By Festus Fabiyi
The Vatican has excommunicated six bishops from the
ultraconservative Society of St Pius X, accusing the breakaway group of
rejecting fundamental teachings of the Catholic Church and warning that lay
faithful who formally join the movement could face the same punishment.
The decision, announced on Thursday, marks one of the Holy
See's strongest recent actions to address internal divisions within the Church.
Vatican officials said the bishops had persistently refused to recognise key
aspects of Catholic doctrine and Church authority, placing themselves outside
full communion with Rome. As a result, the Church declared that the bishops had
incurred excommunication, the most severe ecclesiastical penalty in Catholic
canon law, which bars individuals from receiving the sacraments and exercising
official roles within the Church.
The Society of St Pius X has remained at odds with the
Vatican for decades over reforms introduced following the Second Vatican
Council in the 1960s. The group strongly opposes several of the Council's
teachings, including the Church's modernisation efforts, support for
interreligious dialogue, greater engagement with the contemporary world and
initiatives aimed at improving relations with other Christian denominations. It
has also criticised changes to the celebration of the Mass and other liturgical
reforms.
In its statement, the Vatican warned that the consequences
could extend beyond the group's leadership. Church authorities said lay
Catholics who formally affiliate with or knowingly support the movement in a
way that constitutes a rejection of Catholic unity may also risk
excommunication. The warning is intended to discourage the spread of what the
Holy See considers a movement that challenges the Church's doctrinal authority
and unity.
Despite repeated efforts over the years to reconcile with
the Society of St Pius X, negotiations have failed to resolve longstanding
theological disagreements. The Vatican maintained that unity within the
Catholic Church must be grounded in acceptance of its teachings and legitimate
authority, stressing that preserving the integrity of the faith remains
essential while leaving the door open for genuine reconciliation should members
of the group choose to return to full communion.
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