Archdiocese of San Antonio bars SSPX priests from weddings, urges Catholics to stay away

Key Points:

• The Archdiocese of San Antonio has instructed Catholics to stop attending Mass and activities at St. Joseph Chapel, run by the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X (SSPX), due to what Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller described as “schismatic actions” by the group's bishops.
• On July 1, 2026, SSPX bishops Alfonso de Galarreta and Bernard Fellay ordained four priests as bishops without papal approval, an act deemed schismatic and resulting in their automatic excommunication.
• Following a decree from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith on July 2, 2026, García-Siller will no longer grant delegation to SSPX priests to validly preside at weddings or minister within the archdiocese, citing that sacraments administered by SSPX ministers are illicit or invalid.
• Catholics seeking the traditional Latin Mass are directed to Saint Timothy Catholic Church in San Antonio, and the archbishop urges the faithful to avoid financially supporting the SSPX, including its church construction campaign in Schertz.
• Archbishop García-Siller emphasized the importance of unity with the Pope and the Catholic hierarchy and called for prayers toward the reunification of all Christians.