EPISTLES

Is the SSPX Right to Compare Its Situation with the German Church?

Many SSPX supporters frequently compare their situation with that of the German Church. A recent example is Bishop Athanasius Schneider‘s argument that if Rome is pursuing patience, dialogue, and reconciliation with the German Synodal Way despite its doctrinal deviations, then the same approach should be applied to the SSPX.

At first glance, the comparison appears persuasive. Both groups have been the subject of concern from Rome. Both claim to be acting for the good of the Church. Both have generated controversy and division. However, a closer examination reveals that the comparison is deeply flawed and ultimately misunderstands the nature of the Church herself.

The fundamental problem is that the SSPX and the German Church are not suffering from the same illness. The German Synodal Way represents a tendency toward doctrinal and pastoral innovation that often pushes against established Catholic teaching. The SSPX, on the other hand, represents a tendency toward resistance against the Church’s post-conciliar authority and governance. One leans toward progressivism detached from tradition; the other toward traditionalism detached from full ecclesial submission. While the errors are different, both are examples of instability.

In that sense, the SSPX and the German Synodal movement can be seen as opposite extremes. Both risk building their houses on sand rather than on the firm foundation of the Catholic Church, which requires fidelity both to the Church’s tradition and to the Church’s living authority. One side is tempted to reshape Catholicism according to the spirit of the age. The other is tempted to treat its own interpretation of Tradition as the final measure of Catholic orthodoxy. Neither tendency provides a stable foundation for the life of the Church.

So, Schneider’s conclusion—that the Pope should give equal or even greater attention to the SSPX because they are “traditionally right”—is mistaken. Instead of urging Rome to be more lenient or accommodating toward the SSPX, he should be pressing for a firmer and more decisive response to the situation in Germany.

As Catholics, our task should not be to cheer for one extreme against the other. Rather, we should help both sides recognize the weaknesses in their positions and encourage a return to a genuinely Catholic balance: fidelity to tradition, fidelity to doctrine, and fidelity to the Church’s legitimate authority.

Moreover, the comparison ignores important ecclesiological realities. The SSPX consists of roughly 500,000 faithful, many of whom have spent half a century in a movement that has repeatedly resisted Rome’s attempts at regularization. The Church in Germany, by contrast, comprises around 20 million Catholics. Not all German Catholics—and not even all German clergy—are responsible for the errors associated with the Synodal Way. The concerns raised by Rome are directed primarily toward certain bishops, theologians, and influential leaders rather than the entire German Catholic population.

The Pope therefore has to address the two situations differently. From a purely numerical perspective, losing 500,000 faithful may seem less damaging than losing 20 million. Yet from a spiritual perspective, truth cannot be measured by numbers alone. Rome must do its utmost to preserve both. Whether the loss is 500,000 or 20 million, the Church still suffers a wound. Every departure represents souls, and every wound causes bleeding. For that reason, careful, prudent, and measured solutions are required rather than simplistic approaches.

Most importantly, ecclesiology requires that each situation be judged according to its own circumstances. The Church does not govern by applying identical remedies to every problem. A bishop who teaches error, a theologian who promotes confusion, a priest who disobeys legitimate authority, and a layperson who rejects Church teaching may all require different responses. Different problems demand different pastoral, doctrinal, and canonical solutions.

For this reason, the SSPX is wrong to compare its situation directly with that of the German Church. The comparison creates a false equivalence between two very different realities. It attempts to justify one problem by pointing to another. Even if one believes Rome has been too lenient with Germany, that does not automatically vindicate the SSPX’s decades-long resistance to regularization. Likewise, failures in dealing with the SSPX would not excuse doctrinal deviations in Germany.

The Church must address both problems, but each according to its own nature. The German Synodal Way should not be used as a shield for the SSPX, just as the SSPX should not be used as a shield for the German Synodal Way. Both represent departures from a healthy Catholic equilibrium, albeit in opposite directions.

The proper Catholic response is not to defend one extreme against the other, but to remain rooted in the fullness of the faith, where tradition and legitimate authority are held together rather than separated. And this is why Catholics should pray daily for the Pope, who bears the difficult responsibility of safeguarding both the unity and the integrity of the Church.

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