I express my satisfaction with the response of the Society Saint Pius X General Council to the Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (here). It reaffirms decades of consistency, without yielding to the pressures and overtures of the conciliar and synodal Church. It has the merit of wittily demonstrating the paradox of those who in words preach dialogue and inclusiveness, but in practice demonstrate a “double standard” depending on who they are speaking to.

Fr. Davide Pagliarani provocatively asks Tucho Fernández to grant the SSPX the same “pastoral flexibility” it has demonstrated in other cases, knowing full well that the “pastoralism” of synodal officials is a hypocritical rhetorical pretense.

His words echo those of Archbishop Lefebvre to Paul VI: “Let us make the experience of the Tradition” (September 11, 1976). It is the “argumentum ex concessis”—a rhetorical and logical technique in which an interlocutor uses the assertions made by the opponent to construct his own argument, in order to refute or demonstrate the opponent’s position as erroneous.

Fr. Pagliarani reminds Tucho Fernández that the Society does not intend to embrace the hypothesis of a “lowest common denominator” that smooths over obvious doctrinal differences; and that the task of the Hierarchy is to safeguard the integrity of the Depositum Fidei, not to prune it to avoid friction. And precisely by virtue of this principle, the General Superior demonstrates the absurdity of engaging in debate on the level of Charity, ignoring the Truth.

A beautiful lesson—very elegant and not without a touch of healthy irony—that reminds Tucho Fernández that the role of Prefect of the former Holy Office does not consist in selling out the Faith in the name of a unity that can be founded solely and exclusively on the integrity of the Catholic Faith.

If Tucho Fernández truly believes that the pastoral approach has any chance, he must demonstrate it by acting consistently with what he affirms, something that Tucho—like Cardinal Müller—rules out a priori, elevating Vatican II to an untouchable fetish.

The ball is now in Tucho’s and Leo’s court. The only thing either can do is declare a “schism”, and thus definitively save the Society of Saint Pius X from any contamination by the errors of the conciliar and synodal Church. The schism exists: but it is that of a “Church” willing to deny all Catholic Dogmas to save the conciliar and synodal superdogma.

As I stated hopefully in a recent interview with Stephen Kokx: Tucho and Leo have now been “backed into a corner,” or as they would say in Chiclayo: “Entre la espada y la pared” (between the sword and the wall). Deo gratias.

+ Carlo Maria Viganò, Archbishop

Viterbo, 20 February 2026
Feria VI post Cineres