‘Undistorted, in Deed and Truth’: The Conversion Story of Former SSPX-Lefebvrist Fr. Reid Hennick

Insightful, charitable, compelling

‘Undistorted, in Deed and Truth’: The Conversion Story of Former SSPX-Lefebvrist Fr. Reid Hennick

On Feb. 18, 2025, we reported on a priest convert to Sedevacantism from the Lefebvrist Society of St. Pius X (SSPX or FSSPX): Father Reid Hennick.

Fr. Hennick has since joined the U.S.-based Roman Catholic Institute of Bp. Donald Sanborn and now serves as pastor of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Lawrence, Massachusetts.

The following video is of a talk Fr. Hennick gave on Oct. 4, 2026, at St. Gertrude the Great Catholic Church in West Chester, Ohio. In less than half an hour, Fr. Hennick shares his personal conversion story, explaining what led him, unexpectedly, to Sedevacantism.

Father recounts how it was the writings of anti-sedevacantist John Salza that persuaded him of the SSPX’s recognize-and-resist position as being what seemed to him the ‘reasonable middle’ stance between the extremes of Novus Ordo Modernism on the left and Sedevacantism on the right.

But upon studying the theology of the Church before Vatican II, he came to realize that the SSPX “communicates a distorted notion of the Papacy” because it ultimately reduces the figure of the Pope to what the late Fr. Anthony Cekada called a “cardboard Pope”. It is this false notion of the Papacy that convinced Fr. Hennick he had to leave the Society.

You can watch Father’s insightful speech here:

(direct link to YouTube video here)

Throughout his talk, Fr. Hennick remains entirely committed to the truth and to charity. His presentation is serene but by no means boring. At no point does he attack anyone personally, and he gives credit where credit is due. He knows he owes a debt of gratitude to the Society of St. Pius X for his formation and his priesthood, and he makes clear that he left them on good terms, without anger and without bitterness.

Father’s presentation is a joy to listen to, and we hope it will be seen and shared by a great many people.

God bless you, Fr. Hennick. May God render your apostolate fruitful and a blessing to all!