The Vatican announced on July 2, 2026, that Pope Leo XIV had formally excommunicated The Society of Saint Pius X, their priests, bishops, and congregants. SSPX was founded in 1970 in response to the reforms put forth by the Vatican II Council. They embrace an ultra-traditionalist approach to Catholicism, retaining the pre-Vatican II Latin mass while eschewing modern reform and contemporary teachings of the Church.

I’m not sure if this is spite, hypocrisy, or an observation of poetic justice, but I for one, am glad that the Church is finally taking a stand against ultra-traditionalists like the SSPX.  I applaud Pope Leo XIV for his bold action in this regard. For too long, the Church has looked away, even taken the side of ultra-traditionalists, when they have pitted themselves against both ordinary Catholics, and those who specifically embrace the reforms of Vatican II, along with other Church teachings that have espoused a more universal and ecumenical understanding of Catholicism (catholic literally means universal).

Speaking as a post-Vatican II Catholic who attended nearly 12 years of Catholic school and who completed my ministry training and spiritual director training through the Catholic Church, and worked in the Church for ten years, I have been a personal witness to the short-sighted, ill-informed, and harmful actions of ultra-traditionalists. Armed with little more than their felt-sense of superiority (they consider themselves the TRUE believers) I have seen them destroy entire congregations. One such group of ultra-traditionalists attacked our parish during a deeply vulnerable time, turning a loving and peaceful community of 1500 Catholics (in the widest sense meaning “universal) into an angry group of 25 apologists.

This same group of ultra-traditionalists brought their own form of the inquisition to my door, accusing me of sorcery, simony (I had to look that up), and doing the work of the devil, simply because I was fulfilling Jesus’ commandment of healing the sick. They eventually got the local bishop on their side, which further trickled up to the United States Council of Catholic Bishops who issued a prohibition of the specific kind of healing I was offering (Reiki).

In my experience, ultra-traditionalists are (or can be) dangerous. They DO NOT know the fullness of Catholic teaching, yet with this limited knowledge they have proven themselves adept at sowing seeds of discord and undermining the authority and confidence of Church leadership (an ordained priest or bishop should never bow to the pressure of a fearful few).

In excommunicating the SSPX, Pope Leo XIV is reminding all Catholics, priests and bishops included, that the Church is more inclusive and the teachings more universal than the fearful few would want us to believe.

Addendum: In no way shape or form to I claim to know the full extent of Catholic teach, neither am I institutionally devout. I do not believe Catholicism holds a monopoly on the truth. I am not a fan of the hierarchy or the clericalism that defines it. I personally believe Jesus never intended on starting a religion and while I don’t believe the pope is the sole representative of Christ on earth, I respect the role given to him within the context of the institution he has been empowered to lead.