ROME — This week at the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV addressed growing concerns surrounding the Society of St. Pius X’s planned episcopal consecrations, continued his catechesis on the Second Vatican Council by reflecting on the Eucharist, and the Holy See reaffirmed the Church’s discipline regarding the preaching of the homily during Mass.

Pope Leo XIV warns SSPX ahead of planned episcopal consecrations

The Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) has issued an open letter and a Declaration of Faith addressed to Pope Leo XIV and the College of Cardinals ahead of the Extraordinary Consistory taking place at the Vatican on June 26–27.

The documents reaffirm the society’s commitment to what it describes as the Church’s perennial tradition while coming just days before the SSPX intends to consecrate bishops without papal approval on July 1.

The Vatican has repeatedly warned that such episcopal consecrations would constitute a schismatic act and would result in automatic excommunication for both the consecrating bishops and those receiving episcopal ordination.

Earlier this month, Pope Leo XIV personally cautioned the society that proceeding with the consecrations would place it in grave danger of formal schism from the Catholic Church.

Pope: The Eucharist is the antidote to division

During his Wednesday General Audience in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Leo XIV continued his catechetical series on the documents of the Second Vatican Council, focusing on Sacrosanctum Concilium, the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy.

Reflecting on the mystery of the Eucharist, the Holy Father described the Blessed Sacrament as “a powerful antidote to division,” encouraging Catholics to approach the altar with faith and allow themselves to be transformed by Christ’s sacrificial love.

The Pope also emphasized one of Vatican II’s central teachings on the Mass: that the faithful are not passive observers.

Rather, he explained, every baptized Christian is called to unite himself spiritually to Christ’s sacrifice, offering himself to the Father together with the priest during the Eucharistic celebration.

Vatican rejects German proposal for lay preaching during Mass

The Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments has rejected a request from the German Bishops’ Conference seeking permission for lay faithful to preach the homily during the celebration of the Eucharist.

In a letter addressed to the conference’s president, the dicastery acknowledged the pastoral motivations behind the proposal but concluded that current universal liturgical norms do not permit such an exception.

The Vatican instead emphasized the importance of strengthening the formation and preaching ministry of ordained clergy while maintaining the Church’s liturgical discipline regarding the homily, which remains reserved to bishops, priests, and deacons according to canon law.

English edition of Pope Benedict XVI’s private homilies released

The Vatican Publishing House has released the first English edition of The Lord Holds Us by the Hand, a collection of previously unpublished homilies delivered by Pope Benedict XVI during private Masses between 2005 and 2017.

Originally published in Italian in 2025, the volume gathers reflections from both Benedict’s pontificate and his years as Pope Emeritus following his resignation in 2013.

The book includes a preface by Archbishop Georg Gänswein, Pope Benedict XVI’s longtime personal secretary, as well as an introduction by Father Federico Lombardi, president of the Joseph Ratzinger–Benedict XVI Vatican Foundation.

The publication offers English-speaking readers a rare opportunity to encounter Benedict XVI’s deeply personal preaching, centered on Sacred Scripture and the Christian life.

Pope Leo XIV reflects on the enduring value of writing

Marking the 100th anniversary of the Vatican Publishing House, Pope Leo XIV met with authors and publishers to reflect on the enduring importance of literature in an increasingly digital age.

The Holy Father described writing as a profoundly human expression of the search for truth, emphasizing that authentic literature ultimately leads the human person toward God.

His remarks highlighted the continuing role of books and thoughtful writing in preserving culture, communicating faith, and fostering dialogue in a rapidly changing technological world.