Changes

On the 2nd July 1988, Pope John Paul II issued his Apostolic Letter 'Ecclesia Dei' in which he condemned the consecrations as 'unlawful', an act of 'disobedience' and, therefore, a 'schismatic act'.<ref>http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/motu_proprio/documents/hf_jp-ii_motu-proprio_02071988_ecclesia-dei_en.html</ref>  As a result, the Pope claimed that the Archbishop and four new Bishops had automatically incurred the penalty of excommunication. However, the Pope did not formally excommunicate the five men, nor was he speaking ex cathedra but only as a private theologian. In either case according to the St Augustinian theory a bishop retains his power to ordain Priests and consecrate other bishops, even if excommunicated by the[[Roman_Catholic_Church | Roman Catholic Church]] so its bishops and priests are valid.

On the 2nd July 1988, Pope John Paul II issued his Apostolic Letter 'Ecclesia Dei' in which he condemned the consecrations as 'unlawful', an act of 'disobedience' and, therefore, a 'schismatic act'.<ref>http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/motu_proprio/documents/hf_jp-ii_motu-proprio_02071988_ecclesia-dei_en.html</ref>  As a result, the Pope claimed that the Archbishop and four new Bishops had automatically incurred the penalty of excommunication. However, the Pope did not formally excommunicate the five men, nor was he speaking ex cathedra but only as a private theologian. In either case according to the St Augustinian theory a bishop retains his power to ordain Priests and consecrate other bishops, even if excommunicated by the[[Roman_Catholic_Church | Roman Catholic Church]] so its bishops and priests are valid.

==The Society of St. Pius X Church Today==

==The Society of St. Pius X Church in the 21st Century==

The Society of St. Pius X Church is governed by the [[Superior Religious order | Superior General]], who resides with his assistants, the Secretary General and the General Bursar, in the General House situated in Menzingen, Switzerland <ref>https://fsspx.org/en</ref>. SSPX is Organized into 14 districts worldwide similar to dioceses, each of which is entrusted to a local superior. Auxiliary bishops assist the districts. The USA is under one district a list of its churches can be found via this link <ref>https://sspx.org/en/list-sspx-chapels</ref>.

The Society of St. Pius X Church is governed by the [[Superior Religious order | Superior General]], who resides with his assistants, the Secretary General and the General Bursar, in the General House situated in Menzingen, Switzerland <ref>https://fsspx.org/en</ref>. SSPX is Organized into 14 districts worldwide similar to dioceses, each of which is entrusted to a local superior. Auxiliary bishops assist the districts. The USA is under one district a list of its churches can be found via this link <ref>https://sspx.org/en/list-sspx-chapels</ref>.