RORATE CÆLI

Casualties of Legalism: Truth and Charity - Guest Article

(photo source)
The following guest article is written by Michael Kakooza, Ph.D. (Wales), who has written for Rorate in the past. It represents the view of its author and not the official stance of Rorate.

In necessariis unitas, in dubiis libertas, in omnibus caritas. [In necessary things, unity, In doubtful things, liberty, In all things, charity]

But should not the great Church also allow herself to be generous in the knowledge of her great breadth, in the knowledge of the promise made to her? Should not we, as good educators, also be capable of overlooking various faults and making every effort to open up broader vistas? And should we not admit that some unpleasant things have also emerged in Church circles? At times one gets the impression that our society needs to have at least one group to which no tolerance may be shown; which one can easily attack and hate. (Letter of Pope Benedict XVI to the World’s Catholic Episcopate on Remission of Excommunication of the four SSPX Bishops, 10^th March 2009)

Dear brothers and sisters,

Today, in a single Solemnity, we commemorate Saints Peter and Paul, the patron saints of the city and Diocese of Rome. One was chosen by Jesus as shepherd of his flock, and the other as apostle to the Gentiles. In them, we venerate two pillars of the Church.

Riddes, Canton of Valais, Switzerland, where the district of Écône is located

We believe this article written by French Catholic news agency I.Media and published by the Swiss Catholic conference's news website presented a good summary of the various points related to the consecrations planned by the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) for July 1st (this upcoming Wednesday).

Most Traditional Catholics are familiar with these aspects, but, since we have many new readers these days, this seems appropriate.

Schism, Excommunication… What Are the Stakes of the SSPX Ordinations?

By I.MEDIA at Cath.ch

June 26, 2026

[Written] with the canonical expertise of Pierre Chaffard-Luçon

Why do the new episcopal consecrations announced by the Society of Saint Pius X for July 1, 2026 pose a problem? What will be the status of those involved? And what becomes of the situation of the priests and faithful connected to this traditionalist movement?

Il Foglio on Leo XIV and the SSPX Consecrations: "The Schism at the Bottom Right: The SSPX underestimated Leo"

Main excerpts from Matteo Matzuzzi's piece for today's Il Foglio:

The Schism at the Bottom Right

Matteo Matzuzzi

Il Foglio Quotidiano
Saturday/Sunday, June 27–28, 2026

Never before have a Pope and the Lefebvrian Society been so close to the breaking point. The mistake was to underestimate Leo XIV: the Augustinians remember what their confrere Luther did when he broke the unity of the Church.

Report from the Consistory - Cardinal Müller and the SSPX: The Ecclesia Dei Commission must be Recreated to Welcome Traditionalists

From today's Il Giornale, reporting on the proceedings of the Consistory of Cardinals taking place in the Vatican:

The Schism Unsettles the Consistory: "We Must Respond to the Lefebvrians"

Nico Spuntoni

Il Giornale

June 27, 2026

Leo XIV had asked the cardinals for candor. And some took him at his word. As we can reveal, although the agenda had made no mention of the imminent Lefebvrian schism, a cardinal took it upon himself — already on the first day of proceedings — to use the time set aside for personal interventions to name the elephant in the room: the Society of Saint Pius X's open challenge to Rome.

Address of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on the Occasion of the Opening of the Extraordinary Consistory

(June 26–27, 2026)

June 26, 2026

Dear Brother Cardinals,

I welcome you and thank you from my heart for having once again accepted my invitation. Your presence manifests the solicitude for the whole Church that we share in the service of the People of God and of the mission entrusted to us by the Lord.

Most Holy Father,

Most Reverend Eminences,

The Situation Regarding the SSPX Episcopal Consecrations of July 1, 2026 - by Roberto de Mattei

Regarding the Episcopal Consecrations of July 1, 2026

Roberto de Mattei

June 24, 2026

What is one to think, and what is one to do, in the face of the episcopal consecrations announced by the Society of Saint Pius X at Écône for July 1st, and the consequent latae sententiae excommunication that will be reaffirmed by the Holy See?

SSPX and Rome - Toward a Marian Hermeneutic for Modernity (and Vatican II) to Preserve Church Unity

A guest article by Dr. Michaël Bauwens, University of Antwerp. As usual, we share this essay for the benefit of wider and deeper conversation, not as an official Rorate editorial position. ~PAK

The rising tensions concerning the scheduled episcopal consecrations by the SSPX and the announced ensuing excommunications by the Vatican have provoked a range of reactions – from pleas for ecclesial unity, obedience, leniency and pragmatism, to the intricacies of canon law, all the way to ideologically hardened hearts. These are pressing and legitimate ecclesial worries indeed, but the current situation shows that the roots of the problem are really doctrinal and theological, and are still far from being resolved.

Vatican Rejects Lay Preaching in Mass in Germany

From the Dicastery for Divine Worship:

Bishop Burbidge speaks at St. Rita

A significant and most welcome development has come from the Diocese of Arlington, VA. Bishop Michael F. Burbidge has announced that, beginning July 1, 2026, the Chaplaincy of Our Lady of Victory will be administered by priests of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter. Fr. Jonathan Romanoski, FSSP, and Fr. John Audino, FSSP, have been appointed to serve the faithful who attend Mass and receive the other sacraments in the Extraordinary Form.

Pope Speaks on SSPX and Consecrations (Updated: Full Video)

In impromptu declarations to the press, yesterday (June 16, 2026):

“I am considering making another appeal and saying ‘don't do this, let's try to live the communion of the Church.’ But it is their choice.

Leo XIV in Spain - An Appraisal

Pope Leo's Successful Apostolic Journey to Spain:

Popular Piety and Orthodoxy, Yes. Partisan Progressivism, No.

by Serre Verweij

for Rorate Caeli

Pope Leo XIV's apostolic journey to Spain has been a self-evident success. It drew large crowds of over a million people in a country that appeared to be secularizing, galvanized the young, and avoided any scandals. More important, however, was that he succeeded in preventing the visit from being hijacked by anti-Catholic progressives.

Honorius I, Vatican II and the SSPX - Guest article by James Baresel

As is well known, Pope Honoris I stated in a letter to Patriarch Sergius of Constantinople that “we confess one will of our Lord Jesus Christ”—despite the Church’s dogmatic teaching that Christ has both a divine will and a human will—and was posthumously anathematized by the Third Council of Constantinople.

What is not generally known, what is, in fact, virtually unknown, is that Pope John IV taught that Christ “never had two contrary wills [his human will being perfectly subordinate to his divine will] …we fittingly say and truthfully confess [in a metaphorical sense] one will” and that, therefore, Honorius’s letter was not intrinsically heretical its precise wording—because it did not state whether “one will” was meant literally or metaphorically.

FSSP Pilgrimage in Italy Denied the Traditional Latin Mass at Multiple Shrines: While Nuns hear "Confessions" and Eastern Orthodox celebrate liturgies

A report from Italy:

We wanted to bring to your attention the story of a group of pilgrims traveling through Italy with a priest of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter.

Why Non-Catholic Religions Offer No Hope for Mankind

A guest article by Joseph Bevan.

What is religion?

A common definition of religion is: ‘the belief in and worship of a superhuman power or powers, especially a God or gods.’ Most human beings acknowledge, to a greater or lesser extent, the existence of some kind of deity or, more often, a vague supernatural force up in the sky: a useful someone that they can blame for their shortcomings and misfortunes. When things are going well the presence of a higher being is usually disregarded.

Archbishop of Sydney: "Restore kneelers in every church where they are missing."

From the pastoral letter written by Archbishop Anthony Fisher, OP, of Sydney, Australia, on the occasion of the Feast of Corpus Christi:

ADORING THE EUCHARISTIC LORD:

“LET US KNEEL BEFORE THE GOD WHO MADE US” (PS 94:6):

Pastoral Letter to the Priests, Religious, and People of the Archdiocese of Sydney

June 7, 2026

I thank the President for her kind words, as well as for the invitation the Apostolic See received on the occasion of my visit to this country. I am also grateful for the courtesy of welcoming me to this historic Palace of the Congress of Deputies, a prominent center of the institutional, legal and democratic life of the Kingdom of Spain. I come before you as the Bishop of Rome and Shepherd of the Catholic Church, aware that the mission entrusted to the Successor of the Apostle Peter, as the principle and foundation of the unity of the Bishops and the faithful (cf. Lumen Gentium, 23), places the Holy See, in a special way, in dialogue with peoples and with States.

As I begin my visit to Spain, it is with a heart filled with joy that I preside over this celebration on the Solemnity of Corpus Christi.

David Sonnier, a 1981 West Point graduate, loved the Army and worked to be a model soldier. A bend in his career path brought him into contact for the first time with the traditional Mass. His life, with that of his family, was changed forever—something quite a few Catholics can relate to!

Retreat for Priests with Fr Armand de Malleray FSSP - October 5-9 in England

Clergy Retreat on 5-9 October 2026, Stonyhurst, England

You will have noticed that Rorate has covered all sides and most aspects of the July 1st, 2026, Consecrations of four new bishops for the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX), in Écône, Switzerland.

Bishop Schneider is well known to friends of Rorate, and Tradition around the world, and he has a different perspective on the SSPX Consecrations -- one of balance and, shall we say, understanding.

Diane Montagna posted this text by him on her page, and we paste it here for the ongoing record of debates on current events.

*****

THE CORE QUESTION REGARDING THE SOCIETY OF SAINT PIUS X

By Bishop Athanasius Schneider

"The Performative Contradiction of the Society of St. Pius X" - Guest Article by Vigilius

Recently, this blog published the now widely-discussed essay titled “The Kingship of Christ and the Aporias of the Roman Church.” Now the author applies the analysis of the “total Pope” and the corresponding concept of obedience to the Society of St. Pius X. Needless to say, the following text reflects the personal opinion of its author and is not a Rorate editorial position; rather, it may be seen as part of our ongoing coverage of the SSPX dilemma. - PAK

The SSPX Consecrations: "Separatism Is Not a Catholic Solution" - article by Dom Louis-Marie de Blignières

Dom Louis-Marie de Blignières, a founder and, for a long time, superior of the Fraternity of Saint Vincent Ferrer (FSVF), in Chéméré-le-Roi, France, needs no introduction. He has been a heavyweight figure in French Traditional Catholic intellectual circles for decades.

Mother Angelica's Sweet Revenge

("I am so tired of you, Liberal Church in America!")

Today, Pope Leo XIV named the head of EWTN News, María Montserrat (Montse) Alvarado, as new Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication:

The Holy Father has appointed Dr. Maria Montserrat Alvarado, President and Chief Operating Officer of EWTN News, as Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication. Dr. Montserrat Alvarado will take office on 1 November.

Britain is full of monastic ghosts. Street names carry them: Monks Lane, Priory Road, Abbey Close. The landscape, too, still bears the imprint of communities that shaped it for a thousand years. The ruins of Fountains, Rievaulx, Tintern, and dozens of lesser houses stand in fields and valleys across England, Wales, and Scotland, drawing visitors who admire their picturesque qualities while knowing almost nothing of the civilization that produced them.

The Traditional Mass, Recovered — and The Power of Tradition - Op-Ed by Abp. Hector Aguer

The Recovery of the Mass

by Archbishop Héctor Agüer

Emeritus of La Plata, Argentina

June 1st, 2026

The media and, especially, social networks point out that in several European countries, particularly among young people, the "Traditional Mass" is being lived with fervor, accompanied by numerous processions and pilgrimages. The youthful crowds that revived the traditional Paris - Chartres pilgrimage have drawn widespread attention, with an average age of 22. It is a recovery of Catholic tradition, which had been suffocated in those countries by liberalism, progressivism, and atheism.

by Serre Verweij,

for Rorate Caeli

Pope Leo Has Finally Released His First Encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas

Pope Leo has finally released his first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, to the world. As expected, it deals with AI and technological innovation. Surprisingly, however, it also deals extensively with a variety of other social topics and tips Pope Leo's hand just a bit on multiple divisive issues.

SSPX Announces Names of Four Priests to be Consecrated on July 1st

The General House Announces the Names of Future Bishops

Published May 26, 2026

Communiqué from the General House

On this octave of Pentecost, Fr. Davide Pagliarani, Superior General of the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX), has the joy of announcing the names of the priests of the Society who have been chosen to receive episcopal consecration on July 1st at Écône.

Liturgy conference in Leuven, Belgium - October, 2026 | Tradition and Reform in the Roman Rite: The Usus Antiquior in Contemporary Catholicism

Tradition and Reform in the Roman Rite: The Usus Antiquior in Contemporary Catholicism

Thursday 22nd – Friday 23rd October 2026

This conference aims to provide a rigorous, interdisciplinary investigation of the tensions between tradition and reform within the Roman Rite, with particular attention to the renewed interest in the pre‑Vatican II liturgy (usus antiquior) in contemporary Catholicism. Moving beyond ideological polarizations, the conference accepts papers that deepen scholarly understanding of how liturgical forms function historically, socially, and theologically in the life of the Church.

First Encyclical of Pope Leo XIV, on the 135th Anniversary of Rerum Novarum

ENCYCLICAL LETTER

MAGNIFICA HUMANITAS

OF HIS HOLINESS

POPE LEO XIV

ON SAFEGUARDING THE HUMAN PERSON

IN THE TIME OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

INTRODUCTION

Pope Leo XIV assures Coptic Patriarch there is no such thing as "blessings" to same-sex "couples"

And just like that, in a phone call between Pope Leo XIV and Coptic Tawadros II, the atrocious Francis-Tucho document "Fiducia Supplicans" was filed away in a drawer of non-issues.

From the Holy Synod of the Coptics:

Discord in the Bergoglian Camp - The Crux of the Matter: the Lefebvrian Ordinations

By Americo Mascarucci

For Marco Tosatti's Stilum Curiae
May 19, 2026

The Bergoglian camp is in chaos over the Society of Saint Pius X and the episcopal consecrations it has announced for July 1st, with the consequent threat of excommunication from the Vatican.

There was nothing about it in the Vatican text and news -- but in the Armenian language release by the Patriachate we find this gem:

On Monday, 18 May, 2026, the two heads of Churches held a private meeting where they addressed the following issues: the establishment of a common date for Easter, a day of commemoration for all martyrs, and the convening of a Third Vatican Council.

Full text:

by Serre Verweij

for Rorate Caeli

Pope Leo XIII is a widely known but not widely grasped Pope. Pope Leo XIV took his name (in part) as a tribute to Leo XIII. This instantly resulted in a renewed focus on Pope Leo XIII as the Pope who started addressing so called social issues with Rerum Novarum in 1891 and who cared about dealing with new developments in the world. This basic picture is true, but much is missing or misinterpreted in how Leo XIII is often described nowadays.

The first International Fátima Gregorian Chant Workshop will take place form 17^thto 20^th September, 2026, with days filled with practical and theoretical lessons in chant for beginner and advanced participants, vocal coaching, daily sung Mass the participants rehearse for, plus a tour of the Shrine of Fatima’s organ - the largest organ in the Iberian Peninsula, with shrine’s principal organist Sílvio Carreira Vicente.

Fr. Albert Jacquemin, formerly of the SSPX: "The SSPX Is Explicitly Developing an Ecclesiology of Substitution Foreign to Catholic Tradition"

The SSPX Is Explicitly Developing an Ecclesiology of Substitution Foreign to Catholic Tradition

Interview granted to French website Le Salon Beige

Having been a member of the Society of Saint Pius X until the consecrations of June 1988, Father Albert Jacquemin subsequently joined the Diocese of Paris. A doctor of both legal history and canon law, he is a lecturer at the Faculty of Canon Law of the Institut Catholique de Paris and has presided since 2022 over the National Canonical Penal Tribunal of the French Bishops' Conference. He has just published The Choice of Rupture: Archbishop Lefebvre, Rome, the Consecrations, 1974–2026.

The SSPX has just launched an official website for their 2026 episcopal consecrations, in Écône, Switzerland.

It's here -- and, in order to view it in different languages, you may just switch the language icon on the top.

Preparing for the Pontificate’s First Encyclical: Catholic Social Teachings before Vatican II

Catholic Social Teachings before Vatican II

by Serre Verweij

Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical is due to be released and almost certain to become a valuable addition to the collection of papal encyclicals dealing with social issues. This was to be expected, as he took the name Leo XIV as a reference to Pope Leo XIII, who became famous as the Pope who established Catholic Social Teaching (CST) through his encyclical Rerum Novarum in 1891. Pope Leo's teachings, and the tradition based on it, have unfortunately been frequently misunderstood or misrepresented, especially since the Second Vatican Council.