Rorate Caeli

Court-mandated reinstatement at the SSPX

The case of Fathers Laguérie and Héry, currently in Bordeaux (who left or were expelled from the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X-FSSPX/SSPX, according to the view of each party), is widely known to those who follow Traditional Catholic news. The SSPX version of the events is available here (English). A different presentation of the facts is available here (English).

After having tried, unsuccessfully, to appeal to ecclesiastical courts, Fathers Laguérie and Héry took their case to the civil courts, with the argument that their procedural rights had been denied by the Society's leadership (or, more exactly, by the "Religious Association Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X", which is the civil name of the District of France of the SSPX).

And, last Thursday, the High Court of Justice of Nanterre (Department of Hauts-de-Seine) delivered its opinion (not yet available online), ordering the Fraternity to reinstate both priests who, according to the Court, had been unlawfully expelled from the Association (the statement of both priests is available here; the District of France has not yet released any official statement).

The Fraternity may appeal.