Vatican Drops Big Spell on Splinter Group: Half a Million Excommunicated

Sun Sep 06 2026 14:38:48 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Catholic Church has excommunicated an estimated 600,000 followers of the Society of Saint Pius X, sparking outrage and debate over tradition and modernity.

Vatican officials surprised the world by declaring that all members of the conservative SSPX split, in addition to its bishops, were now excommunicated and considered schismatic. The decree followed the group's unauthorized consecration of bishops in Geneva, an act that defied Pope Leo XIV. While the excommunication tightened Rome’s hold on traditionalists, it also opened a door for those wanting to return to the mainstream fold. The ruling underscores how the Church is grappling with internal divisions and whether traditionalist voices can be integrated or must be expelled.

Vatican drops a huge reality check on the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX), a traditionalist Catholic group that left the fold in 1970. Officially, as of Thursday, more than 600,000 worshippers are declared excommunicated and schismatic, a decision that comes after the sect’s bishops consecrated four new leaders in Geneva without Rome’s permission.

The Vatican’s decree states that the SSPX’s sacraments, including penance and marriages, are invalid, and that lay members can no longer receive the Eucharist or confessions. Yet the papal office offers a glowing welcome to those who leave the group and wish to re‑join the mainstream Catholic Church.

The SSPX, which rejects many post‑Vatican II reforms, still holds services in Latin and keeps priests facing the altar instead of the congregation. Some members describe their Masses as “profoundly true”, saying that the modern liturgy feels “weak” and “wishy‑washy.” On the front line, a 76‑year‑old Jersey resident said the excommunication “doesn’t change anything” for her, and that the Vatican no longer does what she believes is right.

Historically, bishops from the SSPX were once excommunicated in the 1980s, only to be reinstated later. The current fallout marks the most aggressive action ever taken by Rome against the group, pushing it further from papal authority and intensifying the debate over tradition versus reform in the global Catholic community.