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Image: Sculpture of Saint Anthony Zaccaria, at St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican | Cesare Aureli Saint of the Day for July 5 (1502 – July 5, 1539) Saint Anthony Zaccaria’s Story At the same time that Martin Luther was attacking abuses in the Church, a reformation within the Church was already being atte...

The traditionalist Society of St. Pius X illicitly ordained four new bishops Wednesday, despite a last-minute appeal by Pope Leo XIV, and the prospect of declared canonical penalties for the ecclesiastical crime of schism.Bishop Alfonso de Galarreta ordains four new SSPX bishops in Écône, Switzerlan...

Pope Leo XIV rolled back key parts of Pope Francis’ 2023 reform of the Diocese of Rome on Jun. 30, issuing a new motu proprio that re-centers diocesan governance around the Cardinal Vicar.Cardinal Baldassare Reina, Vicar of Rome. Credit: Vatican media.Three years after Francis promulgated the aposto...

The Nicaraguan dictatorship detained and released a retired bishop Jun. 29 after a hospital visit.Bishop Abelardo Mata, SDB. Credit: Confidencial 30 via YouTube.Eighty-year-old Bishop Abelardo Mata, SDB, emeritus Bishop of Estelí, was held in police custody for several hours on Monday after celebrat...

The U.S. government’s attempt to build a section of border wall on a popular New Mexico pilgrimage site is being contested by the local diocese.A diocesan official told The Pillar the wall would be a political monument to a policy he said is opposed to Catholic teaching, while a federal agent told T...

The Vatican declared Thursday the excommunications of all six bishops of the traditionalist Society of St. Pius X following the illicit episcopal consecration in Écône, Switzerland on July 1.Bishop Alfonso de Galarreta consecrates four new SSPX bishops in Écône, Switzerland, on July 1, 2026. Screens...

The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith published July 2 a document explaining a process for the reconciliation of priests and lay people wishing to leave the Society St. Pius X, just hours after the Holy See announced that the society had entered into schism following the illicit episcopal cons...

One day after the traditionalist Society of St. Pius X saw the illicit consecration of new bishops, the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith responded with a decree declaring some excommunications, and an “explanatory note” offering additional ecclesial guidance.While the overall intent...

With a decree and explanatory note from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican on Thursday declared the excommunication of the bishops of the Society of St. Pius X following their illicit episcopal consecrations on July 1.Palazzo del Sant’Uffizio, the seat of the Dicastery for the...

Pillar paid subscribers can listen to Ed read this Pillar Post here: The Pillar TL;DRHappy Friday friends,Here I am, back.Let me begin by saying thank you, sincerely, and profoundly, for the countless messages of concern, prayers — even Mass intentions — you all sent me following last week’s newslet...

Pope Leo XIV met Tuesday with one of Africa’s most prominent Catholic leaders.Cardinal Dieudonné Nzapalainga, pictured in 2017. Screenshot from @UNMINUSCA YouTube channel.That, in itself, is not surprising. But the background to the June 30 encounter between Leo XIV and Cardinal Dieudonné Nzapalaing...