Josephine Peterson

U.S. Father Michael Goldade bows with the Gospels on his shoulders as Bishop Alfonso de Galarreta lays his hands on his head during an episcopal ordination without papal approval for the Society of St. Pius X in Écône, Switzerland, July 1, 2026. The schismatic act of conferring episcopal consecration upon four priests without pontifical mandate and against the will of the pope incurred automatic excommunication for the prelates directly involved. (CNS photo/courtesy Society of St. Pius X)

CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE With its Rome bureau founded in 1950, Catholic News Service has been providing complete, in-depth coverage of the popes and the Vatican for more than 70 years. CNS Rome continues to be your fair, faithful and informed connection to the Holy See.

Josephine Peterson, Catholic News Service Above: Seated from right to left: Fathers Marc Hanappier and Michel Poinsinet de Sivry from

As the Vatican again excommunicates members of the Society of St. Pius X, this 2018 article revisits never-before published documents detailing St. Paul VI's unsuccessful attempt to reconcile the group's founder, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre.

Looking west from the dome at the lush Vatican Gardens and Palace of the Governorate in this 2024 file photo. (Adam Lusch/Wikimedia Commons)

Returning to his weekly general audiences after a monthlong summer break, Pope Leo XIV urged Catholics to embrace the Liturgy of the Hours more fully in their daily lives, saying the church's public prayer is an antidote to a world shaped by technology, consumerism and an efficiency-driven mindset.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Returning to his weekly general audiences after a monthlong summer break, Pope Leo XIV urged Catholics to embrace the Liturgy of the Hours more fully in their daily lives, saying the church’s public prayer is an antidote to a world shaped by technology, consumerism and an efficiency-driven mindset.

The Liturgy of the Hours is the church's official daily prayer, consisting of psalms, Scripture readings, hymns and prayers recited at designated times throughout the day. Pope Leo said the tradition of prayer is “no longer passed on” even in many Christian families, even though prayer is a “fundamental dimension of our humanity.”

Pope Leo XIV greets a baby and family before his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican Aug. 12, 2026. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

Pope Leo XIV releases a dove with community representatives at the conclusion of a peace meeting at St. Joseph Cathedral in Bamenda, Cameroon, April 16, 2026. (CNS photo/Lola Gomez)