The Catholic Church's doctrinal office has formally declared the Society of St Pius X (SSPX) to be in 'schism' following their defiance of Pope Leo XIV by consecrating four bishops without his approval. This act, which occurred on Wednesday at an SSPX seminary in Econe, Switzerland, has resulted in automatic excommunication for the new bishops and any lay members who knowingly adhere to the group. The Vatican warned that the celebration of sacraments by SSPX is now considered illicit, and they may no longer officiate marriages or hear confessions. This latest flashpoint is part of a decades-long dispute between the Vatican and the SSPX, founded in 1970 by French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, who opposed many reforms introduced by the Second Vatican Council (Vatican II). The SSPX operates globally with its own bishops, priests, seminaries, and religious communities but lacks canonical status within the Church. The consecrations in Switzerland represent the most significant challenge to Pope Leo's authority since his election last year and a major setback to his efforts to heal divisions within the Catholic Church. Excommunication, the harshest penalty under Catholic canon law, bars a Catholic from receiving sacraments, getting married, or holding Church office, among other measures, and is considered a 'medicinal' penalty by the Church.