Communiqué from the Society of Saint Pius X (Kenya) | Download as PDF

Dear Faithful of Holy Cross Catholic Church and Priory, and all who seek the Traditional Catholic Faith.

In recent days, the Archdiocese of Nairobi has issued a pastoral letter concerning the Society of Saint Pius X. We understand that this may have caused confusion, concern, or distress among some of you who love the traditional Faith and regularly assist at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass here at Holy Cross. We address you with sorrow yet with serene confidence in the Providence of God. We wish to reassure you with clarity and charity.

The Society of Saint Pius X is a Catholic priestly society founded in 1970 by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre for the preservation and transmission of the traditional Faith, the Catholic priesthood, and the immemorial Roman Rite of the Holy Mass. Our sole mission is to serve souls by providing sound doctrine and all the sacraments received from Our Lord Jesus Christ, transmitted by the Apostles, and which have sanctified the saints throughout the history of the Church. We are not a parallel Church. We remain fully Catholic and attached to the See of Peter and to his successor, Pope Leo XIV.

Regarding the recent Decree from the Holy See and the excommunication mentioned in the pastoral letter: we hold, as the Society has consistently maintained, that these penalties are objectively unjust and invalid. They do not correspond to the true state of necessity in which the Church finds herself today, nor do they invalidate the sacraments we administer according to the traditional rites. The consecrations of the 1st of July 2026 were performed out of grave duty for the continuation of the traditional priesthood amid the ongoing crisis. We do not accept the label of schism. We do not have any spirit of bitterness or rebellion. Our only desire is to remain faithful to Our Lord Jesus Christ and his only Church, to His Blessed Mother, to the perennial Magisterium and to the Faith of all time. We have not separated ourselves from the Roman Catholic Church. We daily pray for the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, and for His Grace Archbishop Philip Anyolo during the Canon of the Mass.

For the peace of mind of the Catholic faithful in Kenya, the recent consecrations of Bishops were performed in a genuine state of necessity, a situation clearly foreseen and provided for by the Church’s own canon law. According to Canon 1323, 4° of the Code of Canon Law, no one is subject to any penalty who acts out of necessity or to avoid a grave inconvenience, even if this situation is mistakenly presumed, unless the act is intrinsically evil or harmful to souls. The consecrations were neither. They were not, in addition, a usurpation of the authority of the Pope, nor do the members of the Society of Saint Pius X place the authority of the Society above that of the Supreme Pontiff. On the contrary, they were an act of fidelity and charity to ensure the continuation of traditional priesthood and sacraments for the salvation of souls in a time of grave crisis. The Church herself supplies what is necessary in such cases. Therefore, no canonical penalty is attached to the consecrations of the bishops involved, or to the faithful who benefit from their ministry. Attendance at the Traditional Latin Mass at Holy Cross, or participation for spiritual or liturgical reasons, does not attract canonical penalty.

The Society’s firm resistance to certain doctrinal and moral confusions is well known. We remain deeply concerned by some elements in the Second Vatican Council that contradict the perennial teaching of the Catholic Church, by the lack of reverence in many modern liturgical celebrations, and by the widespread abandonment of the Church’s venerable traditions dear to all saints.

To all our faithful who regularly attend Holy Cross Priory: we are here to serve and guide you on your path to holiness. You may continue to assist at the Traditional Latin Mass, receive the sacraments, and participate in our apostolate with a peaceful conscience. The priests here remain fully available to you for Confessions, Holy Mass, Baptisms, Marriages, and all spiritual helps. We encourage you to deepen your life of prayer, to frequent the sacraments, to form your families in the Faith, and in preserving Tradition for future generations. Do not be troubled. This is a time to grow in trust in God’s Providence, in prayer, and in fidelity to Tradition. The gates of Hell will not prevail against the Church.

We invite everyone to intensify their prayers for the restoration of Catholic Tradition within the Church. May the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Mediatrix of all Graces, Saint Joseph Patron of the Universal Church, and Saint Pius X, our patron, intercede for true unity founded on Truth and
Faith.

In a spirit of filial respect and devotion, we express our heartfelt affection to His Grace, Most Rev. Philip A. Anyolo, Metropolitan Archbishop of Nairobi. We assure him of our prayers and respectfully remain at his disposition to discuss these grave matters for the good of souls and the unity of the Church. We, as his children, humbly ask for his merciful consideration and blessing.

Rev. Fr. Pierre Champroux
Prior

Updated on 12th July 2026. For more clarification or research reach out to the Website of the Society on https://sspx.news