First, every Catholic has a right to bishops, priests, and liturgies that are clearly, unquestionably Catholic and reliable, not to mention of their own liturgical rite (LINK). The Novus Odo is de facto a different rite than the ancient rite, therefore we have a right to the “Tridentine rite,” and “Tridentine” trained clergy. That is both “Tridentine” priests, but also “Tridentine” bishops to examine their candidacy and then ordain them.
That is common sense.
Therefore going forward, the SSPX faithful have a right to new traditional Bishops before Bishops Fellay or Bishop De Gallareta might suddenly die, both being now old. It is prudent to not wait any longer. With or without papal approval, out of prudence for that critical situation, they must continue to have un-compromised traditional priests, teaching, liturgy, and sacraments. And therefore traditional bishops.
To survive.
That also is common sense.
Second, just as it was during the Arian heresy in which the Church in a general, indirect way gave supplied jurisdiction to bishops like St. Athanasius, because of epikia (LINK), so too it does today to the SSPX bishops. Their rightful apostolicity is derived from the line of Archbishop Lefebvre, who himself received apostolicity from the canonical bishop who ordained him. His apostolicity continued later under epikia or supplied jurisdiction, similar to Athanasius. Because the Crisis in both times was so severe that they could avail themselves of supplied jurisdiction.
That also is common sense, when comparing the conciliar period to the Arian period, this period being actually much worse.
Third, as things are, the disparity between an SSPX seminarian and the local modernist Ordinary is so great in terms of theology, doctrine, liturgy, and overall mindset, that they are not obliged to approach them for training or ordination, but rather are obliged by prudence to not approach them. Therefore, with or without papal approval, there still is a state of strict necessity that traditional bishops must be consecrated to ordain these men, to continue not only the SSPX, but the whole Church, in her Tradition, and the traditional priesthood.
Again, that is common sense.
Fourth, according to Catholic Tradition, episcopal consecration without papal approval is not intrinsically, doctrinally a schismatic act (LINK) unless in principle it is done to separate from the pope, or to deny the pope’s universal right to appoint or ratify new bishops. There were centuries in which bishops legitimately ordained new bishops without ever consulting the pope, because they were in principle doing so in union with the pope as having universal jurisdiction and final authority. This is why never before, until Pius XII, had the Church excommunicated bishops for consecrating without papal mandate.
Yet, that 1950’s law of Pius XII must be interpreted narrowly applying to the situation of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association for which it was created, and the same kind of situation, which is/was both a heretical and schismatic organization in principle, in their own false doctrine asserting they are not subject to the pope since he is a “foreign leader.” The Chinese State and Chinese Communist Party is for them the ultimate authority over Catholics in China, not the pope. They are basically a National Schismatic Church like the Church of England.
This is not what the Society is, nor is doing.
Again, this is common sense.
Fifth, above and beyond canon law is moral law and basic decency, the natural law and divine law actually being on a higher level than human law (secular OR even ecclesial), according to St. Thomas. link. Everyone who is aware of and sympathetic about the universal doctrinal and liturgical crisis in the Church since the Council, and the history of good will in the SSPX, especially in its contacts with Rome, especially in its overt diplomacy since 2000, will compare the SSPX in contrast to the state of contradiction and hypocrisy coming from Rome itself, doing the “excommunications.”
It is obvious to moral common sense that this is a persecution of one group for being faithful and orthodox, by a group being unfaithful and unorthodox.
And therefore this is a clash between a kind of schismatic “Ape of the Church,” a term used by Venerable Fulton Sheen, and those who represent the true Church. This alone shows the “excommunications” are “absolutely null and void,” to borrow the exclamatory phrase used by the Archbishop at the 1988 consecrations. Even more so than legal arguments.
Legalism fades away as soon as basic moral teaching and common sense weighs in.
As St. Thomas says, any law, and that would include a legal decision like an excommunication, which is gravely unjust, is no law at all (LINK).
Sixth, it is even more legitimate to hold these “excommunications” to be null and void because, unlike 1988, we have today two bishops in good canonical standing and with great reputations as being extraordinarily faithful to orthodoxy and piety, defending the SSPX and the legitimacy of the 2026 consecrations. They are retired Bishop Stickler, and Bishop Schneider. The laity have a right to follow their positions as bishops and theologians, as having spiritual and moral authority.
And seventh, lastly, the SSPX can immediately appeal this, on further grounds. Take this case before the tribunal in Rome and before the public forum, never stopping to be a thorn in the side of the Great Apostasy. To help defeat it one day.
If history repeats itself, Rome won’t follow due canonical process or fairness (like how they treated Archbishops Lefebvre and Vigano), betraying a coverup of the fact the “excommunications” lack solid ground, justice, or charity. Everybody will use common sense to see how Leo and Tucho would continue to ignore and be indifferent to the Society, and even more so to the doctrinal reasons justifying its existence.
Conclusion
The pope himself repeatedly ignored them and their requests for communication and meetings from the summer of 2025 leading up until July 1st, 2026, while meeting with the likes of female “archbishops” and heretical LGBTQ activist celebrity priests. He as the Chief Pastor has violated his pastoral duty to at least try to prevent an apparent “schism.” The SSPX has practically begged him to talk directly to him, and to confirm them in the Faith.
All they’ve gotten back are LINK.
Tucho Fernandez also refused the pastoral duty of an intellectually honest, bilateral doctrinal discussion, which the Society wanted, instead imposing the unilateral requirement of total blind assent to every low level, problematic statement made in every conciliar document, under the facade of dialogue. That is tyrannical coercion to shut down legitimate discussions and critiques, under threat of something, if true, could lead to damnation.
If not, but they still go ahead and consecrate, despite the practical necessity of it,, then it will be “excommunication,” which if valid would be damnable.
That ultimatum was transparently nasty and sinister. And approved by Leo.
My last thought is, the Vatican should have given a formal warning to the entire SSPX clergy and religious, not just the bishops, all affiliated religious orders, and all 500,000 lay Catholics attached to the SSPX, that any support for the consecrations will result in their own automatic “excommunication.” IF the “excommunications” end up spreading to all of them. Yet they keep that as a possibility, a perpetual threat hanging over the people’s heads. To explain how exactly that would occur, under what circumstances, to avoid confusion.
The people are of good will, understanding it is not meant as a schismatic break, but only an emergency measure to provide essentially auxiliary bishops to continue ordaining and confirming within the pre-conciliar framework. To validly be excommunicated, you have to actually commit and be guilty of the schismatic act, but as described, the laity’s action is also by INTENTION built into that act of support for the consecrations, not to break with the Pope and the Church. Therefore, they cannot be guilty, and not truly “excommunicated,” if it comes to that.
In conclusion, the above common sense arguments are besides the main canonical arguments already made, that will continue to be made by canonists and theologians, going into the finer points of certain canon laws, norms of canon law, and principles of jurisprudence. Which is way above my pay grade.
Anybody with good will and common sense can see these “excommunications” are not only worthless, but a sign of contradiction between all Catholics faithful to Tradition vs. the modernists who have been appointed to the highest levels of authority. By now, most can take a moment to review the above points in their mind like an ordinary person, not necessarily as an armchair theologian, and themselves toss the papers of “excommunication” to the wind.
Life goes on………
The true Catholic Church continues her mission to save souls……….
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