Catholic News
- SSPX defies Pope, consecrates 4 new bishops (CWN)
Defying a plea from Pope Leo XIV, the Society of Saint Pius X proceeded today with its planned consecration of four bishops without a pontifical mandate. - Christians are 'called to be a credible sign of peace,' Pope tells Orthodox delegation (CWN)
In an audience with a delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, Pope Leo XIV said that Christians are “called to be a credible sign of peace.” - Supreme Court, in 6-3 decision, upholds state legislation excluding boys from girls' sports teams (CWN)
In a defeat for the transgender movement, the United States Supreme Court ruled in a 6-3 decision that states are permitted to “determine eligibility for female sports based on biological sex.” - Pope Leo revises Pope Francis's apostolic constitution for Diocese of Rome (Vatican News)
Pope Leo XIV issued a motu proprio revising Pope Francis’s 2023 apostolic constitution on the Vicariate of Rome. Pope Leo’s apostolic letter, Confirma Fratres Tuos, “simplifies and streamlines the distribution of responsibilities among the various bodies,” Vatican News reported. “The role of the Cardinal Vicar as head of the Vicariate and ordinary judge of the diocese is confirmed, while coordination of the Offices and the administrative structure is entrusted to the Moderator curiae [moderator of the curia], appointed by the Holy Father for a five-year term.” The new document, dated June 24, was released on June 30. - Pope approves new statutes for Vatican's Supervisory and Financial Information Authority (Vatican News)
Pope Leo XIV issued a chirograph that promulgates new statutes for the Vatican’s Supervisory and Financial Information Authority (Autorità di Supervisione e Informazione Finanziaria, or ASIF). Vatican News, the news agency of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication, reported that evolving international financial regulations led to the new statutes. Pope Benedict XVI established the Financial Information Authority in 2010; Pope Francis issued new statutes in 2013 and 2020, when he gave the body its current name. Pope Leo’s chirograph, dated June 25, was released on June 30. - Administrator appointed for English diocese after bishop charged with rape (Vatican Press Office)
Pope Leo XIV appointed Archbishop Richard Moth of Westminster, England, as apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Northampton. The diocesan bishop, Bishop David Oakley, was charged last week with two counts of rape of a girl under 16. The BBC, citing a police statement, reported that the alleged rapes took place between February 2000 and February 2001. - Priest killed in Central African Republic (Fides)
A priest who led mediation efforts to reconcile belligerents in his area of the Central African Republic was killed outside his parish residence in Zemio on June 29. Father Crépin Martial Monga, who ministered in the Diocese of Bangassou, coordinated the Local Committee for Peace and Reconciliation. The Central African Republic Civil War began in 2012. - University president, faculty call on SSPX not to consecrate bishops (Franciscan University of Steubenville)
The president of Franciscan University of Steubenville (Ohio), joined by other staff members and 23 professors, urged the Society of Saint Pius X not to consecrate bishops without a pontifical mandate, and to “re-enter into dialogue with the Holy See and into full communion with the Church.” “The treasures of Catholic Tradition do not belong outside communion with Peter; they belong at the heart of the Church,” the signatories wrote. “A new episcopal ordination outside the ecclesial hierarchy without the Apostolic mandate would create a new wound in the Body of Christ and place the gifts that God has entrusted to the Society, which belong to the Church and are ordered towards unity with her, outside of her maternal embrace.” - Pope's prayer intention for July: for respect for human life (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for July 2026 is “let us pray for the respect and protection of human life in all its stages, recognizing it as a gift from God.” - Pope Leo pleads with SSPX not to proceed with episcopal consecrations (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV pleaded with the Society of Saint Pius X not to proceed with its planned consecration of four bishops without a pontifical mandate. - Vatican announces leadership changes in 3 dicasteries; Sister Smerilli named a prefect (CWN)
The Holy See Press Office this morning announced leadership changes in three of the Vatican’s 16 dicasteries. - Pope Leo: Saints Peter and Paul show us how to build unity and serve the truth (CWN)
Saints Peter and Paul can help us understand how to be “apostles and builders of unity, and generous servants of the truth in charity,” Pope Leo XIV preached at Mass this morning in St. Peter’s Basilica (booklet, video). - USCCB issues action alert: 'Call on the US Senate to protect our Haitian neighbors' (CWN)
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) asked the faithful to “call on the US Senate to protect our Haitian neighbors” from deportation. - God's grace shines in our lives, as it did in the lives of Saints Peter and Paul, Pope tells pilgrims (CWN)
God’s grace shines in the lives of Christians today, as it did in the lives of Saints Peter and Paul, Pope Leo XIV said during his June 29 Angelus address (video) on their feast day. - San Francisco archdiocese agrees to $395M abuse settlement (CBS SF Bay Area)
The Archdiocese of San Francisco, California, agreed to a $395-million settlement with over 500 plaintiffs who allege they were sexually abused as minors by clergy of the archdiocese. Between 2020 and 2022, the State of California lifted the statute of limitations for abuse suits. The archdiocese filed for bankruptcy in 2023. “We believe this proposal provides a path toward fair compensation for survivors who have borne the weight of this abuse for a lifetime,” said Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone. “We have a moral obligation to bring some level of healing and reconciliation to those who deserve our unwavering respect, attention and prayers.” - Attackers again shoot at German parish (OIDAC Europe)
A month after an attack on a German parish during Sunday Mass, an attacker—or attackers—again shot at the parish’s windows. The damage to Holy Spirit Church in Hanau, a city of 98,000, is estimated at 6,000 euros ($6,833). - Cambodia's leading prelate named 'Upholder of the Buddha's Dispensation' (Fides)
Buddhist authorities in Cambodia bestowed the title of “Elder Great Lay Supporter and Upholder of the Buddha’s Dispensation” upon the nation’s leading Catholic prelate and named a primary school for future Buddhist monks after him. Bishop Olivier Schmitthaeusler, M.E.P., the vicar apostolic of Phnom Penh, also received from the nation’s king the Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Cambodia. Bishop Schmitthaeusler described the award from King Norodom Sihamoni as “a sign of the shared mission between Buddhists and Catholics, which is bearing tangible fruit in the service of Cambodian society.” The prelate added that “the Catholic Church and Buddhism walk hand in hand for the common good of our people and our country,” Located in Southeast Asia, Cambodia, a nation of 17.2 million (map), is 87% Buddhist and 3% Christian, with 6% adhering to ethnic or Chinese folk religions. Buddhism is the state religion. - 'The priority now is to rebuild lives,' says archbishop in Venezuela (Aid to the Church in Need)
Archbishop Raúl Biord of Caracas, Venezuela’s capital, spoke of the devastation wrought by the earthquakes there. In La Guaira, “the seminarians were in the building when the earth shook,” Archbishop Biord recounted. “There were some lightly wounded, but nobody was killed, and both the seminarians and their formators were able to leave. We can say that it was a miracle.” “However, the building is inaccessible, it cannot be used, and it was heavily damaged,” he added. “They lost everything, even their clothes and shoes.” - Mission is the Church's 'very reason for existing,' Pope tells world's cardinals (CWN)
Addressing the opening session of the two-day extraordinary consistory of the College of Cardinals (program), Pope Leo said today that “mission is not merely one of the Church’s many tasks,” but “her very reason for existing and thus, it also becomes the criterion that guides our discernment.” - Michigan AG releases report on abuse in Diocese of Saginaw (Religion Clause)
Attorney General Dana Nessel of Michigan released a report on sexual abuse and misconduct allegations against priests and deacons of the Diocese of Saginaw. “During the 75-year period in the report, more than 680 priests served in our diocese. The report details the reported abuse by 37 priests and one deacon,” the diocese stated in its response. “30 are known or presumed to be dead. For the 8 who are living or presumed to be living, none are in active ministry ... The vast majority of reported abuse cases in our diocese are very old, with most occurring in the 1970s and 1980s.” - More...