Bishops of the Society of St. Pius X take part in the consecration of four new bishops at the society’s seminary in Écône, Switzerland, on July 1, 2026. | Credit: Society of St. Pius X

NNA News - Zimbabwe’s Catholic bishops have urged Catholics to avoid knowingly participating in activities organised by the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX), warning that the group’s recent actions have created a serious breach of communion with Pope Leo XIV and the wider Catholic Church. Report compiled by Zim Now. 

The warning was issued by the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops’ Conference (ZCBC) following the July 1 consecration of four SSPX priests as bishops without a pontifical mandate and despite opposition from the Pope. The bishops described the consecrations as a serious break with ecclesial communion, stressing that unity with the Pope and bishops in communion with him is central to the identity and visible unity of the Catholic Church. “To consecrate bishops without the mandate of the Roman Pontiff and against his expressed will constitutes a grave rupture of that communion,” the bishops said.

The ZCBC said the intervention was intended to provide clarity to Catholics who may encounter SSPX activities without fully understanding the Church’s position on the organisation. The bishops acknowledged that some Catholics may be attracted to the SSPX because of its traditional liturgical practices or particular forms of spirituality. However, they cautioned that Catholic identity extends beyond attachment to a specific form of worship, priest or religious movement. “Our Catholic identity is not founded merely upon attachment to a particular liturgical form, spirituality, movement or individual priest,” they said.

According to the bishops, membership in the Catholic Church is rooted in communion with Christ through the Church, the sacraments, the profession of faith and legitimate ecclesiastical authority. At the same time, the ZCBC distinguished ordinary contact with individuals associated with the SSPX from formally separating oneself from the Catholic Church. “Mere contact with a person associated with the Society should not automatically be confused with formal adherence to schism,” the bishops said.

Bishops of the Society of St. Pius X take part in the consecration of four new bishops at the society’s seminary in Écône, Switzerland, on July 1, 2026. | Credit: Society of St. Pius X

Nevertheless, Catholics were urged to exercise caution and avoid situations that could gradually distance them from the Pope, their diocesan bishops and the wider Catholic Church. The bishops also referred to the Holy See’s position concerning the validity and lawfulness of sacraments administered by SSPX ministers. They encouraged Catholics to receive the sacraments through legitimate pastors and within full communion with the Church. Catholics with questions about the SSPX, Church doctrine, liturgy or discipline were encouraged to consult parish priests and diocesan authorities rather than relying on social media or unofficial sources.

Despite the seriousness of the warning, the ZCBC said its position was not intended to condemn individuals associated with the SSPX. “While the present situation is serious and painful, the Church does not speak these words in a spirit of condemnation. The Church is a Mother. Her desire is always reconciliation, healing and the restoration of communion,” they said.

The bishops said the Church remains willing to receive Catholics who may have become formally associated with the SSPX and indicated that established procedures exist for reconciliation and the remission of canonical censures. “To any Catholic in Zimbabwe who may have formally associated himself or herself with the Society of Saint Pius X: do not be afraid to come home,” the bishops said.

They urged those affected to approach their parish priest or diocesan bishop for guidance. The ZCBC also called on Catholics across Zimbabwe to pray for those affected by the dispute and for the restoration of unity within the Church. The bishops framed the situation as a reminder that ecclesial unity carries both spiritual significance and responsibility, urging the faithful to pray that divisions within the Church can be overcome.

They called for prayers that the Holy Spirit would “soften hearts, heal wounds and lead all God's people towards the unity for which Christ Himself prayed: ‘that they may all be one.’” The bishops' intervention places the debate over the SSPX within a broader question of Catholic unity, authority and reconciliation, while leaving the door open for those seeking to return to full communion with the Church.