The Catholic Trumpet: Not a Lack of Valid Bishops—A Lack of Doctrine, a Lack of Faith

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Not a Lack of Valid Bishops—A Lack of Doctrine, a Lack of Faith

The Catholic Trumpet [slightly adapted] | February 2, 2026

On 2 February 2026, Father Davide Pagliarani, Superior General of the Neo Society of Saint Pius X, announced that new episcopal consecrations will take place on 1 July 2026.

• “To the Novus Ordo Missae correspond a new catechism, a new priesthood, new seminaries, a charismatic Pentecostal Church—all things opposed to orthodoxy and the perennial teaching of the Church. This Reformation, born of Liberalism and Modernism, is poisoned through and through; it derives from heresy and ends in heresy, even if all its acts are not formally heretical. It is therefore impossible for any conscientious and faithful Catholic to espouse this Reformation or to submit to it in any way whatsoever. The only attitude of faithfulness to the Church and Catholic doctrine, in view of our salvation, is a categorical refusal to accept this Reformation.” –Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, Declaration of November 21, 1974
  
• “The entire tradition of Catholic Faith must be the criterion and guide in understanding the teaching of the Second Vatican Council, which, in turn, enlightens - in other words deepens and subsequently makes explicit - certain aspects of the life and doctrine of the Church implicitly present within itself or not yet formulated conceptually.” –Bishop Fellay, Doctrinal Declaration of April 15, 2012
  
• “The Society of St. Pius X regrets sincerely that this spirit of opposition has led to an episcopal consecration…The Society of St. Pius X denounces this episcopal consecration of Fr. Faure, which, despite the assertions of both clerics concerned…All the declarations of Bishop Williamson and Fr. Faure prove abundantly that they no longer recognize the Roman authorities, except in a purely rhetorical manner. –Communique of the General House of the Neo Society of St. Pius X concerning the episcopal consecration of Fr. Jean-Michel Faure - Menzingen, March 19, 2015
  

Not a Lack of Bishops, Not a Lack of Valid Bishops—A Lack of Doctrine, a Lack of Faith

The decisive issue is doctrine, not only bishops. The Neo SSPX remains Neo SSPX because it still formally holds the 2012 doctrinal positions, and those positions have never been retracted.

21 years of well-documented collaboration with the enemies of the Catholic Church culminated in the formal adoption of a new doctrinal line. These doctrines were submitted to Rome on April 15, 2012 and later codified in the General Chapter statement of July 14, 2012. From that moment forward, the SSPX founded by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre ceased to exist within that organization, regardless of appearances.

The positions in question can not actually be disputed. They are documented, public, and have never been condemned and/or retracted by Bishop Fellay and the NeoSSPX leadership:

• Vatican II is merely tainted with error, not a rupture

• The New Mass was legitimately promulgated

• Vatican II can be interpreted in the light of Tradition

• The 1983 Code of Canon Law is accepted without distinction

This is a new theology. Once accepted, resistance is no longer possible in principle.

No episcopal consecration can reverse a doctrinal surrender.

Consider examples of episcopal compromise and failure:

-  Bishops who compromised at Vatican II: ~2,000+ bishops.
-  The Conciliar Church today: ~5,000+ "bishops" worldwide.
-  Arian Crisis: hundreds of compromised bishops.
-  Schismatic and heretical Eastern Orthodox: 1000+ bishops historically and continuing today. Anglican schism: 100+ bishops and "bishops."
-  Past 15 years of Neo-SSPX bishops: +Galerrata, +Fellay, +Tissier.
-  Neo-SSPX operating inside Rome: Conciliar “Bishop” Huonder scandal.
-  Schismatic Orthodox bishops.
-  Old Catholic bishops and "bishops."
-  Sedevacantist bishops and "bishops."
-  “Bishop” Pfeiffer. Other independent sect bishops.
-  Fake Resistance bishops of Bishop Williamson. Most recently: consecration of “Bishop” Anthony Ward (Servants of the Holy Family).

Catholic Resistance to error and heresy is not defined by bishops alone; it is determined by fidelity to the true Faith and authentic Catholic doctrine, as revealed by God and preserved by the Church.

Consecrating bishops inside the Conciliar framework does not restore resistance.It preserves an institution that has already conceded the doctrinal battlefield.

That is why the 2026 announcement is decisive not for what it says, but for what it does not say.

There is:

• No rejection of Vatican II

• No condemnation of the New Mass

• No denunciation of the Conciliar Church

• No repudiation of the 2012 Declaration

• No condemnation or even acknowledgment of the hundreds of well-documented acts of compromise, doctrinal change, and concessions that have been systematically recorded in the now Neo-SSPX

• No return to Archbishop Lefebvre’s doctrinal line

Instead, the language is careful, diplomatic, pastoral, and institutional, continuity with the Conciliar Church and not rupture.


+Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre vs Neo SSPX: opposite attitude and principles

+Archbishop Lefebvre consecrated bishops to resist the Conciliar Church.

The Neo SSPX consecrates bishops to survive alongside, and within this Conciliar Church (to which they no longer recognize the distinction).

Those principles are opposites. +Lefebvre acted against Modernist Rome in order to preserve Catholic doctrine. Neo SSPX acts with doctrinal concessions already granted, operating in lockstep with Modernist Rome, in order to preserve organizational continuity.

This is why questions about Rome’s involvement, permissions, sanctions, or future lifting of censures are secondary.

Once doctrine is surrendered, Rome does not necessarily need to control the process. The boundaries have already been internalized.

The appearance of independence is therefore sufficient for this next phase.


Apostolic succession without doctrine is empty continuity

New bishops do not equal true resistance.

Apostolic succession without doctrinal integrity is sacramental form without Catholic substance.

The SSPX survives as Archbishop Lefebvre founded it only where:

• Vatican II is rejected as a complete and entire rupture

• The New Mass is refused as evil and harmful in itself

• The Conciliar Church is recognized as a new religion opposed to Tradition, to Eternal Rome

That continuation does not exist within the Neo SSPX.

It exists outside it.

+Archbishop Lefebvre’s SSPX survives today only in the True SSPX Resistance, carried on by priests who refused the 2012 doctrinal betrayal and have not submitted to the Conciliar framework in exchange for peace, recognition, or institutional survival.

Bishops can be multiplied indefinitely. Without doctrinal resistance, nothing is restored.

The conclusion? The 2026 announcement proves only one thing.

The Neo SSPX is still Neo SSPX.

No amount of wrongfully ordered episcopal activity can change that fact.

Our Lady of Fatima, Pray for Us.


-The Catholic Trumpet