Pope makes last-ditch appeal to Lefebvrists to stop bishop ordinations

Pope Leo XIV has made a last-ditch

appeal to the ultra-traditionalist Lefebvrist group for it to

drop its plan to ordain four new bishops without a pontifical

mandate on Wednesday.

The Vatican has said this would amount to a schismatic act and

entail excommunication.

"The Church recognizes the devotion to liturgical life,

commitment to priestly formation, apostolic zeal and desire for

fidelity to tradition that characterize many people and

communities connected to your fraternity," the American pontiff

wrote in a letter dated June 29.

"This has motivated the attentive and generous attitude that my

predecessors have consistently shown to you.

"In this spirit, and filled with Christian affection, I plead

with you and ask you with all my heart: please turn back!.

"I urge you to consider carefully the spiritual good of the

faithful, because the schismatic act you are about to undertake

would deprive them of the licit and, in some cases, even valid

reception of the Sacraments, which they love and seek for their

sanctification.

"The Church is open to a path of dialogue and understanding that

the Holy Spirit can make possible and fruitful.

"I pray for you, because to tear the seamless garment of Christ

is a sin of extreme gravity.

"May the Lord enlighten your consciences and awaken your hearts.

"With a sorrowful yet hopeful heart, I feel it is my duty,

through the authority received from Christ, to ask you to desist

from your intended act".

The Switzerland-based fraternity, whose official name is the

Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) and has hundreds of thousands of

followers, was founded in 1970 by late French Archbishop Marcel

Lefebvre in opposition to the changes adopted with the Second

Vatican Council of some 60 years ago.

The break from the Catholic Church was cemented with the

excommunication of four bishops Lefebvre consecrated without the

Apostolic Mandate in 1988.

Pope Benedict XVI lifted the excommunication in 2009 and Pope

Francis subsequently said SSPX priests can celebrate marriages

in traditionalist churches under some circumstances, a move that

was followed by attempts to bring the group fully back into the

fold.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA