Cardinal Zen urges SSPX to trust Pope Leo

March 06, 2026

Cardinal Joseph Zen has issued an appeal to the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) to avoid a schism—while also voicing sympathy for the traditionalist group and criticizing the Vatican’s response to their pleas.

“A schism must be avoided with every effort, because it will cause serious and lasting damage to the Church,” the retired Hong Kong prelate wrote in a post on X (Twitter). He immediately added: “But on the other hand a major issue of conscience must also be respected.”

“How can we force someone to follow teachings that clearly deny the holy tradition of the Church?” asked Cardinal Zen, who has been critical of recent statements from the Vatican and especially of the drive for synodality.

The cardinal was particularly critical of the Vatican choice to have Cardinal Victor Fernandez respond to the SSPX plea for permission to ordain new bishops. Cardinal Fernandez, he said, “intends to dismantle the Church’s teachings—how could he not hate the SSPX?”

However Cardinal Zen said that Pope Leo would listen to the SSPX pleas. He wrote: “He understands and will make his children understand that certain things perpetrated in the name of the so-called ‘spirit of the Council,’ but contrary to the Church’s tradition, are not of the Council.”

“Let us place our trust in Pope Leo,” the cardinal concluded. “He has begun the catechesis on the documents of the Council; it is to them that we must all return!”

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• Posted by: filioque - Mar. 07, 2026 5:03 PM ET USA

  Pope Leo has made it clear that he sees his job as carrying out the program of his predecessor and Vatican II, apparently as interpreted by the most "reform minded." It will be a miracle if he gives any ground to the SSPX but we can hope. Meanwhile, I think the SSPX should proceed with the episcopal consecrations. As Bishop Schneider has said, if the Vatican remains intransigent and there is a further rift, it will be the Vatican's fault.

• Posted by: zimmerjzz2099 - Mar. 07, 2026 10:07 AM ET USA

  What kind of pressure must have been applied for virtually every cardinal who still appeared to understand that the Church wasn't born in 1962 has now knelt before the overwhelmingly corrupt crowd that now runs it and uses it primarily as a highly destructive Marxist/woke political tool?

• Posted by: brenda22890 - Mar. 07, 2026 5:32 AM ET USA

  Thank God for Cardinal Zen's courage. I'm sure the Vatican dismisses him. I am a Novus Ordo Mass goer, but Cardinal Zen speaks for so many of us.

• Posted by: Retired01 - Mar. 06, 2026 7:50 PM ET USA

  I can only hope that Cardinal Zen is right and that the SSPX, and by the way the rest of us, "can place our trust in Pope Leo." I can only hope that this is no wishful thinking.

• Posted by: sav4later2502 - Mar. 06, 2026 6:26 PM ET USA

  Having no background in theology, nevertheless, I have been insulted for decades with the anti-Traditional Latin Mass attitude of so many in the Church's hierarchy. The Bishop in Charlotte NC, is one of those in that camp. Alienating faithful Catholics because of personal preference is not the action of one who is caring for his flock. Because if my age, I was not eligible to become a deacon, but I have earned my Doctor of Ministry degree, and their actions make no sense. JMJ, pray for us.

• Posted by: grateful1 - Mar. 06, 2026 6:06 PM ET USA

  Cardinal Zen is a treasure. Not surprisingly, he struck all the right notes here.