Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, a vocal critic of Pope Francis, has been excommunicated by the Vatican for his defiance and rejection of papal authority. The Vatican’s decision comes after Viganò, once a prominent figure in the Catholic Church and former envoy to the U.S., was found guilty of schism —essentially breaking away from the unity of the Church by refusing to acknowledge the pope’s leadership and the authority of Vatican II. Known for his controversial statements and involvement in conservative causes, including the Kim Davis incident during Francis’ U.S. visit, Viganò has been a lightning rod for controversy. His accusations of sexual abuse cover-ups and calls for Francis’ resignation further strained his relationship with the Vatican, culminating in this dramatic excommunication.

As reported by CBS News, the Vatican has excommunicated a flaming conservative who became one of Pope Francis’ most vocal adversaries.

Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, the Vatican’s former ambassador to the United States, was found guilty of schism. According to a press statement released Friday, the Vatican’s doctrinal office issued the penalty during a meeting of its members on Thursday.

The verdict was based on Viganò’s reluctance to recognize and submit to the Supreme Pontiff, as well as his denial of communion with church members and the legitimacy of the Second Vatican Council.

Viganò’s excommunication by the Vatican means he is no longer a member of the church and cannot participate in its sacraments due to schism, a serious offense under canon law. A schism happens when someone withdraws their submission to the pope or from the communion of Catholics who follow him.

It is regarded as particularly damaging to the faith since it threatens the church’s unity. Vigano had built a following of like-minded conservatives and traditionalists over the years as he delved deeper into conspiracy theories regarding anything from the coronavirus epidemic to what he termed the “Great Reset” and other fringe beliefs.

Viganò, as envoy in Washington, made headlines during Francis’ 2015 visit to the US, which he helped organize as nuncio. Viganò invited Kim Davis, a Kentucky clerk in the core of the U.S. gay marriage dispute, to join a small group at the Vatican residence to receive Francis.

Davis rose to popularity after refusing to provide all marriage licenses rather than being forced to grant licenses to same-sex couples. She became a hero for the conservative right in the United States, with whom Vigano had grown more linked with the country’s culture wars over homosexual marriage and religious liberty.

Davis and her counsel claimed that the meeting with Francis amounted to an affirmation of her cause. The Vatican then refuted that assertion, releasing video footage of what it claimed was Francis’ “only” private audience in Washington: a small group of people, including a gay couple.

Vigano’s dishonesty in inviting Davis to visit the pope appeared to set the two on a collision path that culminated in August 2018.

In 2018, Viganò, who resigned in 2016 at the age of 75, sparked charges of sexual assault against Pope Francis, leading to calls for his resignation.

During Francis’ fraught visit to Ireland, Viganò claimed in an 11-page letter that he informed the pontiff in 2013 about sex abuse allegations against retired Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, the most senior US churchman. However, he argued, the pontiff ignored this and permitted McCarrick to continue serving the church publicly for another five years. He claimed the pope should resign and later called him a “false prophet” and a “servant of Satan.”

Viganò’s letter included ideological arguments and criticism of homosexuals within the Church. He did not provide any substantiation for his remarks.

The accusations were explosive, contributing to Francis’ most serious crisis during his short pontificate.

Last month, the Vatican summoned Viganò to address charges of schism and questioning the pope’s legitimacy, rejecting accusations of a cover-up for sexual misconduct.

Viganò, who saw the charges “as an honor,” declined to participate in the disciplinary processes because he did not accept the legality of the institutions involved.

“I do not recognize the authority of the tribunal that claims to judge me, nor of its Prefect, nor of the one who appointed him,” he stated in a statement released last week, referring to Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez, head of the doctrinal office, and Francis.

Viganò criticized Vatican Council II, describing it as “the ideological, theological, moral and liturgical cancer of which the (Francis’)’ synod church’ is the necessary metastasis.”

He had yet to remark on the Vatican’s decision on X, his customary venue. About an hour before the Vatican ruling was made public, he announced that he would be holding a Mass on Friday for those who had been supporting him and requested donations.

McCarrick, the former archbishop of Washington, D.C., was defrocked by Pope Francis in 2019 following an internal Vatican investigation that revealed he sexually abused both adults and children.

Last year, GreatGameIndia reported that the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith has forbidden Catholics from joining Freemasonry.