EPISTLES

The question of why SSPX confession and matrimony are invalid now has generated intense discussion among Catholics following the Vatican’s decree of excommunication and its explanatory note. While many have focused on the debate between prominent canonists, I believe we should first understand the Holy See’s reasoning.

The explanatory note states: “Finally, the holy People of God are warned that the sacred ministers of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X administer the sacraments illicitly and that the sacrament of Penance administered by them and the marriages assisted by them are invalid.”

This statement has understandably surprised many Catholics.

I cannot hide my frustration that this controversy has further divided the faithful. I am even more saddened because respected personalities whom I have long trusted—such as Fr. Gerald Murray and Cardinal Gerhard Müller—have publicly criticized the explanatory note.

Fr. Murray argued that the explanatory note cannot simply revoke what Pope Francis previously granted. He said there must be a decree signed by Pope Leo XIV. Cardinal Müller stated that SSPX confessions and marriages remain valid, though illicit. These are respected voices in canon law and theology, making the disagreement all the more painful for ordinary Catholics.

Disclaimer: I am simply offering my own understanding as an ordinary Catholic layman. I have no sufficient education in theology or canon law and make no claim to scholarly authority. My desire is simply to understand and faithfully follow the judgment of the Holy See.

Why SSPX Confession and Matrimony Are Invalid Now According to the Holy See

To understand why SSPX confession and matrimony are invalid now, it is necessary to distinguish between validity and liceity.

A sacrament may be celebrated unlawfully (illicitly) yet still be valid. The Eucharist is the clearest example. A suspended or excommunicated priest who celebrates Mass acts illicitly, yet the Eucharist is ordinarily still valid because valid priestly ordination alone is sufficient for consecration.

Confession and Matrimony are different because the Church requires not only valid ordination but also jurisdiction or delegation.

Why SSPX Confession Is Invalid

The Code of Canon Law is explicit.
Canon 966 §1 states: “For the valid absolution of sins, the minister requires, besides the power of orders, the faculty of exercising it for the faithful to whom he imparts absolution.” Likewise, Canon 966 §2 explains that this faculty is granted either by law itself or by the competent authority.

In other words, priestly ordination alone is not enough. A priest must also possess the faculty to absolve validly.

Pope Francis granted SSPX priests this faculty as a pastoral concession. According to the Vatican’s 2026 explanatory note, that concession no longer applies following the SSPX’s recent episcopal consecrations without pontifical mandate and the resulting canonical situation. Therefore, the Holy See concludes that SSPX priests no longer possess the faculty required by Canon 966 for valid absolution.

Why SSPX Matrimony Is Invalid

Marriage is governed by a similar principle.
Canon 1108 §1 provides: “Only those marriages are valid which are contracted before the local ordinary, pastor, or a priest or deacon delegated by either of them…”
Furthermore, Canon 1111 §1 explains that this delegation must be granted by the competent ecclesiastical authority.

Pope Francis had established a mechanism through which bishops could delegate SSPX priests to validly assist at marriages. According to the Vatican’s explanatory note, that concession likewise no longer applies in the present canonical situation.

Without the delegation required by Canons 1108 and 1111, the Holy See concludes that marriages witnessed by SSPX priests are invalid rather than merely illicit.

Why the Vatican Uses “Invalid” Instead of “Illicit”

Many Catholics ask why the Vatican did not simply describe these sacraments as illicit.
The answer lies in canon law. For Confession, Canon 966 makes the faculty to absolve a requirement for validity. For Matrimony, Canon 1108 makes lawful delegation a requirement for validity.

Therefore, if the Holy See judges that these faculties and delegations no longer exist, the canonical consequence is not merely illicit celebration but invalidity. Whether one agrees with that conclusion or not, this is the legal reasoning behind the Vatican’s explanatory note.

A Personal Reflection

This has been one of the saddest ecclesial developments I have witnessed because there are hundreds of thousands of lay faithful worshipping in SSPX chapels. I grieve not only because of the growing division surrounding the SSPX, but also because faithful Catholics are hearing conflicting opinions from highly respected Church authorities.

Even so, I believe that when respected theologians and canonists disagree, the safest course for ordinary Catholics is to remain in communion with the Holy See and to receive its judgments with humility while continuing to pray for reconciliation, healing, and the full restoration of unity within the Church.