Society of St. Pius X
I used to go to confession to a priest from the Society of St. Pius X. Now
that I am back in the Catholic Church, do I have to confess over again the
sins I told him?
In order to absolve someone from sins both licitly and validly, a priest must have not only the powers of orders from valid ordination to the priesthood, but also the power or jurisdiction given by a lawful bishop. While the priests from the non-Catholic sect, the society of St. Pius X, may have valid orders, they certainly do not have any jurisdiction, at least in the Diocese of Lincoln. Therefore, any absolution they might have imparted to you was both illicit as well as invalid. Talk this over with your pastor.
Reprinted July 4, 1997
Do members and followers of the St. Pius X Society come under Canon 1373?
This might be possible. The Canon reads, "A person who publicly incites his or her subjects to hatred or animosity against the Apostolic See or the Ordinary because of some act of ecclesiastical authority or ministry, or who provokes the subjects to disobedience against them is likely to be punished by interdict or other just penalties." It is likely, however, that they come under Canon 1364, which reads in part, "An apostate from faith, a heretic, or a schismatic incurs a "latae sententiae" excommunication…" Of course, there is particular legislation about them currently in force in the Diocese of Lincoln. Your parish priest can give you more information about this if you ask him. Incidentally, this "society" has no connection with Pius X High School in Lincoln, nor, for that matter, any connection with Saint Pius X.
Reprinted from December 7, 1997