(ZENIT News / Vatican City, 02.12. 2026).- On February 12, 2026, a meeting took place at the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, which was described in a press release of the Dicastery as «cordial and harmonious,» between the Prefect of the Dicastery, Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández, and the Superior General of the Fraternal Society of Saint Pius X (FSSPX), Father Davide Pagliarani, with the consent of the Holy Father Leo XIV.
After clarifying some points raised by the FSSPX in various letters, sent especially between 2017 and 2019, among others, the discussion focused on the question of the Divine Will regarding the plurality of religions.
The Prefect proposed a specifically theological path of dialogue, with a well-defined methodology, on topics that have not yet been sufficiently clarified, such as the difference between an act of faith and «religious respect of the mind and will,» or the different degrees of adherence required by the various texts of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council and their interpretation. At the same time, he proposed addressing a series of issues listed by the FSSPX in a letter of January 17, 2019.
This path aimed to highlight, in the topics discussed, the minimum requirements for full communion with the Catholic Church and, consequently, to outline a canonical status for the Society, along with other aspects that require further reflection.
The Holy See has reiterated that the Ordination of Bishops without the mandate of the Holy Father, who holds supreme, full, universal, immediate and direct power (cf. CCC, can. 332: Dogmatic Constitution Pastor Aeternus, chapters I and III), would imply a decisive break in ecclesial communion (schism) with grave consequences for the Fraternity as a whole (cf. JOHN PAUL II, Apostolic Letter Ecclesia Dei, July 2, 1988, nos. 3 and 5c; Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, Explanatory Note, August 24, 1996, no. 1).
Therefore, the possibility of carrying out this dialogue presupposes that the Society suspends the announced decision regarding the Episcopal Ordinations.
The Superior General of the SSPX will present the proposal to his Council and give his response to the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.
In the event of a positive response, the steps, stages, and procedures to be followed will be established by common agreement.
The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith invited the entire Church to accompany this journey, «especially in the coming times, with prayer to the Holy Spirit. He is the principal architect of the true ecclesial communion desired by Christ.»
