Schism requires excommunications, and they are not likely to happen over this. So there is no formal schism, but the rifts are deepening, to be sure. I saw “internal schism” used a couple of times. That is as far as I would go describing it.
Do not forget that Fr. Jenkins and his supporters are pro-life. They claim to have a different and extremely liberal interpretation of the canon regarding honoring politicians, but they are not openly disobeying that canon. One of these two things has to change before we have a schism: either, Jenkins &Co. have to become pro-abortion (highly unlikely) or they would have to openly oppose the canon (possible but not terribly likely). The most probable outcome is that Jenkins &Co. will weasel they way out and the US Conference of Catholic Bishops will be happy to let them, in order to avoid deepening the schism.
I guess they never read that “come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the LORD” stuff.
Obama has used the differences in Catholics to put a crowbar between those who are strong in their faith and obedience to Catholic teaching and those who are slightly more left leaning and see more ‘nuance’ in their understanding. Good political move for him - bad for all Catholics. Sadly senior Catholics chose to to used to fascilitate this schism in unity.
Mel
Since Fr. Jenkins is a member of the Board of a group that promotes abortion and contraception to solve poverty in Africa (the Millenium project, or some such name), how does that make him "pro-life"? And, BTW, the founder of that group also serves on the Board of Trustees of Notre Dame. The whole group is corrupt. Please read Notre Dame, Trustees, and Fr. Jenkins' Final Word if you haven't yet. I was appalled.
Haven't they already openly opposed the USCCB?
“They claim to have a different and extremely liberal interpretation of the canon regarding honoring politicians, but they are not openly disobeying that canon.”
A canon? Really? Adopted by what council or proclaimed, in your system, by what pope? Is the USCCB now a national synod empowered by Rome to establish disciplinary canons?
As for a schism, you’ve got one, de facto if not yet de jure, and the right wing will be the ones viewed as the schismatics.
ND may not be under the direct purview of the Holy See, but the priests sure are.