Fears of Catholic schism as defiant sect ordains ultra-conservative bishops

The Society of Saint Pius X, an ultra-conservative Catholic sect, has defied Pope Leo by ordaining four bishops without his consent. The ceremony took place Wednesday in the Swiss village of Ecône, according to The Guardian, and consecrated bishops from Switzerland, France, and the United States. The group declared the action a 'sacred duty,' but the Catholic Church considers unauthorized episcopal ordinations grounds for automatic excommunication. The move threatens to deepen a schism within the Church and represents a direct challenge to Pope Leo's authority.

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