Full Breakdown
Pope Leo XIV’s France Visit Shadowed by SSPX Schism
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
In July 2026 the Vatican issued a decree excommunicating six bishops ordained by the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) without papal approval and declaring any lay members who “formally adhere” to the group schismatic. The decree arrived weeks before Pope Leo XIV’s four-day apostolic journey to France, scheduled to begin on September 25, 2026 and conclude on September 28, 2026. The excommunications raise the prospect of a confrontation at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, a highlight of the papal itinerary.
Background & Context
The SSPX was founded in 1970 by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre in reaction to the reforms of the Second Vatican Council. The group rejects the Council’s liturgical changes, insists on the Latin Mass, and opposes religious-freedom dialogue. Pope John Paul II excommunicated SSPX bishops in 1988; Pope Benedict XVI lifted the censures in 2009, and Pope Francis later allowed SSPX priests to officiate marriages under limited conditions. The July 2026 decree reverses those concessions, signaling a firmer papal stance.
Data & Statistics
- SSPX membership is reported at roughly 600,000 worldwide while the Society also claims about 700 priests.
- In France the Society runs more than 50 “hors-contrat” schools that do not follow the national curriculum.
- The Lourdes pilgrimage is expected to draw around 150,000 attendees for the papal Mass.
Official Statements & Responses
- Martin Dumont, a historian at Sorbonne University, says “Leo XIV is a pacifist and a gentle man, determined to heal the wounds of the Church. A key priority for him is unity around the texts of Vatican II.”
- Father Gonzague Peignot noted, “Beyond the Society’s temporary difficulties with the Vatican, this visit represents a special honour for all Catholics in France, and we cannot remain indifferent to it.”
- The bishop of Tarbes and Lourdes announced that SSPX members will be barred from organising events at the sanctuary in October, including the annual Pilgrimage of Christ the King.
Criticism & Opposition
French authorities have placed the SSPX under surveillance, and former members have accused the group of cult-like practices and sectarian abuse. Investigations of SSPX-run schools uncovered textbooks that glorify Marshal Philippe Pétain and omit the term “Shoah,” prompting criticism of the Society’s ideological orientation.
On-the-Ground Reports
Local clergy in the Tarbes-Lourdes diocese have enforced the ban on SSPX activities at the pilgrimage site. SSPX senior figures, including Father Peignot, have pledged a conciliatory tone, stating the Society will not seek confrontation with the Pope while monitoring his positions on societal issues.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Membership figures differ: 600,000 worldwide versus 700 priests. No updated official count has been released.
- The precise effect of the excommunications on the scheduled September 25 opening Mass at Notre-Dame and the Lourdes Mass remains unclear, as the Vatican has not issued a detailed contingency plan.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Leo – Robert Prevost before his election as pope – has French connections on both sides of his family tree,” — Christopher White.
- “He visited Lourdes twice on pilgrimage: at the age of 19, when he was a student, and again aged 29, when he was a very young priest,” — Martin Dumont.
The excommunication of SSPX leaders has turned Pope Leo XIV’s historic return to France into a litmus test for the Vatican’s ability to enforce post-Vatican II unity while navigating a deeply divided French Catholic landscape.