Saint Joseph Catholic Church

The Vatican announcement followed the Society’s own announcement that the Society’s bishops will consecrate new bishops on July 1.

Cardinal Fernández told The Pillar that “we have been exchanging letters in recent times. Next week I will meet with Father Pagliarani in the DDF to try and find a fruitful path of dialogue.”

The Society was founded in 1970 by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre (1905-1991). Archbishop Lefebvre’s ordination of four bishops in 1988 without a pontifical mandate led to the automatic excommunications of the prelate and the four bishops. In 2009, the Congregation for Bishops issued a decree remitting the excommunications, a decision that Pope Benedict XVI explained in a subsequent letter.

The Diocese of Lafayette, Louisiana, retained Mouton to represent the notorious Gilbert Gauthe, a priest convicted in 1985 for the sexual abuse of minors. Mouton later became a leading source for journalist Jason Berry’s 1992 book, Lead Us Not into Temptation. Mouton also coauthored a 1985 report to the US bishops warning of the financially catastrophic nature of the abuse scandal.

Pope Leo XIV approved amended statutes for the John Paul II Foundation for the Sahel, founded in 1984 to provide assistance to Africa’s Sahel region.

The three include the former chief finance officer, finance manager, and accounting specialist.

Pope Leo XIV received Prime Minister Edi Rama of Albania on February 5.

Pope Leo XIV received Andrea Riccardi, the founder of Community of Sant’Egidio, on February 5.

Pope Leo XIV received a delegation of priests and monks from all six of the Oriental Orthodox Churches and encouraged them to disarm their hearts so as to foster Christian unity.

“It is indeed a tragedy that the children and youth of our world, the ones Jesus wanted to come to him, are so often deprived of care and access to the basic necessities of life,” Pope Leo said during the February 5 audience, which took place in Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace. “Regrettably, I see that the situation of children today has not improved during the past year, and it is also of deep concern to learn of the lack of progress in protecting children from danger.”

The Pope encouraged the advocates to remember that they “are speaking on behalf of those who have no voice ... Keep that in mind when the temptation to be discouraged arises.” He also encouraged them to “find ways to work together in greater harmony so that children receive care that is well balanced, taking into consideration their physical, psychological and spiritual welfare.”

Crowds thronged the streets of Catania, Sicily, to celebrate the feast of St. Agatha on February 5 (videos).