SSPX priest Fr. Joseph Horvath was conditionally ordained after leaving the NO. I was present at his first [SSPX] Mass in Louisville, KY - I can't remember exactly but I think that was like 2010 or so. He lambasted his NO bishop and the whole NO up one side and down the other from the pulpit that day, he was really fuming at them that day -  that was one awesome sermon, definitely not the usual SSPX sleeper I've become accustomed to.

I'm pretty sure that he was mostly convinced his NO ordination was valid, but I think he may have had his own doubts so he was conditionally ordained by the SSPX to eliminate all doubts about the validity of his orders. 

I remember asking a +20 year SSPX priest about it a year or so ago, he immediately answered that most of the NO priests who want to come into the SSPX are usually the first ones wanting to be conditionally ordained - which makes sense imo, but also the SSPX does some investigation into the matter first. But I am pretty sure the SSPX does not make conditional ordinations an automatic  requirement for NO priests.

Ok, I just now got off the phone call with a man named Brent at Angelus Press - we had a very enjoyable conversation about many different issues regarding the NO, the state of the Church and world, always enjoy conversations with other trads about the crisis - but we did speak at length about the ordination situation - if all you want is an end summary, then here it is; trust the SSPX, they do what they can to make sure there are no concerns about the validity of any SSPX priest.


I will try to put it all in order. I did take notes....

First, each case is looked into separately, always on a case by case basis.

The SSPX takes the Church's position that the presumption is the New Rite of Ordination is valid.

The SSPX do exhaustive interviews with the defectors - this interview between the SSPX and defectors is the main thing the SSPX use to base their decision as to whether conditional ordination is or might be needed. Much pertinent information is garnered during these interviews.

During the interview, they determine whether proper matter and form were used during the NO ordination, but the primary concern is if the priest and / or bishop had the proper intention. Most often, it is this "proper intention" problem that determines whether or not the priest gets conditionally ordained.

Quite often it is the defecting priest himself that, through his own investigation determines that he needs to be conditionally ordained or re-ordained - and based on that, he gets conditionally ordained.

If it is determined that proper NO form/matter/intention occurred, then there is no conditional ordination.

All or nearly all defecting priests have, to some extent, studied the traditional faith and Mass prior to their defecting.
Nearly all defectors first went to either FSSP, ICK or some other trad organization before landing at the SSPX.

All defectors go through trad training - what that training is comprised of is dependent upon the needs of individual priest, there is no hard, fast rule for this. Again, it is done on a case by case basis. Some NO seminaries these defectors attended are known to be more problematic then others and most often, defecting priests have attended more than one, often two to five different NO seminaries.


Well, for whatever it's worth, that's about everything he said.

Thank you everyone for your wonderful responses! After some reflection upon the replies and additional consultation with a trusted priest, I feel 100% confident now that Fr Horvath is a valid priest. I can't wait to go to his Mass in a few days!

And a big thanks to Ladislaus for correcting me on the validity of priestly ordinations without prior ordination to the subdiaconate and diaconate. The priest that I talked to told me that it's technically been allowed before in situations called "per saltum", though it's irregular and not recommended since skipping those earlier steps could lead to poor formation of the priest. So regardless of how deep the SSPX's conditional ordination goes, Fr Horvath is definitely a valid priest!

After attending his Mass this past Sunday, I'm happy to report that he seems to be a wonderful priest, and is exactly the kind of priest that the SSPX needs! Had I not known that he had originally been a Novus Ordo priest, I would have never guessed it! He did well with the Latin Mass, and he offered confession in the same traditional style as other traditional priests do.