Massimo Faggioli, Theologian

In an article for La Croix International the prominent theologian Massimo Faggioli has judged the recent Vatican excommunication of Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganó on a charge of schism to be far less significant than the ‘silent schism of disaffection and disillusionment’ caused by decades of scandal – while the ongoing universal synodal process could also end in serious polarisation if it takes decisions that antagonise some.

The word ‘schism’ simply means ‘split’.  A schism in the church can be as vast as the 16th century Reformations that left western Christendom to fight so-called religious wars for over a century, or as minor as the refusal of some 19th century ‘Old’ Catholics to accept the declaration of papal infallibility in 1871 – which many of today’s Catholics may know nothing about.

Archbishop Carlo Vigano with President Barak Obama when Papal ambassador to the USA 2011-2016.

Archbishop Viganó most vehemently opposed Pope Francis in August 2018, on the occasion of the concluding Mass for the World Meeting of Families in Dublin that year.  The pope was later cleared of Vigano’s charge that he had enabled the rise of disgraced US Cardinal Theodore McCarrick to pre-eminence there. Vigano later marginalised himself still further by adopting an ‘anti-vax’ posture on anti-Covid 19 vaccines and aligning himself with supporters of Donald Trump who are opposed to so-called ‘globalist conspiracies’.

Archbishop Viganó was judged guilty on July 5th 2024 of schism mainly for his refusal to accept the authority of Pope Francis and his opposition to the decisions of Vatican II (1962-65) – which were agreed almost unanimously by the Catholic bishops of that era.  These offences merit the schism charge, and excommunication, according to Catholic canon law.

Excommunication means not expulsion from the church but loss of the right to receive the sacraments, until a reconciliation has been achieved.

For Massimo Faggioli’s complete article in La Croix International, click here.