Vatican excommunicates followers of global Catholic sect

Image source, EPA Image caption, Worshippers at a Mass organised by the Society of Saint Pius X in Switzerland on Wednesday By Catherine Wyatt BBC religious affairs Published 2 July 2026, 16:44 BST Updated 2 hours ago The Vatican has excommunicated followers of a conservative Catholic splinter sect, the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX), a day after it consecrated four new bishops in Geneva against Pope Leo XIV's direct instruction. In a decree, it said the Society's total of six bishops were excommunicated - and, in a highly unusual move, it added that any lay members who "formally adhere" to the group "are to be considered schismatic and excommunicated". But those who left the SSPX would be welcomed back "with sincere affection". The Vatican later clarified that not all members would be excommunicated automatically, but those who "habitually participate" in SSPX celebrations and "formally share its doctrinal positions" would be. Controversial bishops ordained as Pope warns of 'schism' in Catholic Church Published 1 day ago Who is Robert Prevost, the new Pope Leo XIV? Published 9 May 2025 The SSPX was founded in 1970 in opposition to the modernising reforms made by the Roman Catholic Church in the 1960s, at what was known as the Second Vatican Council. The Society is thought to number around 600,000 worshippers globally. In response to the Vatican's decree, Rita Reid, an SSPX worshipper from Jersey in the Channel Islands, said: "It actually makes me feel quite strong. "Before the consecrations yesterday I said to my husband, 'Do you know what? Even if they excommunicate us, go ahead, bring it on, it's not going to make one bit of difference.'" The Society rejects changes made to how Mass is celebrated - for example it still holds its services in Latin rather than everyday language, and priests face the altar rather than the congregation. In SSPX Masses the communion bread has to be given straight into the mouths of kneeling worshippers by the priest, as opposed to churchgoers being able to stand and hold it themselves. Women in the group also tend to cover their heads for services and followers of SSPX tend to be more socially conservative in general. The SSPX also opposes the modern Catholic Church's stance on more dialogue with other Christian denominations and other faiths. For Rita, 76, SSPX ceremonies are much more "profound", where she feels "the true presence of Jesus". She says there is no comparison with the standard Catholic Mass, which she describes as "so weak and wishy-washy". The retired B&B owner used to attend modern Catholic services as well as SSPX ones, but complained that in the standard Mass traditional social values - like no sex before marriage - was no longer taught. "I think a lot of young people now that go to novus ordo [the standard liturgy] think 'oh well, it's all right, we can do these things'." The Society's main presence is in the US and France but it holds Masses at 26 locations around the UK, from Lerwick in Shetl