The Vatican has declared the Society of Saint Pius X in schism and imposed automatic excommunication on its bishops and members after unauthorized consecrations at Écône.The decree signed by Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández names Alfonso de Galarreta, Bernard Fellay and the four newly consecrated bishops as excommunicated and says sacraments of penance and marriage by Society clergy are illicit or invalid.The Vatican warns clergy and lay faithful that formal adherence to the Society will incur the same canonical penalty but reiterates that the Holy See remains open to reconciliation for those who repent and seek readmission to full communion.Canonists noted the move follows repeated failed attempts at reconciliation since the group’s founding by
Marcel Lefebvre and warned the schism could complicate pastoral care for roughly 600K adherents attached to the
Latin Mass.