SSPX accepts ‘without bitterness’ cardinal’s ban on entering shrine church

Fr. Yves Le Roux, the superior of the SSPX’s Canadian district, said in an update posted October 6 on its website that he had asked the faithful to accept Cardinal Frank Leo’s decision to ban them.

“Without hesitation, without bitterness touching our souls, we fully submit to this decision of the Cardinal,” he said.

“We assure His Eminence of our prayers for him and publicly reiterate our love for the Holy Church, Mother and Teacher of Truth.”

As reported by LifeSiteNews, the SSPX held its annual pilgrimage to the Shrine of the Canadian Martyrs on September 26, the feast day of the martyrs. However, an order from the Archdiocese of Toronto banned them this year from entering the church of the Shrine of the Canadian Martyrs and venerating the relics there.

Instead, the pilgrims had a Mass in a field close to the shrine in Midland, Ontario.

Fr. Le Roux said that the prohibition against venerating the relics strikes them in the “deepest” part of their souls.

“We must admit that this prohibition against venerating, as a constituted body, the relics of our Fathers in the faith strikes us in the deepest part of our souls as respectful and loving children of the Holy Church,” he said.

According to canon lawyer Father Gerald Murray, the Vatican’s document pronouncing the excommunications of the SSPX on July 2 in fact does not have legal effect in excommunicating any SSPX priests or laypeople from attending their Masses. 

Also, of note is that the SSPX has filed a preliminary canonical appeal against the Vatican’s excommunication.

Since the excommunication of the SSPX, similar banishments for pilgrims have taken place globally.