Controversial bishops ordained as Pope warns of 'schism' in Catholic Church
Fears of a schism within the Catholic Church are growing after controversial bishops were ordained, despite warnings from the Pope.
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The Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX), an ultra-conservative Catholic sect, proceeded with the ordination of four new bishops in Ecône, Switzerland, on July 1, 2026. This act of defiance occurred despite repeated warnings from Pope Leo XIV, who had urged the group to reconsider. Thousands of worshippers gathered in the Swiss Alps to witness the controversial ceremony.
Pope Leo XIV condemned the ordinations as a "schismatic act" and a "sin of extreme gravity," which automatically results in excommunication under Catholic Church law. The SSPX, founded in 1970 in opposition to the modernizing reforms of the Second Vatican Council, maintains a parallel structure within the Church and has previously engaged in similar unsanctioned ordinations in 1988.
What each outlet emphasizes
- BBC: reports on the controversial ordinations and the Pope's warning of schism
- The Guardian: emphasizes fears of a Catholic schism due to defiant sect ordaining ultra-conservative bishops
Read it at the source
theguardian.com ↗ ncregister.com ↗ smdailyjournal.com ↗ swedenherald.com ↗ britannica.com ↗