THE LORD DISCIPLINES WHOM HE LOVES

​"I've been getting a flood of questions since Friday from family, friends, and students—to the point that my inbox and social media are about to explode! Instead of replying one by one, I figured it would be better to gather the most common questions and answer them all here. I hope these responses will help you the next time you have a conversation about this topic. Above all, let's continue praying for Christian unity." – Your Marybeggar, Kuya Jeff

1. Who is the SSPX? The Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) was founded in 1970 in Fribourg, Switzerland, by Marcel Lefebvre. Its mission was to preserve traditional Catholic priestly formation and the celebration of the pre-Second Vatican Council liturgy, commonly known as the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM). Although the SSPX recognizes the Pope as the successor of St. Peter, it has long disagreed with several teachings and reforms that followed the Second Vatican Council and has repeatedly challenged certain decisions of Church authority. On June 30, 1988, Archbishop Lefebvre consecrated four bishops without papal approval. As a result, St. Pope John Paul II declared that the bishops had incurred excommunication. In 2009, Pope Benedict XVI lifted the excommunications of the four surviving bishops as a gesture of reconciliation. However, this did not regularize the canonical status of the SSPX itself. During the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy in 2015, Pope Francis granted SSPX priests the faculty to validly hear confessions. When the Jubilee ended, he chose to extend that permission indefinitely. He also allowed local bishops to grant faculties for SSPX priests to validly witness marriages under certain conditions. These were genuine efforts to promote reconciliation and to care for the spiritual welfare of the faithful. In other words, the Church kept leaving the porch light on and the front door unlocked. As Britney Spears famously sang, "Oops!... I Did It Again." Unfortunately, history repeated itself. On July 1, 2026, the SSPX once again ordained four bishops without authorization from Rome. After years of dialogue, repeated invitations to return to full communion with Holy Mother Church, and another round of unauthorized episcopal ordinations, Pope Leo XIV declared the SSPX to be in schism, excommunicated its bishops and priests, and warned that those who knowingly persist in supporting the schism may also face the Church's most serious canonical penalties. As Sacred Scripture reminds us, "My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights" (Proverbs 3:11–12, RSV). The SSPX established its presence in the Philippines in 1992 and now operates churches, schools, and seminaries in different parts of the country.

2. I have friends who regularly attend Mass at Our Lady of Victories in New Manila. Should they stop going so they won't be part of the schism? With the recent declaration of Pope Leo XIV, Catholics who attend SSPX chapels are encouraged to remain in full communion with the Catholic Church. Catholics in good standing should not make SSPX chapels their regular place of worship. The Vatican has specifically warned against regularly attending SSPX chapels while knowingly embracing or supporting their separation from the Church. Being Catholic is not just about where we attend Mass—it's about remaining united with the Pope and the bishops in communion with him. Loving the Traditional Latin Mass is not the problem. The Church treasures her liturgical heritage. The real issue is unity with the Pope and the Church. After all, Jesus entrusted Peter with the keys of the Kingdom and the authority to bind and loose (Matthew 16:18–19, RSV; Matthew 18:18, RSV; Isaiah 22:20–22, RSV). You can love Gregorian chant, incense, and Latin responses—and still stay fully united with Rome. They're not mutually exclusive.

3. If someone has been attending an SSPX chapel out of habit or simply because they didn't know about the situation, encourage them gently—not with condemnation—to return to their diocesan parish or another canonically recognized Catholic church. As St. Paul reminds us, "I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment" (1 Corinthians 1:10, RSV). Encourage them with kindness, patience, and understanding. The goal is not to win an argument but to help them come home. If they are from Quezon City and prefer the Traditional Latin Mass, they may attend the TLM at St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Balintawak, celebrated by Fr. Michel Joe "Jojo" Zerrudo of the Diocese of Cubao. Those living in other dioceses may check with their diocesan office for authorized Traditional Latin Masses in their area. Thankfully, you don't have to choose between loving the Traditional Latin Mass and remaining in communion with the Pope—you can have both.

4. Can SSPX priests celebrate Mass validly? Yes. An excommunicated priest who has valid Holy Orders can still validly celebrate the sacraments, provided he uses the proper matter, form, and intention. However, such celebrations are considered illicit, or unlawful, under Church law (Canons 900 §1, 1331 §1, 2°, and 10). In short, valid does not always mean lawful. Think of it this way: driving a real car without a driver's license doesn't make the car imaginary—it just means you're not authorized to be behind the wheel. There is one very important exception: danger of death. Under Canon 976, any priest—even one who is excommunicated, suspended, or laicized—has both the authority and the obligation to validly absolve a penitent who is in imminent danger of death when no properly authorized priest is available. The Church's concern for the salvation of souls always comes first. As Scripture says, "Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedek" (Hebrews 7:17, RSV).

5. How should Catholics treat people who are in schism? Catholics should always remain faithful to the truth while showing genuine charity. The Church never teaches us to hate, mock, or mistreat those who are separated from full communion. Instead, she calls us to pray for them, speak with respect, and hope for reconciliation:

• Love the person, reject the error. Catholics distinguish between the dignity of the individual and the objective error of schism. Every person is created in the image of God and deserves respect, even when they are mistaken. Hate the schism, not the schismatic.
• Pray for their return to full communion. Jesus prayed, "that they may all be one" (John 17:21, RSV). We should pray that everyone separated from the Church may one day return to full communion.
• Speak the truth with charity. St. Paul encourages Christians to speak "the truth in love" (Ephesians 4:15, RSV). Correct misunderstandings patiently and respectfully. Winning souls is far better than winning comment sections.
• Avoid unnecessary arguments. If a conversation becomes heated or goes nowhere, it is often wiser to end it peacefully. Not every debate changes hearts, and sometimes the mute button is a spiritual gift.
• Recognize what is good. Many people in schismatic communities sincerely love Christ, read Sacred Scripture, and desire to follow God. The Church recognizes that many gifts and elements of sanctification exist outside her visible structure while teaching that the fullness of the means of salvation subsists in the Catholic Church.
• Remain faithful to the Church. Catholics should never compromise the faith simply to avoid disagreement. Charity and truth always go together. Real unity is built on both.

​As our Lord prayed, "I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one" (John 17:20–21, RSV). May that prayer continue to guide us as we seek both truth and unity within the Body of Christ.

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