Kansas City archbishop: The Church’s doors remain open to SSPX

July 04, 2026

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CWN Editor's Note: Addressing “those members of the faithful who have attended missions or apostolates associated with the Society of Saint Pius X,” the archbishop of Kansas City, Kansas, said that “they should know that they are loved by the Church and remain the object of our prayers for unity.”

“Nevertheless, the faithful should be aware that, as the Holy See has explained, the ministry exercised by the Society is not legitimate in the life of the Church: the sacraments celebrated by its ministers are illicit, and the sacraments of Penance and Matrimony administered by them are now invalid,” said Archbishop Shawn McKnight, who added:

Because participation in the worship and apostolic life of a schismatic community objectively expresses and fosters separation from the Church’s communion, Catholics may not knowingly take part in the Society’s liturgical celebrations, apostolates, or other activities. Such participation is not merely discouraged but is gravely contrary to the unity of the Church and, when undertaken with full knowledge and deliberate consent, is sinful. Clergy and laity alike are further admonished not to adhere to the Society’s schism, lest they incur the penalty of excommunication latae sententiae.

We therefore encourage all who have participated in the Society’s apostolates to remain united to the Holy Father and to seek the guidance of our priests regarding any questions that may arise from this unfortunate situation, especially if they have concerns about the validity of sacraments they may have received ...

We continue to pray that those who have taken this step may one day be restored to full communion. The Church’s doors remain open, and our hope remains that the unity for which Christ prayed may one day be fully realized.

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