Tuesday evening’s remarks by the Holy Father on the episcopal consecrations announced by the Society of St Pius X are the first time that we have heard from the Pope himself on the issues involved. To be sure, his remarks were a brief response to an apparently impromptu journalistic question, but His Holiness’s response is both succinct and instructive.
Pope Leo seemed almost resigned to the hardening of division: “We are considering making another appeal, to say: ‘Do not do this. Let us try to live communion in the Church,’ but it is their choice. They must understand what it means for them and for the Church.” This most probably reflects the thinking of the Holy Father’s advisers – there seems to be little hope amongst them of overcoming the impasse. They simply seem to be preparing coldly to declare the canonical penalty of excommunication and possibly a schism.
