Society of Saint Pius X facts for kids
The Society of Saint Pius X is a group of priests who follow very old traditions of the Catholic Church. It was started in the 1970s by a French priest named Marcel Lefebvre. He believed that the Second Vatican Council, a big meeting of Catholic leaders, had changed too many important traditions.
The Society of Saint Pius X did not agree with some of the new ideas from the Second Vatican Council. For example, they were against talking with leaders of other religions and working closely with other Christian groups.
What Happened with the Society?
Since 1975, the Society of Saint Pius X did not have official permission from the Catholic Church to do some things.
In 1988, the Society chose and made new bishops without the Pope's approval. According to Church law, this meant that everyone involved in making these new bishops was automatically excommunicated (cut off from the Church).
Later, in the 2000s, Pope Benedict XVI removed these excommunications. This happened after everyone involved agreed that the Pope is the true head of the Catholic Church.
Images for kids
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Lefebvre, the society's founder, celebrating Tridentine Mass
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The society's first seminary, the International Seminary of Saint Pius X, in Écône, Switzerland. As of 2021[update], the society has 6 seminaries – apart from Switzerland in Germany, France, Argentina, Australia, and United States.
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Veldhoven, Archbishop Lefebvre giving Communion assisted by Father Franz Schmidberger
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Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet, Paris, occupied by the SSPX since 1977
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St. Willibrord's Church, Utrecht, Netherlands, operated by the SSPX since 2015
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Minoritenkirche, Vienna, Austria, received by the SSPX as a gift in 2021
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A liturgy held at the society's St. Jude's Chapel, Philadelphia, U.S.
See also
In Spanish: Fraternidad Sacerdotal San Pío X para niños
