Built for the Long Haul: The SSPX Selects Four Seasoned Priests for Episcopal Consecration

The official announcement from the General House of the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) detailing the four priests chosen for the July 1, 2026, episcopal consecrations at Écône marks a monumental moment for traditional Catholicism. This decision represents a deliberate focus on structural continuity, doctrinal transmission, and the long-term stability of the Society’s mission. Rather than a mere organizational expansion, these selections reflect a careful preservation of the "Operation Survival" legacy first initiated by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre in 1988, ensuring that the administration of the traditional sacraments and the training of future priests will continue seamlessly for decades to come. Each of these four candidates shares a common foundation: they come from large, traditional Catholic families rich in religious vocations, and they have spent their entire priesthood embedded in the leadership, formation, and apostolates of the SSPX, proving their unwavering lifelong devotion to the cause.

Representing the European heart of the Society is Father Pascal Schreiber, who was born into a family of five children in the Swiss canton of Aargau. After beginning his studies at the Herz Jesu Seminary in Zaitzkofen in 1992, he completed his formation at Écône and was ordained in 1998. With nearly three decades of priestly service, Father Schreiber has been a pillar of the European apostolate, serving in vital roles within the seminary system and regional governance. His extensive experience ensures that the strict standards of priestly formation and administrative stability laid down by the Society's founder will be faithfully maintained.

From the United States, Father Michael Goldade brings a wealth of pastoral and administrative experience to the episcopacy. Raised in the robust traditional Catholic community of St. Marys, Kansas, he grew up in a family of ten children, including three sisters who entered the religious life within the Society. Ordained in 2004 after entering the seminary at age eighteen, Father Goldade has spent over twenty years serving as a foundational pillar of the American District. His tenure as Prior in Kansas City, where he managed a large parish, academy, and religious community, coupled with his appointment as assistant to the U.S. District Superior in 2021, demonstrates his battle-tested capability to provide steady, lifelong governance.

The French apostolate is strongly represented by Father Michel Poinsinet de Sivry, who was born into a traditional Catholic family of seven children. He completed his ecclesiastical formation at the seminaries of Flavigny and Écône, leading to his ordination in 2008. Throughout his priesthood, Father Poinsinet de Sivry has been deeply involved in the leadership of traditional Catholic education and parish direction in France. His work has focused intensely on the intellectual and spiritual defense of the Traditional Latin Mass, making him a dedicated guardian of the faith for the next generation of Catholic families.

The final and youngest candidate is Father Marc Hanappier, who represents the vibrant future of the Society. Born in 1990 into a family of ten children with numerous religious vocations, he was ordained in 2013 after completing his studies at Flavigny and Écône. Despite his relative youth at thirty-six years old, Father Hanappier belongs to a generation of clergy formed entirely within the mature, established framework of the SSPX. His remarkable maturity and selection by the General House underscore a profound trust in his ability to offer a steady hand and decades-spanning continuity to the traditional episcopacy. 

Ultimately, the selection of these four priests underscores a profound truth about the Society of Saint Pius X: its strength lies not in a desire for novelty, but in an unwavering fidelity to what has been passed down through the centuries. By elevating men deeply formed within traditional large families, seasoned in pastoral governance, and entirely dedicated to the SSPX apostolate, the Society is securing a stable future for the traditional sacraments. As the Church continues to navigate an unprecedented crisis of faith, the upcoming consecrations at Écône stand as a courageous declaration of endurance. These future bishops are uniquely equipped for a lifelong, decades-spanning ministry, ensuring that the flame of the traditional priesthood and the timeless Holy Sacrifice of the Mass will remain fully accessible to strengthen and guide souls for generations to come.