Appendix A: Primary Source Documents
The following primary documents are cited throughout this work, and especially in Articles 3 and 4. The Holy See documents among them (A.1, A.6, A.7) are reproduced here in full for verification; the Society's own documents (A.2–A.5) are cited with links to the published originals rather than reproduced in full (see the fair use notice at the end of this Appendix). Ecclesial texts released in Italian are given in the English rendering identified in each citation; a direct vatican.va posting is cited where one was located, and where only an official Holy See outlet (Vatican News) was available that is noted.
A.1 Pope Leo XIV, Letter to the Superior General of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X (29 June 2026)
Source: vatican.va (Italian original), https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/it/letters/2026/documents/20260629-lettera-fraternita-sanpiox.html (last visited July 17, 2026). English rendering via Vatican News.
To the Reverend
Fr. Davide Pagliarani
Superior General
of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X
With a paternal heart, and aware of the responsibility entrusted to me by the Lord as the Successor of the Apostle Peter, I address you and, through you, the bishops, priests, seminarians and faithful connected to the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X.
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. 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. I entrust these intentions to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Mother of Good Counsel.
From the Vatican, 29 June 2026
Solemnity of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul
LEO PP. XIV
A.2 Fr. Davide Pagliarani, Letter in Reply to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV (30 June 2026)
Source: FSSPX News, https://fsspx.news/en/news/letter-superior-general-response-his-holiness-pope-leo-xiv-59914 (last visited July 17, 2026).
A.3 Homily of Fr. Davide Pagliarani at the Episcopal Consecrations (Écône, 1 July 2026)
Source: FSSPX News, “Écône 2026 | Fr. Pagliarani’s Sermon at the Episcopal Consecrations,” 1 July 2026, https://fsspx.news/en/news/econe-2026-fr-pagliaranis-sermon-episcopal-consecrations-59927 (last visited July 17, 2026).
A.4 “Habetis mandatum apostolicum?” — Declaration Read in Place of the Apostolic Mandate (1 July 2026)
Source: read by Fr. Foucauld Le Roux; FSSPX News (2 July 2026), https://fsspx.news/en/news/habetis-mandatum-apostolicum-declaration-read-episcopal-consecrations-59936 (last visited July 17, 2026).
A.5 General House Statement Following the Episcopal Consecrations (1 July 2026)
Source: Society of Saint Pius X, General House; FSSPX News, https://fsspx.news/en/news/general-house-statement-following-episcopal-consecrations-59913 (last visited July 17, 2026).
A.6 Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith — Decree (2 July 2026), Prot. N. 99/2009
Source: DDF decree, Prot. N. 99/2009, released in Italian: vatican.va, https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_ddf_doc_20260702_decreto-scomunica-fsspx_it.html (last visited July 17, 2026) and Holy See Press Office Bollettino B0568, https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2026/07/02/0568/01077.html (last visited July 17, 2026) Official English rendering, Vatican News, https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2026-07/holy-see-decrees-excommunication-lefebrians-consecrations.html (last visited July 17, 2026).
DICASTERY FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH
Prot. N. 99/2009
DECREE
Despite the warnings addressed to the Superior General of the Priestly Society of Saint Pius X, Bishop Alfonso de Galarreta, having committed an act of a schismatic nature through the episcopal consecration of four priests, without a pontifical mandate and against the will of the Supreme Pontiff, has ipso facto incurred the penalties provided for by canon 1387 and canon 1364 § 1 CIC 2021.
I therefore declare for all legal purposes that both the aforementioned Bishop Alfonso de Galarreta and Pascal Schreiber, Michael Goldade, Michel Poinsinet de Sivry and Marc Hanappier have incurred ipso facto the latae sententiae excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See.
I further declare that Bishop Bernard Fellay, having directly participated in the liturgical celebration as a co-consecrator, thus publicly adhering to the schismatic act, has incurred the latae sententiae excommunication provided for by canon 1364 § 1 CIC 2021.
Clerics and lay faithful are warned not to adhere to the schism of the Priestly Society of Saint Pius X, because they would ipso facto incur the penalty of latae sententiae excommunication.
From the Dicastery Building, 2 July 2026
Víctor M. Card. Fernández, Prefect
John J. Kennedy, Titular Archbishop of Ossero, Secretary for the Disciplinary Section
Monsignor Armando Matteo, Secretary for the Doctrinal Section
A.7 Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith — Explanatory Note (2 July 2026), Prot. N. 99/2009
Source: DDF explanatory note, Prot. N. 99/2009, released in Italian: Holy See Press Office Bollettino B0568, https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2026/07/02/0568/01078.html (last visited July 17, 2026) Official English rendering, Vatican News (same URL as A.6).
DICASTERY FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH
Prot. N. 99/2009
EXPLANATORY NOTE
From the time of Saint Paul VI until the most recent discussions held at this Dicastery, multiple attempts to bring the members of the movement initiated by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre back into full communion with the Catholic Church have proven futile. This situation has been further aggravated by recent episcopal consecrations celebrated without papal mandate, against the will of the Holy Father, in open violation of canon law. Therefore, this Dicastery, in the faithful exercise of the functions entrusted to it, deems it necessary to note that this act constituted the crime of schism, with canonical consequences for the sacred ministers and lay faithful involved. Indeed, as already declared in 1988, "such disobedience — which entails a practical rejection of the Roman Primacy — constitutes a schismatic act" (cf. John Paul II, Apostolic Letter Ecclesia Dei, 3).
In this regard, from now on:
1. The sacred ministers belonging to the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X are in schism and must therefore be considered schismatic (cf. Ecclesia Dei, 5c; Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts, Explanatory Note on the excommunication for schism incurred by the adherents of the movement of Bishop Marcel Lefebvre, 24.08.1996, 5–6), resulting in them being subject to the excommunication provided for by law (can. 1364 §1 CIC).
2. As regards the lay faithful, those who formally adhere to the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X under the conditions established in the Explanatory Note of the Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts of 1996 (cf. ibid., 7), still in force, which this Dicastery adopts, are to be considered schismatic and excommunicated.
3. Finally, the holy People of God are warned that the sacred ministers of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X administer the sacraments illicitly and that the sacrament of penance administered by them and the marriage assisted by them are invalid.
The Church, as a caring mother, will welcome with sincere affection and deep concern all those who wish to return to full communion. The Apostolic Nuncios will have access to the procedures that Ordinaries may use in various cases.
Finally, all the faithful are exhorted to remain firm in communion with the Roman Pontiff, with the Bishops in communion with him and with the whole Church (cf. Lumen Gentium, 22; can. 751 CIC), and to abstain from participating in the celebrations and activities promoted by the aforementioned Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X.
From the Dicastery Building, 2 July 2026
Víctor M. Card. Fernández, Prefect
Monsignor Armando Matteo, Secretary for the Doctrinal Section
John J. Kennedy, Titular Archbishop of Ossero, Secretary for the Disciplinary Section
Prepared for pastoral use. July 2026. Canonical citations follow the current (2021) numbering of the Code of Canon Law; where a canon was renumbered in the 2021 revision of Book VI, the pre-2021 number is given in parentheses — thus Canon 1387 (1382) for consecration without a pontifical mandate, and Canon 1388 (1383) for ordination without dimissorial letters. Canon 1364 (schism) was not renumbered. Documents issued before 2021 are described in the numbering they used. All Aquinas citations refer to the Summa Theologiae as available at NewAdvent.org. Readers with specific canonical questions should consult a qualified canon lawyer or their diocesan bishop.
Documents reproduced here under fair use.
