Skip to main content

The SSPX and the Canonical Reality of Schism

September 13, 2025

Schism is the refusal of submission to the Roman Pontiff or communion with those subject to him. The Society meets both canonical elements even though only one is required for schism.

The Society has refused submission to the Pope's jurisdiction because it has repeatedly reject the Protocol agreements of the Holy See which included accepting the Catholic Church's Profession of Faith (which the Society rejects, like all schismatics). They refuse communion with the Roman Catholic Church which they call the "conciliar church."

The Society also refuses communion with 99% of those in the Roman Rite, because they reject the Novus Ordo. 

Those are the canonical elements of the crime of schism. And these elements are proven in the external forum by a notoriety of fact.

But let's face it. Given that Society's theological arguments are so poor and have all been refuted (ask Fr Laisney about our exchanges and challenges to the Society's false understanding of Collegiality which remain unanswered, as just one example), there must be another motivation which keeps them separated from the Church. That, I believe, is financial. Will the Society ever be willing to turn its wealth (real estate, investments, etc) over to the local bishops or Holy See? I don't think so.

As Pope Pius XII teaches in Mystici Corporis, those who are not subject to the Church's divine government are neither living in the Body nor the Spirit of the Catholic Church.

I pray that SSPX priests continue to leave this schism and come into the only ark of salvation, for the salvation of their own souls.

In Christ,
John Salza, J.D , O.P. 

Popular posts from this blog

Lefebvre: Marks of the Church only with SSPX, not with others

Lefebvre: Marks of the Church only with SSPX, not with others "Where is the visible Church? The visible Church is recognized by the signs that she has always given for her visibility: she is One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic. (…) where are the true marks of the Church? Are they more in the official Church (it is not the visible Church, it is the official Church) or with us, in what we represent, what we are? If there is still any visibility of the Church today, it is thanks to you. These signs are no longer found in others. There is no longer any unity of faith among them, yet it is faith that is the basis of all visibility of the Church. Catholicity is one faith in space. Apostolicity is one faith in time and holiness is the fruit of faith, which materializes in souls by the grace of God, by the grace of the sacraments. It is quite wrong to consider ourselves as if we were not part of the visible Church. […] is to make a mistake in equating the official Church with th...

As a dog that returneth to his vomit, so is the fool that repeateth his folly: The folly of the Transalpine Redemptorists

As a dog that returneth to his vomit, so is the fool that repeateth his folly. -Proverbs 26:11, DRB Let's start off with what was publicly stated by the Transalpine Redemptorists in 2008. Read how important undisputed communion with Rome is for them... back in 2008. Tuesday, July 01, 2008 Canonical Good Standing 1 July, 2008 Feast of the Precious Blood My dear friends, I am happy to inform you that last June 18th, before Cardinal Castrillon and the members of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei in Rome, I humbly petitioned the Holy See on my own behalf and on behalf of the monastery council for our priestly suspensions to be lifted. On June 26th I received word that the Holy See had granted our petition. All canonical censures have been lifted. Our community now truly rejoices in undisputed and peaceful posession of Communion with the Holy See because our priests are now in canonical good standing. We are very grateful to our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI for issuing, last July,...

Fr. Brian Harrison, OS, MA, STD on the Status of the SSPX

Father Brian Harrison, OS, MA, STD on The Journey Home (EWTN) Editor, L. Gonzaga: With permission, I publish here a private group message written by Fr. Brian Harrison, OS, MA, STD addressed to two SSPX priests, whom I am not naming as their emails have not been approved for publication. This message was in support of an initial case made by Dr. Robert Sungenis on the status of the SSPX. On Fri, Sep 12, 2025, 5:55 PM Brian Harrison wrote: If I may be permitted to weigh in here:   Dr. Sungenis is right.  Pope Benedict XVI, even when lifting the 1988 excommunications on the SSPX bishops in 2009, said (via the Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops), that the Society was not "in full communion" with the Catholic Church, and that he hoped this gesture would be a step towards bringing them back into full communion.    As is well known, "not in full communion" with the Catholic Church is just the polite, ecumenically-oriented post-Vatican II term for being in schism ...