Auxiliary Bishop of Astana, Athanasius Schneider, has launched a harsh criticism against the recent document from study group number nine of the Synod on Synodality, which he accused of promoting the LGBT agenda within the Church and containing “heretical” positions contrary to Catholic doctrine. At the same time, the prelate publicly called on Pope Leo XIV not to excommunicate the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X (FSSPX) if it proceeds with the episcopal consecrations scheduled for next July 1.
During an interview granted to the program The World Over on EWTN, hosted by Raymond Arroyo, Schneider stated that the synodal report “does not seem written by a Catholic or even by a Christian,” but rather constitutes “a propagandistic document” aimed at favoring the acceptance of homosexual ideology.
The Kazakh bishop further maintained that the text represents “a denial of the order of creation” and criticized the document for including testimonies of men living in stable homosexual relationships while questioning the work of Courage International, the apostolate approved by the Church to accompany people with same-sex attraction.
“There is not a single word about repentance”
Schneider denounced that the document completely lacks references to repentance, chastity, or conversion, elements he considered essential in any truly Christian text.
“There is not a single word about repentance. There is not a word about chastity. There is not a word about conversion to God,” the bishop stated, describing the report as “a new anthropocentric religion.”
The prelate was especially critical of one of the positions present in the document, according to which sin in homosexual relationships would not reside in the relationship itself, but in a possible lack of faith.
“This is heresy,” Schneider affirmed. “The homosexual act is in itself contrary to the commandment of God.”
The bishop also compared that view with the Protestant principle of sola fide associated with Martin Luther.
Schneider rejects the Vatican’s attempt to downplay the document
Although the General Secretariat of the Synod has tried to reduce the doctrinal weight of the report by claiming it is merely the independent work of a study group, Schneider considered that explanation insufficient.
The bishop recalled that the document was officially published by a body of the Holy See and warned that many faithful do not distinguish between magisterial texts and documents promoted from Vatican structures.
“The message being conveyed to the world is that the Vatican de facto accepts homosexual relationships and the LGBT agenda,” he declared.
Calls on the Pope to avoid excommunicating the FSSPX
Schneider addressed the recent warning issued by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith regarding the possible episcopal consecrations planned by the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X for next July 1.
The Vatican has indicated that those ordinations would constitute a schismatic act punishable by excommunication. However, Schneider rejected that interpretation and maintained that illicit episcopal consecrations were not historically considered schismatic acts in themselves.
The bishop also defended that the FSSPX recognizes the Pope’s authority and does not intend to create a parallel hierarchy, but rather to guarantee the complete transmission of Catholic tradition.
“It would be an enormous historical error”
Schneider revealed that he recently wrote to Pope Leo XIV to ask him to allow the consecrations and adopt a “generous and pastoral” attitude toward the Fraternity.
The bishop also contrasted the firmness shown toward the FSSPX with the Vatican’s attitude regarding the German Synodal Way or the agreement with the communist regime in China for the appointment of bishops.
“While synodal inclusivity is being promoted and generosity is shown toward the German bishops and the Chinese Communist Party, now there is a threat to excommunicate those who wish to transmit the faith of all time without ambiguities,” he stated.
Schneider finally warned that an eventual excommunication of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X could go down in history as “an enormous error of pastoral rigidity” and asked the Pope to avoid “an unnecessary wound in the Church.”
Context of the synodal document and the conflict with the FSSPX
Study group number nine of the Synod on Synodality recently published a report focused on pastoral care for people who identify as LGBT. The document sparked controversy for including testimonies of people living in homosexual relationships and for the criticisms directed at Courage International.
In parallel, the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X remains firm in carrying out the episcopal consecrations on next July 1. The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith warned that those ordinations could be considered a schismatic act sanctioned with excommunication.