Our Statement on the Society of St. Pius X
Many have
asked why we have changed our position on the SSPX, since we frequented their
chapels for many years, and particularly since the Society publicly endorsed
our book True or False Pope?. To be clear, we have no
personal hostility toward the SSPX and the many good men in their ranks. We
also continue to attend the Traditional Mass exclusively and hold the Recognize
& Resist position, properly understood.
However, our extensive study of ecclesiology and Sedevacantism led
us to the inescapable conclusion that the SSPX is in the same canonical and
ecclesiastical position as the Sedevacantist and other independent clergy
(outside of its delegated faculties), who are not part of the Roman
Catholic Church, have no juridical mission from the Church, and hence cannot lawfully exercise
their priestly powers. In fact, we were forced to recognize that the
Society advances the same erroneous arguments as the Sedevacantists
do, to justify their operation without mission, which is contrary to the divine
law.
In the course of our study, we also realized that the SSPX embraces
other critical theological errors (on the Profession of Faith, juridical
mission, supplied jurisdiction, Collegiality, sacramental intention, the
nature of the Church, etc.) which we are addressing in our series of articles.
Because many of these errors are rooted in an erroneous understanding
of the Church itself (errors in ecclesiology), they are actually graver than
the Liberal errors on the Left, and that is because they lead Catholics out
of the Church, outside of which there is no salvation.
It is our firm hope and prayer that the Society renounce its doctrinal
errors and accepts the Church’s Profession of Faith, so that it can
be reconciled with the Roman Catholic Church, and given a canonical
mission to carry out its ministry lawfully. It is for this purpose that we make
our position public, so that the Society’s leadership (and those who support
the SSPX) will see the truth, and take the necessary steps toward achieving the
long-awaited reconciliation.
John Salza & Robert Siscoe
* Email Exchange with an SSPX Priest (11-2022)
* Does the Society of St. Pius X Have an Extraordinary Mission?
* The SSPX Rejects All Church-Approved Traditional Groups
* Collegiality In Light of Tradition: Who is right, the SSPX or the Roman Catholic Church?
* Lefebvre's Correspondence With Rome (APRIL TO JUNE 1988)
* Exposing the SSPX’s Errors on Collegiality
* The Case of St. Eusebius: Did the SSPX Intentionally Deceive?
* In November 2024, John Salza and Robert Siscoe were beneficiaries of a slew of emails from a layman who attempted to defend the position of the SSPX. In his email campaign, the layman copied an SSPX priest (we shall keep him anonymous) who is considered one of the Society’s top theologians (and who endorsed our book True or False Pope?). After John Salza had a lengthy exchange with the priest (see here), Robert Siscoe attempted to engage the priest on collegiality, and in so doing answered the Society’s two main objections to the doctrine, both of which are due to the Society misunderstanding of Catholic terminology, namely, interpreting supreme authority as meaning the Primacy, and interpreting the munere of teaching and governing as actual jurisdiction. Mr. Siscoe’s two emails are below, along with the priest’s reply and Mr. Siscoe’s counter reply:
