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Pope Leo XIV greets pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican on July 5, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

Pope Leo XIV says Christ is hope amid the scourge of war

The pontiff prayed the Angelus in St. Peter’s Square before traveling to Castel Gandolfo for three weeks of
Pope Leo XIV with U.S. Ambassador Brian Burch and his family at the ambassador's residence on July 4, 2026. | Credit: U.S. Embassy to the Holy See

Pope Leo XIV dines with U.S. ambassador on Independence Day

The pope visited the private residence of U.S. Ambassador Brian Burch after returning from Lampedusa. VATICAN CITY —
Society of St. Pius X clergy process during the consecration ceremony of four new bishops of the society on July 1, 2026, in Ecône, Switzerland. | Credit: Society of St. Pius X

SSPX rejects Vatican’s excommunication, calls it ‘objectively’ unjust and invalid

In a letter addressed to Pope Leo XIV, released on July 3, Father Davide Pagliarani, superior general of
Image designed in Canva by Jacob Stein.

EWTN News explains: As a Catholic, can you attend an SSPX Mass?

The traditionalist group has been declared in schism with the Catholic Church after an illicit “ordination” of bishops.
Vatican flag. | Credit: Bohumil Petrik/EWTN News

Peter’s Pence collected more than $65.8 million for the pope’s mission in 2025

Almost $50 million was used to support the activities of the Holy See in the service of the
Pope Leo XIV leads the Angelus prayer from a window of the Apostolic Palace overlooking St. Peter’s Square on the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul on June 29, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

Pope Leo XIV congratulates the U.S. on its 250th anniversary

The pontiffʼs letter stressed religious freedom, the right to life, and the contributions of Catholics and immigrants to
St. John Paul II and a young Robert Francis Prevost, wearing the black habit of the Augustinians. | Credit: Photo courtesy of the Augustinian Midwest Province (USA) Our Mother of Good Counsel

Vatican releases biopic on Pope Leo XIV’s early years in Rome

The Dicastery for Communication released a documentary on July 1 about the then-Robert Prevost’s two decades in the
Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu gives the keynote address at the closing dinner for the EWTN Summer Academy in Rome on July 1, 2026. | Credit: Lemmy Ogbonnaya Ijioma/EWTN Summer Academy

Vatican official to Catholic journalists: Be ‘disciples before influencers’

Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu reflected on the importance of communicating the truth in a digital age of trends. Editor’s
A cemetery on the Italian island of Lampedusa, where on July 4, 2026, Pope Leo XIV will visit the graves of migrants and refugees who died while trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea. Crosses made from the wood of shipwrecked boats mark the graves of children. | Credit: Tiziana Fabi via Getty Images

Pope Leo XIV to spend July 4 with migrants on Italian island of Lampedusa

Only about 80 miles from Tunisia, Lampedusa is a main gateway for Africans escaping poverty and violence to
Portrait of St. Pius X. Imaged designed in Canva by Jacob Stein.

What is the SSPX? A look at the traditionalist Catholic group in schism with the Church

The Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) is a traditionalist group that is not in full communion with
Schismatic bishops Alfonso de Galarreta, left, and Bernard Fellay during the illicit episcopal ordinations performed on July 1, 2026, by the Society of St. Pius X. | Credit: SSPX

2 SSPX bishops hold dubious distinction of being excommunicated twice

Society of St. Pius X bishops Galarreta and Fellay have been excommunicated twice: by Pope John Paul II
Credit: Daniel Ibanez/CNA

What are schism and excommunication in the Catholic Church?

Just what are schism and excommunication in the Catholic Church? Here’s an explanation. Recently a community of Poor Clare
A restoration expert uses a laser to clean a Renaissance fresco in the Hall of Raphael in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace in 2021. | Credit: A. Prinzivalle/Vatican City State Governorate/Vatican Museums Directorate

Vatican begins 5-year, 5-million-euro restoration of Renaissance frescoes in Hall of Raphael

The conservation work marks “a pivotal moment both in the history of restoration and in the history of
St. Peter’s Basilica. | Credit: cinemavision/Shutterstock

Vatican confirms excommunication of SSPX bishops, declares schism

Because the traditionalist group consecrated bishops without papal approval, the Vatican issued a decree on July 2 declaring
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News

Parolin: SSPX ordinations are ‘schismatic’

Cardinal Pietro Parolin said the episcopal ordinations carried out without papal mandate by the Society of St. Pius
The Pope's Cathedra in St. John Lateran. Image designed in Canva by Jacob Stein.

SSPX consecrates bishops in defiance of Rome’s schism warning

The unauthorized July 1 rite in Écône, Switzerland, came despite Pope Leo XIV’s appeal to “please turn back”
Sister Alessandra Smerilli, FMA, was appointed prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development by Pope Leo XIV on June 30, 2026. | Credit: Daniel Ibanez/EWTN News

Pope Leo XIV names nun, cardinal to succeed Cardinal Czerny at human development office

Sister Alessandra Smerilli, FMA, is the third woman in history to be nominated to lead a Vatican dicastery.
Participants in the conferences organized by the Vatican Observatory from June 22-26, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Observatory

Vatican Observatory addresses one of science’s greatest enigmas: quantum gravity

A conference addressed the subject of quantum gravity with regard to the incompatibility of quantum mechanics with general
The dome of St. Peter’s Basilica viewed from the Vatican Gardens | Credit: Victoria Cardiel/EWTN News

Vatican financial watchdog loses autonomy

The Authority for Financial Information and Supervision is now effectively structured as an office, with its leadership appointed
Pope Leo XIV leads the Angelus prayer from a window of the Apostolic Palace overlooking St. Peter’s Square on the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul on June 29, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

Pope Leo strengthens Roman Curia with new appointments in key Vatican dicasteries

With Tuesday’s nominations, the pope changed the No. 2 positions in dicasteries for which he appointed the top
Vatican flag. | Credit: Bohumil Petrik/EWTN News

Amid abuse scandal in UK, Pope Leo XIV appoints apostolic administrator to Northampton

On June 30, the pontiff appointed Archbishop Richard Moth of Westminster to temporarily replace Bishop David Oakley, charged
Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, and Father Davide Pagliarani, superior general of the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX). | Credit: Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith

Pope Leo XIV pleads with SSPX to halt episcopal consecrations [Update]

The pontiff appealed to the traditionalist group to call off their planned episcopal consecrations — but their leaderʼs
Pope Leo XIV processes out at the end of Mass for the solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul at St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on June 29, 2026. | Credit: Daniel Ibanez/EWTN News

Pope Leo XIV: Peter and Paul show the path to Christian unity

The pontiff celebrated Mass on June 29 and bestowed the pallium on 35 new archbishops. Pope Leo XIV
Bishop José Ignacio Munilla said the decision was communicated to the priest on June 20, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

Pope Leo XIV dismisses schismatic Spanish priest

In 2024, the priestʼs obstinacy had previously led his bishop, José Ignacio Munilla, to remove him from any

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