are invalid.
The Church, as a loving mother, will receive with sincere affection and pastoral solicitude all those who desire to return to full communion. The Apostolic Nuncios will establish procedures that local Ordinaries may use in individual cases.
Finally, all the faithful are exhorted to remain steadfast in communion with the Roman Pontiff, with the bishops in communion with him, and with the whole Church (cf. Lumen Gentium, no. 22; can. 751 CIC), and to refrain from participating in celebrations and activities promoted by the aforesaid Priestly Society of Saint Pius X.
Given at the Palace of the Dicastery,
2 July 2026.
Víctor Manuel Cardinal Fernández
Prefect
Msgr. Armando Matteo
Secretary for the Doctrinal Section
Archbishop John J. Kennedy
Secretary for the Disciplinary Section
Mike Lewis is the founding managing editor of Where Peter Is. In addition to his work for the site, his writing has appeared in America Magazine, National Catholic Reporter, US Catholic, The Irish Catholic, Catholic Outlook, The Synodal Times, and other Catholic publications. He has been quoted in The Washington Post, Vanity Fair, The New York Post, and other mainstream outlets on Catholic affairs. He previously co-hosted the Field Hospital podcast with Jeannie Gaffigan and The Debrief podcast. Before founding Where Peter Is, he worked in communications at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and Catholic Climate Covenant. He is married with four children.
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