The Barque of Peter and the Cost of Separation
July 2, 2026
I have been reflecting with great sorrow upon the recent events surrounding the consecration of new bishops by the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX). It grieves me profoundly that they have chosen to take this drastic step into schism. It is not a moment for triumphalism, anger, or recrimination, but for mourning and earnest prayer. Every division within the Mystical Body of Christ is a tragedy, for Our Blessed Lord prayed that His disciples might be one, and unity with the Successor of St. Peter has always been the visible bond of that communion.
I cannot pretend
to understand the mentality that would drive them to such a place, even though
I have offered the Tridentine Mass on a regular basis for longer than many of
their own priests have been ordained. My love for the traditional Roman liturgy
is neither recent nor superficial. I understand its beauty, its reverence, its
theological richness, and the profound spiritual nourishment it has provided
countless faithful throughout the centuries. Yet love for the traditional
liturgy can never be separated from love for the Church that has faithfully
preserved and handed it down. The sacred liturgy belongs to the Church; it is
not the possession of any movement or society, however sincerely devoted they
may believe themselves to be.
I suspect the SSPX
would prefer to frame these events as a courageous defense of Tradition and of
a mythical "Eternal Rome," standing against what they perceive to be
error or compromise. Yet history tells a different story. Throughout the centuries
there have always been those who convinced themselves that fidelity required
separation from Peter. However noble their intentions may have seemed in their
own eyes, they ultimately found themselves outside the visible unity
established by Christ. One cannot preserve Catholic Tradition by severing
oneself from the principle of unity Christ Himself established. The Barque of
Peter has weathered storms far greater than those of our own age, and while
individual occupants may fail, the divine constitution of the Church remains
unchanged.
My own perspective
is perhaps somewhat different because I was not born into the Catholic Church.
I was raised outside the Church founded by Christ for the salvation of mankind.
By the merciful grace of Almighty God, I entered the Catholic Church at the age
of twenty. I did not inherit the Faith as a family tradition; I embraced it
after seeking the truth. Shortly thereafter, encouraged by my parish priest, I
entered the minor seminary to begin formation for the holy priesthood.
It was during
those early years of formation that I first encountered the Tridentine Mass
through a video narrated by the soon-to-be Blessed Fulton Sheen. Coming into the Catholic Church as I did from the Anglo-Catholic tradition, the ancient Roman rite spoke deeply to
my soul. Its solemnity, its unmistakable God-centeredness, and its continuity
with the centuries of Catholic worship captivated me immediately. My
appreciation for the traditional liturgy was born not from ideology or
reaction, but from genuine love for the treasures of the Church.
When Archbishop
Marcel Lefebvre illicitly consecrated four bishops in 1988, I was still in
seminary, only two years away from my ordination to the priesthood. Even then I
recognized the gravity of what had taken place. While many hoped that the
breach might one day be healed, the illicit episcopal consecrations marked a
profound wound in the life of the Church. The events of July 1, 2026, have only
deepened that wound. Rather than moving toward reconciliation, the SSPX has
placed itself—and those bishops, priests, religious, and faithful who follow
them—into schism.
I fear that those responsible will not acknowledge their error. Pride has
always been among the greatest obstacles to repentance. Like a child who has
been lovingly warned of the consequences of his actions yet deliberately
chooses disobedience, responsibility rests with those who knowingly defied the
authority established by Christ. The blame does not belong to the Supreme
Pontiff, Pope Leo XIV, gloriously reigning, who repeatedly made clear both his
desire for unity and the consequences that would follow continued acts of
disobedience.
To all who are
devoted to the Tridentine Mass, I offer a heartfelt appeal. Never forget
that the Church was founded upon the solid rock of Peter. The beauty of the
ancient liturgy, precious though it is, must never become an occasion for
separation from the Church herself. Our Lord did not promise indefectibility to
a liturgical form, a particular movement, or even to individual bishops. He
promised it to His Church, built upon Peter and his successors.
It is not enough
merely to profess affection or respect for the Holy Father. Genuine Catholic
fidelity requires filial obedience to the Vicar of Christ in all matters in
which he legitimately exercises his office. Such obedience is an act of faith in Christ's own promise that the gates of hell shall not
prevail against His Church. Throughout history, saints have endured confusion,
poor leadership, persecution, and even scandal within the Church without
abandoning communion with Peter.
The temptation to
place one's own judgment above that of the Church is as ancient as the Fall
itself. Pride is the great deceiver. It disguises itself as zeal, courage, or
even fidelity, while quietly leading souls away from the humility that lies at
the heart of authentic holiness. The devil has no objection to our loving
beautiful liturgy if he can persuade us to do so at the expense of ecclesial
communion. In the end, obedience rooted in humility is a far safer guide than
conviction rooted in self-assurance.
May Our Lady, the
August Queen of Heaven, obtain for all those attached to the Society of St.
Pius X the grace to recognize the seriousness of this separation and the
courage to return to full communion with the Church. May she also preserve all
of us from the subtle snares of pride, self-will, and spiritual blindness. And
may she lead us ever more faithfully to her Divine Son, so that, persevering in
the unity of His Holy Catholic Church, we may one day come to behold the
Beatific Vision of God and rejoice with all the saints in His eternal kingdom.