The Vatican has excommunicated hundreds of thousands of followers of the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX), a traditionalist Catholic sect that broke from the church in opposition to reforms enacted in the 1960s. The decision, which impacts an estimated 600,000 worshippers globally, represents a significant escalation in the Vatican's efforts to rein in the group.
The SSPX was founded in 1970, and its followers reject changes implemented during the Second Vatican Council. Key distinctions include the continued use of Latin for services, priests facing the altar rather than the congregation, and specific protocols for administering communion. Followers also tend to adhere to more socially conservative values.
While bishops from the SSPX were excommunicated in the 1980s, a decision later reversed, the current action extends the penalty to all lay members. This move effectively expels them from the religion and excludes them from participating in sacraments like confession or getting married within the Roman Catholic Church. The Vatican stated that the sacraments administered by SSPX ministers, including penance and marriages, are considered invalid.
Followers like Rita Reid, an SSPX worshipper from Jersey, expressed a sense of defiance, stating the excommunication would not alter her beliefs. She finds SSPX ceremonies more profound and feels they better represent the "true presence of Jesus" compared to contemporary Catholic masses, which she describes as "so weak and wishy-washy."
The SSPX maintains a significant presence in the United States and France, with additional locations across the UK. The group's main center in the UK is in Wimbledon, South London.
This disciplinary action places SSPX members at a critical juncture, forcing them to choose between remaining with a group in "schism" or renouncing their practices to rejoin the Catholic Church. Many within the SSPX, however, believe the Vatican has strayed from true doctrine, rather than their group deviating from established church teachings.