SSPX makes canonical appeal against excommunication
The SSPX has made a formal appeal to the Holy See against the excommunication decree on its 6 bishops
(Catholic Herald) — The Society of Saint Pius X has issued its formal response to the Holy See’s Decree of excommunication, thus initiating a process which results in the temporary suspension of the penalties of the Decree.
On 11 July, the Society sent a “preliminary recourse” to the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF), marking its formal response to the 2 July Decree from the Dicastery regarding the penalty of automatic excommunication incurred by the six SSPX bishops. News of the appeal was published on the evening of 13 July.
The Society’s recourse was issued in line with canons 1353 and 1734, which outline set guidelines for the timing of submitting a response to a punitive decree. By submitting the appeal, the SSPX has also thus initiated a temporary suspension of the penalties against them, as per canon 1353 which reads: “An appeal or a recourse against judgements of a court or against decrees which impose or declare any penalty has a suspensive effect.”
“By this recourse” the SSPX’s press statement read, “the Society intends to exercise the right which the Church recognises to any person who considers himself harmed by an administrative act to seek its correction, in a spirit of respect for ecclesiastical authority and of faithful attachment to justice, truth and the good of the Church.”
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