Cardinal Zen urges Society of St. Pius X to trust Pope Leo

Cardinal Joseph Zen, a prominent supporter of the Traditional Latin Mass, has urged the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) to avoid schism by listening to Pope Leo XIV’s explanations of the Second Vatican Council.

In a comment posted to X in Italian on Friday, the 94-year-old Chinese prelate weighed in on the ongoing discussions between the Holy See and the society, which has said it will consecrate bishops without papal approval.

Zen’s comment follows those of Cardinals Gerhard Müller and Robert Sarah, who criticized the society for moving forward with its plan to consecrate bishops in defiance of the Vatican.

“Pope Leo is one who listens! He understands and will make his children understand that certain things perpetrated in the name of the so-called ‘spirit of the council,’ but contrary to the Church’s tradition, are not of the council,” the cardinal wrote.

He noted that even traditionalists are divided over the SSPX consecrations. “A schism must be avoided at all costs, because it will cause serious and lasting damage to the Church; but on the other hand, we must also respect a major problem of conscience: ‘How can we force someone to follow teachings that clearly deny the holy tradition of the Church?’” Zen said.

Zen also accused the prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF), Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, of wanting “to dismantle the Church’s traditions.”

“The SSPX has been sent to dialogue with the head of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, but is there any hope to be gained from this dialogue?” he said.

He also compared the discussions between the SSPX and the DDF to the biblical story of Joseph and his brothers. He identified the SSPX as Joseph, Fernández as Joseph’s brothers, and Pope Leo XIV as Reuben, who saved Joseph from his brothers.

The SSPX — which exclusively celebrates the Traditional Latin Mass — published a statement in February defending its decision to consecrate bishops and the breakdown in discussions with the Vatican. Under canon law, a bishop who consecrates another bishop without a papal mandate incurs automatic excommunication along with the one who was consecrated.

Zen slammed synodality at the consistory of cardinals in January. He is also an outspoken critic of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the 2018 Vatican-China deal.