Your gift counts double until 5/31: $21,473 to go in our Easter Campaign. Please help now!

SSPX ordinations are illicit: Vatican spokesman

CWN - July 05, 2011

The ordinations of new priests within the traditionalist Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) are “illegitimate,” the Vatican’s top spokesman has told reporters.

Answering reporters’ questions about the traditionalist group, Father Federico Lombardi, the director of the Vatican press office, pointed out that although Pope Benedict XVI has lifted the excommunication of the bishops who head the SSPX, those bishops remain suspended from ministry.

Father Lombardi cited the Pope’s letter to the world’s bishops, issued on March 10, 2009. The Pope said in that letter that the SSPX “has no canonical status” and consequently its leaders “do not legitimately exercise any ministry in the Church.”

Additional sources for this story
Some links will take you to other sites, in a new window.

An appeal from our founder, Dr. Jeffrey Mirus:

Dear reader: If you found the information on this page helpful in your pursuit of a better Catholic life, please support our work with a donation. Your donation will help us reach five million Truth-seeking readers worldwide this year. Thank you!

Easter Campaign:
Progress toward our Spring 2013 goal ($21,473 to go):
$80,000.00 $58,527.50
27% 73%
Sound Off! CatholicCulture.org supporters weigh in.

All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!

Show 1 Comments? (Hidden)Hide Comments
  • Posted by: jimgrum697380 - Jul. 07, 2011 9:12 PM ET USA

    Bishop Fellay's comments at the ordination in the US were interesting. He cited specific examples of the struggle within the Vatican between those who despise the traditional Faith and those who are working to restore order. Fellay was advised in personal conversation by a Vatican official that not everything that "comes from the Vatican" is from the the Holy Father. The behind-the-scenes struggles are remarkable, and there are powerful figures in the Church working against Pope Benedict.

Catholic World News Email Newsletter
Donate to Support this Site: Your contribution will be put to good work.
Tour the CatholicCulture.org Site
Shop Amazon to Raise Money for Catholic Culture

Recent Catholic Commentary

Revealing News, and Revealing Christ 4 hours ago
The Russell Ford problem 5 hours ago
Fr. Thadeus Nguyen Van Ly: Your Letter May Help 11 hours ago
The Rise and Fall of the (American?) Church May 23
The Ideal of Pope Francis: the Servant Church May 23

Top Catholic News

Most Important Stories of the Last 30 Days
Pope strongly supports call for reform in religious life CWN - May 8