Athlone Latin Mass group excommunicated by Vatican
Practising followers of the Society of Saint Pius X, a conservative Catholic group which holds services at the Corpus Christi Church in Athlone's Connaught Gardens, have been excommunicated by the Vatican after it defied a direction from Pope Leo XIV.
The move came on Thursday, after the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) consecrated four new bishops in Switzerland the previous day despite a direct instruction from Pope Leo not to do so.
The Vatican, in response, excommunicated the bishops and priests of SSPX, and also said members of the lay faithful who "formally adhere" to the fraternity were also to be considered excommunicated.
It said that those who leave the SSPX would be welcomed back to the Catholic Church "with sincere affection".
The Corpus Christi Church in Athlone is owned by SSPX, which is best-known for its adherence to the Tridentine Rite Mass that is celebrated in Latin.
The local church has a regular Mass schedule of three services each week, at 6.30pm on Fridays, and at 10am on Saturdays and Sundays.
It tends to draw a regional congregation of worshippers who travel to attend the Latin Mass at what's one of just five churches operated by SSPX in the Republic of Ireland, with the others in Dublin, Cork, Kilkenny and Monaghan.
Earlier today (Friday) the Westmeath Independent phoned the Society in connection with the news of the excommunication by the Vatican.
A call to a local phone number for the Corpus Christi Church was redirected to the national SSPX headquarters in Dún Laoghaire.
The person who answered there, in response to our questions, cited a passage from St Augustine in his treatise 'On True Religion'.
In the passage in question, St Augustine writes: "Sometimes, too, divine providence will allow even good men to be expelled from the Christian community through some outbreak of turbulence and discord on the part of fleshly-minded folk.
"When they show inexhaustible patience in putting up with such an insult or injury for the sake of the peace of the Church and do not undertake any novelties in the way of schism or heresy, they will teach us all with what heartfelt loyalty and genuine charity we should serve God," the passage states.
The Vatican said last week that the consecration by SSPX of four new bishops had been celebrated "without pontifical mandate, against the will of the Holy Father, and in open violation of canon law".
More than five years ago, in April 2021, Athlone Gardai entered the Corpus Christi Church while Sunday Mass was being celebrated in breach of Covid-19 restrictions on public gatherings which were in place at the time.
A Garda representative said at the time that those who had been in attendance at the service complied with the directions of the Gardai, and that no fines or other penalties were issued.