[ultima ratio]

The Pontiff never excommunicated the SSPX bishops. This is a falsehood. He mentioned in a letter that the excommunication had taken place latae sententiae. But since automatic excommunications of that sort depend on the spiritual dispositions of the subjects involved, and since the Pope could not have known these with any kind of certitude, and since there were canons exempting the SSPX bishops from obedience in a state of necessity, and since the bishops believed in good conscience that there was such a crisis situation in the Church, and since, even if they were mistaken, they can still not be justly charged with evil intent--it was therefore exceedingly wrong for the Pope to have declared them excommunicated, let alone schismatic.

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

it was therefore exceedingly wrong for the Pope to have declared them excommunicated, let alone schismatic.

And it seems Ratzinger, Cassidy, Hoyos, etc KNOW this, hence all the statements since 1988 which deny the SSPX is schismatic. I just wish those who hang on every word of the Living Magisterium would pay attention.