Seton Hall president ‘not implicated’ in internal sex allegation report, Newark Archdiocese says
Seton Hall University President Monsignor Joseph Reilly was “not implicated” in an internal report examining the school’s response to sex abuse allegations, the Archdiocese of Newark said this week.
The archdiocese on July 1 announced the release of its own report into whether an internal investigation commissioned by Seton Hall — the latter known as the “Latham report” — revealed that Reilly knew about abuse allegations at the university and yet failed to report them. Reilly was appointed president of the school in 2024.
Archbishop Cardinal Joseph Tobin said in the July 1 announcement that the archdiocese’s report, which was launched in February 2025 and performed by the law firm Ropes & Gray LLP, revealed that Reilly “was not implicated in the Latham report.”
The archdiocesan report reveals that Reilly “responded promptly to allegations of sexual harassment involving seminarians at [Seton Hall’s] Immaculate Conception Seminary in 2012,” though Reilly “did not follow the university’s Title IX reporting requirements” because he had not been trained on them, Tobin said.
The Latham report, which has never been made public, was expected to examine whether Reilly, then-rector of Seton Hall’s Immaculate Conception Seminary, knew about sexual misconduct allegations against now-deceased former cardinal Theodore McCarrick and failed to report them.
The Ropes & Gray inquiry, however, states that the Latham report “contains no findings or allegations that Monsignor Reilly … witnessed or received reports of any sexual misconduct by McCarrick (or any other individuals) at any time,” including during a stint as McCarrick’s secretary in the early 1990s.
Among its findings, the Ropes & Gray report said Reilly in 2012 removed a seminarian from the school’s seminary after the younger man was found to have engaged in sexual harassment.
Reilly was “not involved” in a separate 2014 dispute over inappropriate conduct involving two adults, meanwhile.
In his announcement on July 1, Tobin said that “nothing in [the] thorough report changes my firm view that Monsignor Reilly is a good priest with formidable experience and a deep commitment to a Catholic institution serving the Church and the world.”
“He is highly regarded across the Seton Hall community and has my full respect and confidence,” the archbishop said.
The Latham report was commissioned by Seton Hall in 2019 and produced by the law firm Latham & Watkins; the school ordered it after bombshell allegations involving McCarrick, who died in 2025.
A New Jersey appeals court ruled in June that Seton Hall would not have to fully disclose the report as part of ongoing clergy abuse lawsuits.
The appeals court did rule that one section of the report regarding the university’s sexual harassment policies could be disclosed in court, though parts of that section could be subject to redactions depending on the contents.
Parolin: SSPX ordinations are ‘schismatic’
ROME — Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, said Wednesday that the episcopal ordinations carried out earlier in the day without papal mandate by the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) constitute a schismatic act.
“I don’t think there is much to say about this episode,” Parolin said at an event July 1. “First of all, I want to express great sorrow. I want to express great sorrow because, speaking of the unity of the Church, an act like this deeply wounds the unity of the Church.”
The cardinal was commenting on the episcopal ordination of four new bishops at the SSPX headquarters in Switzerland.
“Evidently this is in itself a schismatic act, because we know that episcopal ordinations without pontifical mandate break the unity of the Church and are also subject to very precise sanctions, which are fundamentally excommunication,” Parolin said.
The cardinal said he did not know “the timing and the manner” in which the excommunication would be formally addressed.
“My hope is that, despite what happened today, dialogue can resume and that a solution can truly be found here as well,” he said. “The fundamental point is the council — that is, whether or not to accept the Second Vatican Council.”
“One certainly cannot think that the history of the Church stops at a certain point,” Parolin continued. “The history of the Church continues, and therefore the Second Vatican Council is a milestone in the history of the Church that must be accepted and implemented in the right way.”
Parolin added that “despite this serious wound that has been produced,” he hopes dialogue with the SSPX can resume and “paths can be found that make it possible to resolve this problem.”
This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
God on the soccer field: Expressions of faith at the World Cup
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has been more than just a celebration of soccer. Amid the excitement, players, coaches, and fans have made it clear that, for many of them, faith is also part of the game.
Mexico, the United States, and Canada are hosting the tournament, which kicked off on June 11 and for the first time in history has brought together 48 national teams for a total of 104 matches.
The Virgin of Luján and the Argentinian national team
Argentina, the tournamentʼs defending champion, seeks to repeat the feat achieved at Qatar in 2022 under the protection of the Virgin of Luján. During that World Cup, a video shared by goalkeeper Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez revealed an image of the patroness of Argentina in the locker room at the white-and-blue-uniformed teamʼs training camp.
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Furthermore, the athletic shoes worn by Lionel Messi, captain and superstar of the Argentinian national team, were blessed at Our Lady of Luján Basilica by Father Lucas García, the shrine’s rector.
In a video shared on social media, the priest is seen sprinkling holy water on the footwear while praying that the World Cup becomes a time of unity for all Argentinians.
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Croatia and its faith
Croatia, one of the standout teams in recent World Cups, has also consistently borne witness to its faith.
Before the World Cup, the players and coaching staff left their training session to attend Mass on the solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity.
Another significant moment occurred before the team’s first match against England, when EWTN News asked players Kristijan Jakić and Igor Matanović what Catholicism means to the team and if prayer and faith are important to them.
“I think faith is very important in my life. When you pray to God, you feel that someone is listening to you, and that gives me a lot of strength,” Matanović said.
Jakić added: “We are a Catholic country where faith is the pathway of our lives. I think faith represents the entire national team. Faith is everything in our lives.”
St. Michael the Archangel and Scotland
Scotland returned to the World Cup this year after a 28-year absence, featuring a generation of established stars alongside the talent of young prospects such as 20-year-old Ben Gannon-Doak, a forward for Bournemouth in the English Premier League.
In an interview with the BBC, the player spoke about the central role the Catholic faith plays in his life. He carries a medal of St. Michael the Archangel and prays and reads the Bible before every match.
Following Scotlandʼs victory over Haiti in its World Cup debut, cameras captured Doak kneeling on the playing field as he thanked God in prayer.
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Mexico at the feet of Our Lady of Guadalupe
At Mexico City Stadium, the site for the opening match between Mexico and South Africa, there is a small, restricted-access Catholic chapel that players and coaching staff pass through before taking the field.
It’s a simple space featuring just two kneelers and an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe, accompanied by a plaque noting that the image was blessed by St. John Paul II in 1999 during his fourth visit to Mexico.
A video released during the tournament showed head coach Javier Aguirre and some members of “El Tri” — as the Mexican national team is known — pausing briefly to pray before their match against the Czech Republic on June 24, which they won 3-0.
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Faith also finds expression at the Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral, where fans can entrust the Mexican National Team before an image of the child Jesus dressed in the teamʼs official uniform, a tradition that seeks not to ask for sporting victories but to place their joys in the hands of Christ.
Just steps from the cathedral in Mexico City’s Constitution Square, a Fan Fest has been set up where fans gather to watch the games. There, one can find two nuns from the Perpetual Adorers of the Blessed Sacrament walking through the square, offering “free hugs” to the fans.
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On June 12, the United States got off to a strong start in the World Cup by defeating Paraguay 4-1. After the match, defender Mark McKenzie led the team in a moment of prayer on the field.
Leading up to the tournament, several U.S. players spoke openly about their faith. Standout winger Christian Pulisic is known for leading teammates in a Bible study he calls “Bible Time” and has spoken about the important role that reading Scripture plays in his daily life.
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This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
Nun arrested by ICE while walking to Sunday Mass in Texas released after lawmakers’ intervention
A Catholic nun was briefly detained by federal immigration officers while walking to church in her religious habit on Sunday, sparking widespread concern among local faith leaders and prompting swift intervention by members of Congress.
Sister Leticia Ugboaja, a member of the Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy and a registered nurse at South Texas Health System, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers on June 28 as she headed to Mass at Our Lady of Sorrows Church in McAllen, Texas, just miles from the U.S.-Mexico border.
Parish officials quickly shared news of the arrest on social media, which drew significant attention and led to outreach from lawmakers, including U.S. Reps. Monica de la Cruz and Henry Cuellar, the latter of whom said his office communicated with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and border czar Tom Homan to secure Ugboaja’s immediate release.
By Sunday evening, Ugboaja, who volunteers as an extraordinary minister of holy Communion at Our Lady of Sorrows, had been released from custody and returned home.
U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar told EWTN News that he was told at first that she could not be released until Monday because of staffing issues but that Homan made her earlier release happen.
“[Homan] said he’d take care of it. I want to thank the DHS secretary and Homan for helping her get released” on Sunday, Cuellar said.
The congressman said he now knows why Ugboaja was initially detained but is not at liberty to speak about it.
“This is not the way they should have picked her up,” he emphasized. “If ICE had any questions, there would have been more appropriate ways to deal with her situation.”
Cuellar said the image of a nun in full habit walking to church on a Sunday morning “lowers a curtain of fear in the community … We should not have people being picked up on the streets in America. That’s not America.”
“If there’s fear, it should be focused on criminals,” the Democratic congressman said. “Those are the ones who should fear ICE.”
Brenda Riojas, a spokeswoman for the Diocese of Brownsville, Texas, told EWTN News in a statement the diocese was “grateful also for the quick response of local representatives who reached out to the Department of Homeland Security to get Sister Leticia released from custody.”
She noted the diocese is still gathering information about the circumstances regarding Ugboaja’s detainment by ICE.
In the statement, Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville said the nun “is a well-known source of goodness and hope in our community, and I am grateful she has been released.”
He said there remain “many questions” about her arrest.
“For now, it is clear that Homeland Security enforcement protocols that make it possible for a religious sister, or anyone, to be detained and handcuffed while peacefully walking to church on a Sunday morning are wildly disturbing and need to be reformed.”
The League of United Latin American Citizens, the oldest and largest Hispanic civil rights organization in the United States, started a petition addressed to Texas Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, calling for an immediate investigation into why the nun was detained.
“This incident highlights the concerns that advocates, faith leaders, and community organizations have raised for months about unlawful enforcement practices and the lack of oversight,” the petition reads.
The incident comes amid heightened immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, which has included operations near houses of worship.
An ICE spokesperson told EWTN News in July 2025 that while the agency is “not subject to previous restrictions on immigration operations at sensitive locations, to include schools, churches, and courthouses,” it nevertheless “does not indiscriminately take enforcement actions at these locations.”
“U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests aliens who commit crimes and other individuals who have violated our nation’s immigration laws,” the spokesperson noted, adding: “All aliens in violation of U.S. immigration law may be subject to arrest, detention, and, if found removable by final order, removed from the United States.”
In January, the Department of Homeland Security removed places of worship from its sensitive locations list, allowing ICE agents to carry out immigration enforcement procedures.
Following a lawsuit from a group of 27 religious organizations, ICE was temporarily blocked in March 2025 from carrying out deportations in places of worship. However, one month later, a federal judge found the organizations did not have legal standing, thereby allowing operations to continue.
Bishops in South Texas have reported increased anxiety among parishioners, with some opting to attend Mass virtually or requesting assistance with errands to avoid leaving their homes.
Bishops in other parts of the country have issued dispensations from Mass attendance for those who fear deportation.
San Antonio Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller told EWTN News in January that instead of dispensing the Mass obligation, he wants to “reach out to those who are hidden.”
“That’s our work. We will go and find them in their homes, bring catechists and Communion to their homes,” he said.
Reached for comment, ICE referred EWTN News to the Homeland Security department, which did not respond by the time of publication.
This story was updated at 3:13 p.m. ET on July 1, 2026, with the quotes from Rep. Cuellar.
Supreme Court will hear Catholic-backed Jewish religious liberty suit involving ‘finality’ rule
The Supreme Court this week said it would take up a long-running religious liberty lawsuit brought against an Ohio city in order to address a dispute over a legal concept known as “finality.”
University Heights resident Daniel Grand had asked the Supreme Court to rule on the question of “finality,” a legal principle requiring property owners to obtain a land-use decision from local officials before bringing certain federal court challenges.
Grand brought the suit against University Heights in 2022 after the city blocked his efforts to convene a minyan, or Jewish prayer group, of about a dozen friends at his home. The city directed that he would have to acquire a special-use permit to host the group.
Both a federal district court and an appeals court dismissed Grand’s case on the grounds that he had not properly followed “finality” rules before filing, specifically that he did not complete the permitting process before bringing the suit.
On June 30, the Supreme Court said it would consider the case, which it will take up during its next term.
Grand is being represented in part by the legal group Alliance Defending Freedom. John Bursch, a senior attorney with the group, said on June 30 that University Heights’ policy “underscore[s] a troubling trend of weaponizing zoning laws against people of faith.”
“Every American has the right to host a prayer gathering in his home, and he certainly doesn’t need a city permit to do so. When government officials forbid that, courts must hold those individuals accountable, immediately,” Bursch said.
Ahead of the Supreme Court’s decision, Grand’s lawsuit received backing from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which filed an amicus brief in appeals court arguing that Grandʼs religious liberty claims should be considered without being subject to “finality.”
Religious plaintiffs have standing to sue “as soon as a credible threat arises,” the bishops said in their filing, arguing that court processes that play out over “months or years” due to finality rules serve as a “constitutional harm” in and of themselves.
The Supreme Court will begin its next term in October.
Catholic priest known for peace initiatives in Central African Republic shot and killed
BANGASSOU, Central African Republic — A Catholic priest serving in the Diocese of Bangassou in Central African Republic was shot dead in an armed attack in eastern Central African Republic. A parishioner accompanying him was seriously wounded.
Father Crépin Martial Monga, pastor of St. John the Baptist Zémio Parish in the Bangassou Diocese, was killed Monday, June 29, as he returned to the rectory.
According to local and diocesan sources, the attack occurred around 6:43 p.m. local time on the road linking a checkpoint of the Central African Armed Forces to the parish residence.
He was struck in the head and died instantly. A female parishioner traveling with him was also hit by a bullet in the neck. She was rushed to the hospital in Zémio, where she remains in intensive care.
Medical personnel say her condition is critical and she may require evacuation to a better-equipped facility.
Authorities have not yet identified those responsible for the attack, and no group has claimed responsibility. The circumstances and motives remain unclear as investigations continue.
Bangassou Bishop Aurelio Gazzera paid tribute to the slain priest, highlighting his commitment to peace.
“This is a tremendous loss for the local community and for the Diocese of Bangassou,” he said.
Gazzera praised the priest’s constant commitment to peace and reconciliation in the region.
The bishop noted that at the time of his statement, gunfire was still being heard in Zémio, a volatile security situation that currently makes it difficult to gather precise information on the exact circumstances of the tragedy.
Beyond his pastoral ministry, Monga was actively engaged in peace-building efforts in the region. He served on the Local Committee for Peace and Reconciliation, working to promote dialogue, social cohesion, and reconciliation among communities affected by conflict.
He was widely known as a man of peace, committed entirely to his pastoral mission. His “weapons,” as described by those who knew him, were the Bible and the rosary, and his mission was to serve communities affected by prolonged instability.
Serving in the conflict-affected Zémio region, he was recognized for his closeness to the people, his kindness, and his dedication to families facing hardship.
Only hours before his death, Monga was still actively engaged in pastoral care. On June 28, he administered the sacrament of baptism to 175 candidates, including 160 displaced Christians from his parish who had been accommodated in Zapay from June 27–29.
On the morning of June 29, the priest accompanied the newly baptized to the banks of the Mbomou River before returning with them — his final pastoral act before the attack that evening.
Monga’s funeral is scheduled to take place July 1 at St. Peter Claver Cathedral in the Bangassou Diocese.
This story was first published by ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, and has been adapted by EWTN News.
Amid World Cup, Church in Mexico reminds fans that prayer is ‘the path to unite the world’
At the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying stage, the Archdiocese of Mexico reminded fans that prayer is “the path to unite the world.”
In an editorial from the June 28 edition of its weekly publication, Desde la Fe (From a Faith Perspective), the Archdiocese of Mexico stated that seeing “rival players praying together at the end of matches” during the World Cup, the most-watched sports event in the world, has provided “the most moving and hopeful scenes of the tournament.”
The Mexican capital’s archdiocese emphasized that “strengthening unity is one of the greatest gifts of prayer,” which “allows us to discover that beyond our differences, we share the same fragility, the same hopes, and the same need for God.”
“Furthermore, it creates a communion that does not depend on physical proximity or a coincidence of circumstances,” the editorial noted.
In this regard, the Archdiocese of Mexico recalled the suffering of the Venezuelan people, shaken last week by powerful earthquakes that have left at least 1,450 dead and thousands injured.
“When tragedy strikes a community, prayer takes on a special meaning,” the archdiocese emphasized, noting that while it “does not replace material aid or the work of those risking their lives in rescue efforts,” it brings solace and reminds those suffering the tragedy “that you’re not alone.”
“Prayer does not always immediately change circumstances, but it transforms the heart of the person who places himself in God’s hands, causing hope to flourish, even in places where many might think God is absent,” the archdiocese stated.
The Archdiocese of Mexico emphasized that “when millions of people see rival players praying together at the end of a match, they are witnessing a reminder that prayer has the power to unite those whom the world insists on keeping apart.”
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
After 150 years, Norway’s largest Catholic church is finally consecrated
“Every holy Mass, when I look into the church from the altar, I see the whole world in front of me.”
For Dom Alois Brodersen, an Augustinian canon regular and parish priest of St. Paulʼs Catholic Church in Bergen, Norway, those words capture the reality of parish life.
Standing before a congregation representing more than 120 nationalities, he sees the fulfillment of a vision first imagined by the parishʼs founders nearly 150 years ago.
When St. Paulʼs was built in the 1870s, it seated more than 300 people despite serving a Catholic community of only a few dozen faithful. Its founders envisioned the church as a missionary bridgehead for Catholicism in Norway. Years later that vision has been realized.
Today, the parish is home to almost 20,000 Catholics from more than 120 nations.
“Experiencing all these people from all places in the world coming together and working for Christ, their piety and their faithfulness, thatʼs the greatest gift,” Brodersen told EWTN News.
That vision was given fresh significance on June 28, when Bishop Fredrik Hansen solemnly consecrated St. Paulʼs Church a century and a half after the building first opened for worship.
A church built on faith and foresight
The congregation dedicated to St. Paul was founded in 1858 with the blessing of Pope Pius IX. As the Catholic community steadily grew, parish leaders acquired land on what was then the outskirts of Bergen and began constructing a permanent church in 1864.
Designed by Italian architect Edoardo A. Mella, the church took 12 years to complete. Its construction was financed through an international fundraising effort led by parish priest Father Daniel Stub, who secured support from Pope Pius IX, Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria, Queen Josephine of Norway and Sweden, and Catholics across Europe.
When the first Mass was celebrated on June 30, 1876, the newspaper Bergens Tidende described the new church as “one of the most beautiful houses of worship in the whole country.”
Yet one important ceremony never took place.
According to Brodersen, the church was not solemnly dedicated when it opened because the ceremony required a bishop assisted by 14 priests — more clergy than Bergenʼs fledgling Catholic community could provide. Although the altar was consecrated during renovations in 1972, the church itself remained undedicated for nearly a century and a half.
Completing a 150-year mission
That changed on June 28, when Hansen formally consecrated St. Paulʼs Church, entering the historic building accompanied by a traditional “buekorps,” one of Bergenʼs distinctive boys' marching corps whose drums have long been part of the cityʼs cultural heritage.
For Hansen, the consecration represented far more than correcting a historical oversight.
“It is about bringing to completion the work of so many, undertaken over so many years,” he told EWTN News. Quoting Christʼs words that “one sows and another reaps,” he said todayʼs Catholics continue building upon the work begun by earlier generations who planted the seeds of the Church in western Norway.
Looking ahead, Hansen expressed hope that the anniversary would inspire renewed evangelization. Describing St. Paulʼs as a parish of nearly 20,000 faithful served by 10 priests, seven religious sisters, two schools, numerous national communities, and a growing catechetical program, he said he hopes the celebration will strengthen its mission of “teaching the faith, celebrating the sacraments, and building the parochial community.”
For Catholics living in increasingly secular societies, he added, “our common and enthusiastic witness of Catholic faith is crucial. By this we fortify our own community and preach to society at large.”
The universal Church in 1 parish
By the churchʼs centenary in 1976, membership had reached around 1,100. Today it numbers nearly 20,000, with much of the growth driven by successive waves of immigration from Vietnam, India, Chile, the Philippines, Poland, Lithuania, and dozens of other countries.
“We have more than 120 different nations in the parish,” Brodersen said. “They all bring their piety, their traditions with them, and they are very active in the parish.”
Rather than dividing the parish, he explained that diversity has strengthened it. During Bergenʼs annual Corpus Christi procession, the parishʼs major national communities each prepare one of the outdoor altars.
“Everybody is working together on this great project,” he said.
The universal character of St. Paulʼs becomes tangible as the church celebrates Masses in Norwegian, Vietnamese, Spanish, French, Polish, Lithuanian, Tamil, and Tagalog, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of its parishioners.
Yet many parishioners regularly attend liturgies outside their own linguistic communities, including the Saturday evening Latin Mass. “Holy Mass is there for everybody,” Brodersen noted. “Itʼs not all about understanding the words spoken, because you know the Mass and you take part in it by heart.”
For him, St. Paulʼs demonstrates that cultural diversity need not weaken the Church but can deepen its witness.
“It is possible, by all differences in language, culture, and whatever, to work together,” he said. “It is possible to be one in Christ.”
“When people see this church so full that sometimes people have to stand outside because there is no room inside anymore,” Brodersen reflected, they encounter something increasingly uncommon across much of Western Europe.
And each time he stands at the altar and looks across a congregation drawn from every continent, he sees the vision the founders of St. Paulʼs Church had.
“I see the whole world united in adoration.”
Vatican begins 5-year, 5-million-euro restoration of Renaissance frescoes in Hall of Raphael
The Vatican Museums has launched an ambitious restoration to the frescoes of the Hall of Raphael in the Apostolic Palace, expected to take five years and to cost 5.5 million euros (around $6.3 million).
The Renaissance frescoes — which date to the early 16th century and have been virtually untouched since their creation — are in dire need of cleaning and repairing, according to the Vatican Museums.
A team of over 20 conservators began the delicate work, utilizing laser technology, on April 15. The process is expected to conclude in 2031.
The corridor, which is 210 feet long and 13 feet wide, boasts nearly 14,000 square feet of frescoes and stucco work designed by Raphael and executed between 1517 and 1519 by Raphael’s assistants, Giulio Romano, Giovanni da Udine, and Perin del Vaga. The designs include scenes from the Old Testament, botanical designs, and grotesques.
Raphael, a prominent artist and architect of the High Renaissance, had been commissioned by Pope Julius II to decorate the papal apartment of the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican. Pope Leo X brought the artist back to decorate one of the loggias, a hall on the west wing of the second floor, overlooking the Courtyard of St. Damasus.
The decorated hall, also known as the Loggia of Raphael, was “immediately considered one of the highest expressions of Renaissance art applied to architecture,” per a June 24 press release from the Vatican Museums. “It is still today one of the most refined testimonies of the figurative language of the early 16th century.”
The hall is “a passageway long traversed by cardinals, high prelates, and ambassadors visiting the pope, admired and copied by the greatest Italian and foreign artists and an essential destination of the Grand Tour,” said Barbara Jatta, director of the Vatican Museums, quoted in the statement.
The conservation work “will mark a pivotal moment both in the history of restoration and in the history of Italian Renaissance art,” she said.
The cost of the project, which is the first-ever major restoration of the frescoes, is sponsored by the World Monuments Fund and the Stephen A. Schwarzman Foundation.
Delicate restoration process
Angela Cerreta, the director of the restoration, told the Spanish news outlet ABC in June that the paintings are not in a good condition: “It’s a very delicate surface and has been exposed to the elements for centuries. For many years, it was copied for fear of its loss.”
“We are meticulously analyzing the engravings to observe all the phases prior to the losses,” he said, explaining that in the 1970s, the Vatican attempted to restore the hall using inorganic products, but the result did not turn out well.
“Since then, a kind of negative legend has arisen about this hall, suggesting it was best left untouched," Cerreta told the Spanish news outlet. But between 2019 and 2023, conservators carried out additional restoration tests to find the right technology.
The Vatican Museums’ chief restorer of paintings and wood materials, Paolo Violini, said that “Examination of the surface revealed the need to adopt a ‘dry’ cleaning method in order to preserve the delicate original layers and their fragile surviving traces, which are highly sensitive to the action of chemical procedures. Laser technology proved exceptionally effective in meeting this requirement.”
“Following a series of tests employing different systems and operating modes, an ‘active fiber’ model was selected for its versatility in managing the degree of cleaning, allowing for highly accurate and detailed control,” he said, per the statement.
Part of the restoration process will be the installation of a new lighting system and new filtered windows to protect the frescoes from ultraviolet radiation and to reduce solar heat. The cost of the lighting and windows is supported by the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums.
After the restoration concludes, the Stephen A. Schwarzman Foundation will cover the cost of digitizing the artwork, and the Vatican Museums is also weighing the possibility of opening the hallway to the public on specific dates.
SSPX consecrates bishops in defiance of Rome’s schism warning
Pope Leo XIV is not even two years into his pontificate and he is already facing one of the most delicate episodes of his ministry: a new rupture within the Church.
In a defiant move and despite repeated warnings from Rome, the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) went ahead Wednesday with the consecration of four new bishops without a pontifical mandate — an act of open disobedience to the authority of the pope that, under canon law, carries automatic excommunication for the six bishops involved.
The Vatican’s official response is now awaited and could include a formal declaration of schism, as Rome had warned in the days leading up to the ceremony.
In 1988, after Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, the founder of the SSPX, consecrated bishops without a papal mandate, Rome responded two days later. On July 2, St. John Paul II published the motu proprio Ecclesia Dei, in which he spoke openly of a “rupture” of ecclesial communion and created a commission to help reconcile faithful linked to the society.
A schism is a tragedy for any pope. In the case of Pope Leo XIV, it also carries a more personal resonance: The pope belongs to the Augustinian order, the same religious family to which Martin Luther belonged, whose break with Rome helped lead to the Protestant Reformation and the fracturing of Western Christianity.
A repeated act of defiance
The illicit ceremony took place in a meadow in Écône, Switzerland, home to the SSPX international seminary — the same place where Lefebvre caused a rupture with Rome exactly 38 years ago by consecrating four bishops without the required pontifical mandate.
That act of defiance was repeated Wednesday, July 1, apparently without regret, despite the paternal plea in which Pope Leo XIV warned Tuesday of the “sin of extreme gravity” they were about to commit.
The ceremony was carried out by the two surviving bishops from the illicit 1988 consecrations. Spanish Bishop Alfonso de Galarreta presided as principal consecrator, assisted by Swiss Bishop Bernard Fellay as co-consecrator.
The new bishops — Swiss Father Pascal Schreiber; American Father Michael Goldade; and French Fathers Michel Poinsinet de Sivry and Marc Hanappier — were designated as auxiliaries of the society with the stated aim of serving the Church, though in practice the act marks a decisive step toward rupture.
Provocative symbolism
The ceremony included several elements loaded with symbolism recalling — not without a certain provocation — the 1988 consecrations. The throne on which De Galarreta sat was the one once used by Lefebvre. The vestments worn by the bishops were those used by the four bishops ordained 38 years ago.
Thousands of faithful arrived hours early, many dressed in traditional attire and straw hats and carrying folding chairs, in an atmosphere that mixed celebration with solemnity. For the occasion, the SSPX even sold commemorative items, including an exclusive 75 Swiss franc box of wine — about $92.50 — called “Cuvée des Sacres,” featuring pinot noir, syrah, petit arvine, and fendant, with each bottle decorated with the image of one of the consecrated bishops.
De Galarreta whispered the liturgical formulas into the microphone, strictly in Latin, with his back to the 17,000 faithful present, according to organizers. Those gathered came from nearly 70 countries.
Without the pope’s mandate
Outwardly, the episcopal consecration followed a valid rite. But it lacked a key element to make it licit: the mandate of the pope.
The ceremony began with a solemn procession to an altar set up beneath a tent, with members of several religious orders linked to the SSPX taking part. Priests and religious sisters connected to the society sat in the front rows.
Many families were also present, following the rite on giant screens set up in the Swiss field.
In principle, those faithful did not automatically incur excommunication. Father Pierpaolo Dal Corso, an expert in penal and sacramental canon law, told ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, that such a penalty would apply only if they rejected the authority of the pope or the legitimacy of the Catholic Church.
In 1996, the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts clarified that excommunication for schism does not automatically apply to those who attend SSPX celebrations. In the same line, canonist Monsignor William King told ACI Prensa that excommunication requires conscious adherence to the denial of the pope’s authority.
Before the rite of consecration, Father Davide Pagliarani, the SSPX superior general, spoke and even defended the need to canonize Lefebvre. The movement’s founder died in 1991 without public signs of repentance, a necessary condition for full reconciliation with Rome.
An invalid argument
Pagliarani read a text justifying the consecrations by appealing to an alleged “state of necessity,” an argument also used in 1988, though the Holy See has repeatedly said it does not apply — especially after an explicit warning from the pope.
In his remarks, Pagliarani made clear his doctrinal break, saying that “from the Second Vatican Council to our own day, the authorities of the Church have been imbued with a spirit contrary to the faith and have acted against holy tradition.”
“We consider it a sacred duty toward Holy Mother Church and souls to proceed with the consecration of bishops fully faithful to holy tradition and the constant magisterium of the Church,” he added.
The four candidates pronounced their oath in Latin, even pledging to “fight against schismatic heretics,” in a paradox that did not go unnoticed.
The SSPX superior general insisted on rejecting what he called a “false dilemma” between fidelity to the faith and ecclesial communion, attempting to argue that the society’s decision does not constitute a break with the Catholic Church.
But the canonical situation of the SSPX remains complex. The society continues to reject key elements of the Second Vatican Council, especially Dignitatis Humanae, the council’s declaration on religious freedom.
“We are accused of not respecting the pope, but it is precisely because we love him as the vicar of Christ that we do not want to see him humiliated alongside false shepherds, representatives of false religions,” Pagliarani said, effectively closing the door to ecumenical and interreligious dialogue.
“We live these consecrations in joy and hope. We do not live them in polemics, tension, bitterness, or resentment,” he said.
“Your worst enemies will not attack you head-on, but will try to make you slide gradually toward a more updated perception of the faith and of relations with the world. When you sense this danger, reflect, pray, seek counsel, evaluate, remain still before reacting like a serpent,” he urged the newly consecrated bishops.
He added: “Never, ever retreat. That is what it means to be like a serpent: to perceive the duplicity, the ambiguity, the cunning that exists in the world.”
“God now asks us to be treated as rebels,” Pagliarani declared at another point.
The SSPX is already clearly outside the canonical jurisdiction of the Church. But with this new step, it has directly defied the pope. If the Vatican now formally declares a schism, its members will become even more isolated, without the possibility of receiving any ministry or mission in dioceses. That would leave its members — some 600,000 people — headed toward an increasingly sectarian circle.
Although SSPX priests are suspended, Pope Francis granted them faculties to hear confessions and witness marriages. If a schism is confirmed, those concessions could be reviewed.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.