SSPX to Pope Leo XIV: “We Would Rather Die Than Renounce the Faith”

Following Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández’s May 13 declaration that the upcoming episcopal consecrations by the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) without a “papal mandate” would constitute a “schismatic act” and that “formal adherence to the schism constitutes a grave offence against God”, the SSPX responded by a public declaration articulating its firm commitment and fidelity to the Catholic Faith.

This profession of faith penned by SSPX Superior General Don Davide Pagliarani, titled “Declaration of Catholic Faith Addressed to Pope Leo XIV”, is a firm and unequivocal reinforcement of the priestly fraternity’s firm commitment to preserve and transmit traditional Catholic doctrine in order to fulfil the mission of the Catholic Church, that is, to save souls.

Addressing the Holy Father, Don Pagliarani voiced the long standing filial devotion of the SSPX to the Catholic Church. An excerpt of this Declaration reads:

“In the text that follows, the Society of Saint Pius X is glad to express to You, filially and sincerely, its devotion to the Catholic Faith, concealing nothing, either from Your Holiness or from the Universal Church. The Society places this simple Declaration of Faith in Your hands. It seems to us to correspond to the minimum indispensable to be in communion with the Church, and to truly call ourselves Catholics and, consequently, your sons.We have no other desire than that of living and being confirmed in the Roman Catholic Faith.”

Grounding the entire text in perennial Catholic teaching, the Declaration referenced the fundamental and immutable truths of the Creed by firstly proclaiming Our Lord Jesus Christ alone as “the sole Redeemer and Saviour of the world through the Incarnation and the voluntary offering of the Sacrifice of the Cross” as well as the “the sole Redeemer and Saviour of the world through the Incarnation and the voluntary offering of the Sacrifice of the Cross”.

Next, the Declaration reaffirmed the unique role of the Blessed Virgin Mary in God’s salvific plan, stating that “by divine decree, the Most Holy Virgin Mary has been directly and intimately associated with the entire work of Redemption”.

Promulgating the Church’s perennial teaching, repeated by councils and the Magisterium over the centuries, the Declaration further stated that “there is only one Faith and one Church by which we may be saved”, elaborating that “outside the Roman Catholic Church, and without the profession of Faith that she has always taught, there is neither salvation nor remission of sins.”

Reiterating that the Roman Catholic Church uniquely embodies the four defining marks of the True Church founded by Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, that is, “Unity, Holiness, Catholicity, and Apostolicity”—through Her consistent preservation and teaching of the True Faith, the Declaration stated that full unity is contingent on fidelity and adherence to all Catholic doctrines, as rejecting any element of the faith would break one’s communion with the Church.

Strikingly, the Declaration said (in a manner reminiscent of the solemn declarations of doctrine published by many pre-Vatican II popes like Pope St. Pius X):

“The denial of even a single truth of the Faith destroys faith itself and renders radically impossible all communion with the Catholic Church. The only possible path to restoring unity among Christians of different confessions consists in the urgent and charitable appeal addressed to non-Catholics to profess the one true Faith within the one true Church. The Catholic Church can in no way be regarded or treated on an equal footing with a false form of worship or a false church.”

In particular, Don Pagliarani also highlighted in the Declaration that although the Pope, as Vicar of Christ, holds supreme authority over the universal Church and is the sole source of jurisdiction for its hierarchy, this authority does not extend to introducing novel doctrines contradictory to Catholic Church, but instead to preserving and faithfully interpreting Church teachings transmitted since the time of the Apostles.

“The Holy Ghost was not promised to the successors of Peter that they might make known, by His revelation, a new doctrine, but that, by His assistance, they might inviolably keep and faithfully expound the revelation transmitted by the Apostles, that is, the Deposit of the Faith,” Don Pagliarani said, alluding to “Pastor Aeternus”, the latter being the Dogmatic Constitution of Vatican Council I regarding the papal ministry.

Additionally, the Declaration reinforced the Catholic understanding of the Holy Mass as the ongoing, unbloody renewal of Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross. Thus it follows that the Holy Mass is central to authentic Catholic worship and the sanctification of souls.

In view of this unchangeable truth, the Declaration rebuffed Protestant interpretations that reduce the Catholic Mass to a symbolic commemoration, communal meal, or assembly, instead maintaining that the essential nature of the Catholic Mass includes sacrifice, atonement for sin (propitiation) and the fulfillment of divine justice.

Evidently, Don Pagliarani’s Declaration and his past communiqués (particularly in recent months) have made it crystal clear that the SSPX, together with other faithful Catholic prelates and lay people alike, is grappling with a grave crisis in faith and morals plaguing the Catholic Church and the world today.

According to the SSPX leadership the normal channels of dialogue with Vatican authorities have not been successful owing to doctrinal differences regarding their interpretations of Vatican II.

Meanwhile, critics, including some respected members of the clergy (such as Cardinal Robert Sarah and Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller), have opposed the decision of the SSPX to consecrate bishops without papal mandate.

In turn, Don Pagliarani presented the SSPX request for bishops not as an act of ambition or a desire to set up a “parallel church” but as a pastoral necessity. More bishops, the SSPX has contended, are necessary to guarantee valid sacramental ministry and apostolic succession for faithful Catholics devoted to the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM), traditional rites (in the Sacraments), as well as perennial Catholic teaching. Put simply, from the viewpoint of the SSPX, the upcoming episcopal consecrations on July 1 this year would be a means to preserve the traditional forms of the Sacraments and transmit unadulterated Catholic teaching, instead of deliberately performing a rebellious act that would constitute a schism for its own sake. For faithful Catholics disturbed by alarmist headlines indicating that the SSPX would be setting up its “petite église” or parallel church, the SSPX Declaration has elucidated that its motive is faithfully transmitting Catholic truth, instead of setting up a rival church or pitting itself against the Pope.

Notably, the SSPX has framed any Vatican threat of canonical penalties over the planned July 1 consecrations as a blatant misuse of canon law, especially in an era when doctrinal and moral certainties are very much at stake in the Church and the world. The SSPX has argued all along (and in the May 14 Declaration) that canon law must not become an instrument to curtail doctrinal fidelity in a time when the faithful’s access to traditional sacraments and the unbroken liturgical tradition are limited and even undermined (throwback to the COVID-19 lockdowns and diocesan church closures, many churches around the world, save for SSPX chapels and priories, were closed).

For faithful Catholics who cherish the ancient Mass and the Church’s moral teaching, the SSPX’s Declaration is a clarion call to cherish the Sacraments, safeguard the True Faith, and act for the salvation of souls first and foremost. After all, Catholic Truth and sacramental life are ordered to the télos of each and every soul, that is, eternal life together with God. In the May 14 Declaration, the SSPX stated that its priests would “rather die than renounce” these principles, displaying solemn language meant to indicate the moral and spiritual gravity of the situation at hand.

Yet despite striking an unflinching tone, the Declaration is still addressed “filially” to the Pope, putting the SSPX in a position of petition, pleading for instruction and confirmation in the Faith from the topmost echelons of the Church instead of an act giving rise to a definite rupture with the Church hierarchy.

Such a stance keeps a small but significant space open for reconciliation, for fidelity to Catholic doctrine need not permanently preclude canonical reunion with Rome if the Pope were to offer an authoritative solution to tackle the doctrinal and pastoral concerns that the SSPX has broached over the years.

Admittedly, the crisis underlying the Vatican-SSPX dispute is not merely political, but spiritual, particularly when Vatican authorities appear to compromise with essential tenets of the Catholic Faith in recent years. Therefore, the May 14 Declaration of the SSPX, when read and interpreted according to the intentions of its author, beckons faithful Catholics to support and pray for holy and well-formed Catholic priests who wish to administer the Sacraments and to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

Faithful Catholics who truly believe, as the Declaration stated, that there is “one Faith and one Church” and that the Mass is the true Sacrifice that saves souls, would at the very least adopt a sympathetic stance as to why many faithful Catholics attached to the TLM view the impending SSPX bishop consecrations as a difficult, yet conscientious effort to preserve the ancient and venerable Catholic Faith.

According to Grok:
SummaryThe Free Republic post (dated May 14, 2026) shares and discusses an article from The Remnant Newspaper titled “SSPX to Pope Leo XIV: ‘We Would Rather Die Than Renounce the Faith.’” It reports on the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX)’s public “Declaration of Catholic Faith” addressed to Pope Leo XIV. This declaration responds to Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández’s May 13, 2026, warning that the SSPX’s planned July 1 episcopal consecrations (without papal mandate) would be a “schismatic act.”

freerepublic.com

The SSPX, led by Superior General Don Davide Pagliarani, firmly reaffirms its fidelity to traditional Catholic doctrine, the Traditional Latin Mass, and the Sacraments. It frames the upcoming consecrations as a pastoral necessity to preserve apostolic succession and traditional worship amid a perceived crisis in the Church, rather than an act of rebellion or an attempt to create a “parallel church.” The tone is filial toward the Pope while unyielding on core beliefs.

freerepublic.com

Key PointsContext and Trigger: Cardinal Fernández declared the planned bishop consecrations schismatic. The SSPX responds with a formal profession of faith instead of backing down.

freerepublic.com

Core of the Declaration:Professes devotion to the Roman Catholic Faith as the “minimum indispensable” for communion with the Church.
Affirms Jesus Christ as the sole Redeemer via the Incarnation and Cross.
Highlights the Blessed Virgin Mary’s intimate role in Redemption.
Insists there is “only one Faith and one Church” for salvation; “outside the Roman Catholic Church... there is neither salvation nor remission of sins.”
Rejects any denial of even a single truth of the Faith as destructive to communion.
Emphasizes the four marks of the Church (Unity, Holiness, Catholicity, Apostolicity).
Quotes Vatican I (Pastor Aeternus): The Holy Ghost was not promised to popes to introduce new doctrine but to guard and expound the Deposit of Faith.

freerepublic.com

Defends the Mass as the unbloody renewal of Christ’s Sacrifice (propitiatory, not merely a meal or memorial), countering Protestant-style interpretations.

SSPX Position on Consecrations: They are presented as necessary to ensure valid sacraments and transmit the Faith for souls attached to Tradition, not as defiance. The SSPX vows it would “rather die than renounce” these principles.

freerepublic.com

Broader Context: The declaration highlights ongoing doctrinal differences (especially regarding Vatican II interpretations) and a perceived crisis in faith and morals. It keeps the door open for reconciliation while prioritizing fidelity over canonical penalties.

freerepublic.com

Tone and Goal: Filial and non-schismatic in intent; the SSPX positions itself as preserving (not breaking from) the Church’s perennial teaching.

freerepublic.com

The Free Republic thread includes some user comments echoing traditionalist sentiments, but the main content is the reposted Remnant article. This reflects ongoing tensions between the SSPX and Vatican authorities over Tradition, liturgy, and authority.

and more on SSPX:
SSPX stands for Society of Saint Pius X (also known officially as the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X).Plain English Breakdown:Society = A group or organization of priests.
Saint Pius X = Named after Pope Pius X (1903–1914), a pope known for strongly defending traditional Catholic teachings against modernism.

In full, it’s often called the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X (the Latin version is Fraternitas Sacerdotalis Sancti Pii X, which is why you sometimes see FSSPX as the official abbreviation).What It Is (Simple Explanation):The SSPX is a traditionalist Catholic priestly group founded in 1970 in Switzerland by French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. Its main purpose is to train priests and preserve the traditional practices of the Catholic Church as they existed before the changes of the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965), especially:The Traditional Latin Mass (Tridentine Mass).
Traditional sacraments and teachings.

It operates seminaries, chapels, and schools worldwide. The SSPX sees itself as safeguarding the “perennial” (unchanging) Catholic Faith during what it views as a time of crisis and confusion in the Church. However, it has had a long-standing, complicated relationship with the Vatican — its priests are validly ordained but operate in a canonically irregular status (not fully regularized under Church law).

en.wikipedia.org

In short: It’s a conservative/traditional Catholic organization dedicated to the “old ways” of the Church, centered on forming holy priests in the spirit of Pope St. Pius X.

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