Pagliarani is known to be an outspoken critic of
Pope Francis. Even before his election as superior general, he had already criticized and denounced Francis' 2016
apostolic exhortation Amoris laetitia. Following the events that occurred at the 2019
Amazon synod, Pagliarani called for "a day of prayer and reparation" and called the synod "demonic" and "idolatrous." In October 2020, Pagliarani criticized the
Papal encyclical ''
Laudato si' for its reduction of Christian sanctity to environmentalism, ecumenism of the Document on Human Fraternity and its extension to the Papal encyclical Fratelli Tutti''. Pagliarani lamented on the
motu proprio Traditionis custodes promulgated by Francis in July 2021 restricting the use of the
Tridentine Mass. In a sermon delivered at Mass on July 18, 2021, Pagliarani asked, "Why is this Mass the 'apple of discord'? Why does this Mass divide?" and criticized the pope once more, saying, "The pope and his accomplices are the jail guards of tradition. They are guardians of the zoo." Pagliarani also issued a communiqué regarding the
motu proprio in which he stated, "This Mass, our Mass, must really be for us like the pearl of great price in the Gospel, for which we are ready to renounce everything, for which we are ready to sell everything." On 2 February 2026, during the ceremony of receiving the cassocks which he presided at the Saint-Curé-d'Ars International Seminary in
Flavigny-sur-Ozerain, he announced that new consecrations of bishops would take place on 1 July. On February 12, Pagliarani met Cardinal
Víctor Manuel Fernández, the head of the
Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. The dicastery stated their openness to begin talks with the SSPX, while warning against the planned consecrations. On February 18, 2026, Pagliarani sent a letter to Cardinal Fernandez, where he confirmed the consecrations were to take place on 1st July. ==References==