(LifeSiteNews) — Archbishop Jan Pawel Lenga, a former bishop in Kazakhstan known for surviving communism and his previous outspoken criticism of Pope Francis and the direction of the Catholic hierarchy, sharply criticized the Vatican’s excommunication of the priests and laity of the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) after its July 1 consecration of four new bishops without a papal mandate while praising the order.

In a statement, Archbishop Lenga, 76, slammed the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith’s (DDF) under Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández decree that excommunicated the Society’s newly consecrated bishops, all clergy, and in some cases, its laity, claiming this is proof that the Vatican has departed from Christ and the authentic faith. The archbishop noted that the SSPX had tried for years to make contact with the Vatican, which he noted has been occupied “by people who have been completely corrupted by the world and who have been placed there in order to destroy the Catholic Church down to its very roots,” about consecrating new bishops but was unsuccessful.

Lenga highlighted the pious, peaceful, and joyful atmosphere of the SSPX’s consecrations, and the great life of prayer and devotion to Christ, especially among young people, present within the Society. He compared this atmosphere with the “complete chaos” of the Vatican hierarchy, whom he decried as “wolves” who ultimately have no concern for the salvation of souls but instead lead them astray. Indeed, he wrote that many of these cardinals and bishops are themselves in “schism.”

READ: ‘This is a canonical mess’: Fr. Murray explains why SSPX priests, laity are not excommunicated

The archbishop further underscored that the current hierarchy has fallen away from Our Lord’s fundamental teachings that thousands of martyrs have shed blood for and instead hide behind Christ’s name, demanding obedience for their own sake, not His. Indeed, he cited (former Cardinal Robert) “Prevost’s” approval of the excommunications as proof that the pontiff no longer represents Christ’s Church that leads people to salvation.

Lenga concluded his statement by encouraging members of the Society to remain faithful to Christ.

Archbishop Lenga’s full statement

What Fernández wrote on paper – and what was also signed by a Vatican lackey – only proves how far the Vatican has departed from Christ and from the faith.

It was worth seeing the consecration of the bishops of the Society of St Pius X: what peace, what joy, what prayerful atmosphere, what solemnity! Nothing like that can be seen in the post-conciliar Church anymore. In contrast, the Vatican is in chaos … The Society therefore hoped that it might succeed. But those who wish to serve Christ must carry their cross to the very end, just as Christ carried His cross. They said to Him: Come down from the cross; save yourself and us, because we want to live here on our own terms and go about our business. But Christ did not come down from the cross and fulfilled God’s will to the very end – unto death on the cross.

For years, the Society has been trying to make contact with the Vatican. In the Vatican, however, key positions are increasingly being occupied by people who have been completely corrupted by the world and who have been placed there in order to destroy the Catholic Church down to its very roots. This is the wolf’s face among the sheep, who are God’s flock. They exploit the flock while pushing their conciliar and post-conciliar agenda. They have no concern whatsoever for the salvation of souls. They appeal to canons – which were written to prevent heresies, to prevent schism – yet these cardinals and bishops themselves are in schism. They are the ones who should be excommunicated, because they no longer have anything at all in common with the Church of Christ.

In the Society, there is a life of prayer; there are young people, new churches are being built… They do not wish to be separated from the See of Peter. Yet the See of Peter has been occupied by people who have nothing to do with Christ. The Society is faithful to the mission that Christ entrusted to Peter. They are not separating themselves from Peter; rather, the false Peter has separated himself from them. It is precisely this false Peter who deserves to be expelled from the Church, because he is not doing what he is supposed to do. Christ is long gone from there, there is no faith left; it is total humanism …

Prevost’s approval of the excommunication is proof that he no longer represents the Church that follows Jesus and leads people to salvation.

Now the only thing left is to take a radical step: to continue to exist as a catacomb Church and thus remain faithful to Christ, because it is obvious that the current Church does not lead people to salvation, but to damnation.

The Society of St. Pius X was founded by Archbishop Lefebvre. He was endowed with the Holy Spirit and saw all the transgressions that had crept into the Church over the years. The present Catholic Church has long since strayed from the path of salvation and does not lead people to salvation. The Novus Ordo and all those innovations were not in line with salvation. The Church has become a stepmother, a real stepmother; it has turned into Bergoglio’s sect. It does not care about people’s faith; it is not concerned with inner and genuine conversion; it just cites some legal provisions, while pursuing its own goals. Each and every one of us is to be subject to Christ, and each of us is to do His will. Christ sends His apostles: Teach what I have taught you. The present Church, however, has completely fallen away from the fundamental teachings of Jesus Christ. Thousands of martyrs shed their blood to remain faithful to Christ. The Church today has nothing to do with Christ; they merely hide behind Christ’s name, and they demand obedience for their own sake, not for Christ’s.

The homily at the ordination Mass of the new bishops was in the spirit of Cyril of Alexandria and in the spirit of those who suffered at the hands of people during their lives. It was in the spirit of Saint Athanasius, and not in the spirit of Fernández and those like him, who were installed to destroy God’s sheepfold.

The Society will remain in union with Jesus even now and excommunication is void before God and Christ. It means nothing either to the Society or to those who serve Jesus.

I call upon all those who are in the Society – priests and bishops alike – to persevere in the apostolic teaching, to hold fast to Christ’s teaching, and not to be swayed. It is necessary to persevere in the faith, and not in false obedience, and not to follow the directives of the apostate Vatican, which have nothing to do with Christ’s decisions or with faith in Christ.

Remain faithful to Christ. Wolves have always hindered the sheep from living in God’s grace. Therefore, love Christ and go to those to whom you have been sent. There is no other way to the resurrection except through the cross. And Jesus walked the Way of the Cross before you and did not shrink from it, because He loved God and loved the people to whom He had been sent. So must you. Love Jesus and His Most Holy Mother and go to those to whom they send you. Some will call into question the sacraments you administer, but remain faithful to Christ, and whoever endures to the end will be saved.

May the Almighty and Triune God – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – bless you in this suffering and in your witness to faith in Jesus.

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