These traditionalist Catholics are defying Pope Leo XIV, and embracing their outsider status

VATICAN CITY (AP) — A breakaway group of traditionalist Catholics will challenge Pope Leo XIV’s authority next week by consecrating four bishops without his consent. Rather than shying away from the confrontation, the Society of St. Pius X seems intent on embracing its notoriety.

The group, which celebrates the traditional Latin Mass and rejects the modernizing reforms of the Catholic Church, is planning a highly organized, four-day, livestreamed extravaganza for the consecrations at its Swiss seminary — complete with a souvenir wine set offered to those attending.

The July 1 event, nearly four decades after the group first became a thorn in the Vatican's side, suggests it is leaning in even more ardently to its schismatic status for a new generation of Catholics who prefer their Masses in Latin and don’t mind that their bishops are out of communion with Rome.

“To me, they look really like Traditionalism 2.0,” said Massimo Faggioli, professor of theology at Villanova University, Leo’s alma mater. The group, known as the SSPX, has embraced technology and digital branding of its religious identity, despite its antimodern, integralist agenda.

“Their game is not about getting back into the fold, but getting back into the monopoly of that ultra-traditionalist identity,” Faggioli said.

The SSPX was founded in Écône, Switzerland, in 1970 in opposition to the reforms of the 1960s Second Vatican Council, the church meetings that, among other things, allowed Mass to be celebrated in the vernacular rather than Latin.

The group first broke with Rome in 1988 when its founder, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, consecrated four bishops without papal consent. The Vatican promptly excommunicated Lefebvre and the four other bishops, and the group today still has no legal status in the church.

Yet in the decades since that original schismatic act, the group has continued to grow, with schools, seminaries and parishes around the world and branches of priests, nuns and lay Catholics who are attached to the traditional Latin Mass.

The growth poses a threat to the Holy See since the SSPX amounts to a parallel, ultra-Catholic church: Today the SSPX counts two bishops, 733 priests, 264 seminarians, 145 religious brothers, 88 oblates and 250 religious sisters representing 50 nationalities, according to SSPX statistics.

Next week, their numbers will grow with ordinations of a handful of new priests and four new bishops: Pascal Schreiber of Switzerland, Michael Goldade, of the United States, Michel Poinsinet de Sivry of France and Marc Hanappier, also of France.

The Vatican has already warned that such consecrations constitute a “schismatic act” and a “grave offense to God” that incurs automatic excommunication, or a casting out of communion under the pope, for the four bishops and those who perform the rite.

The SSPX superior, the Rev. Davide Pagliarani, has justified the consecrations by arguing that the SSPX’s two surviving bishops from the original 1988 consecrations are old and can't minister to such a global reality. He has invoked what he calls a “state of necessity” to save souls.

For the SSPX, the post-Vatican II church is awash in heresies and has strayed from core tenets of the Catholic faith.

After Pagliarani announced the consecrations, the Vatican invited him for talks. But the same theological and practical problems that have prevented rapprochement for 50 years left the two sides at an impasse.

In announcing the names of the four new bishops last month, the SSPX insisted that it is not seeking to claim power or jurisdiction from Leo or “establish a parallel authority within the church.”

“The ceremony of July 1st will have no other purpose than to ensure the continued administration of the sacraments of Holy Orders and Confirmation, together with those sacramentals reserved to bishops, according to the traditional rite of the Holy Roman Church and the immemorial Faith,” the SSPX statement said.

The website for the event suggests months of preparation for thousands of people to attend: Registered participants can book accommodation at more than a dozen nearby hotels and family homes; they can request carpooling options from more than 100 locations; and prepay daily lunches via a festival-style wristband.

And then there is the wine. Registered participants can “take home a memory of this historic event” by purchasing a limited edition set of four bottles of wine. Each bottle features a bishop-themed label: an image of a bishop's pointed miter hat, his ring, cross or crozier staff.

The 75 Swiss franc ($92.50) “Cuvee des Sacres” gift box — Pinot noir, Syrah, Petit Arvine and Fendant — is available for pickup on site.

That level of organization suggests “they never had any idea of walking back" the plans, Faggioli said.

The consecrations pose a direct challenge to church unity and Leo’s authority, since papal consent for new bishops is a fundamental expression of his authority, and is required to guarantee apostolic succession — the lineage of bishops from Christ's original apostles.

The American pope, however, seems resigned that the ceremony will go ahead and that everyone will have to accept the consequences.

Leo said last week he was considering a new appeal to the SSPX to back off its threat and work to come back into communion. “But it is their choice. We need to realize what this means for them and for the church,” Leo told reporters.

Division among Christians, he said, is always painful for the church. “However, they refuse to accept certain fundamental elements of the church, starting with various points of the Second Vatican Council. And while I regret that choice, we must move forward."

From the start of his pontificate, Leo has sought to pacify relations with Catholic traditionalists that worsened under Pope Francis. While the Argentine pope had offered some concessions to the SSPX, he cracked down on the spread of the old Latin Mass among other traditionalists in communion with Rome.

These Catholic traditionalists opposed Francis' crackdown and sympathize to some extent with the SSPX arguments about a “crisis” in the church today. But they haven't gone to the SSPX and are firm that the consecrations are an unlawful sign of disobedience.

Joseph Shaw, head of the Latin Mass Society of England and Wales, said the planned SSPX consecrations were intended to be very public, unlike unauthorized ordinations by other fringe groups “that take place in hotel rooms.”

“There’s a general principle that Catholics have a right to know that their sacraments are valid,” he said. “And they (the SSPX) have the resources to do it nicely.”

Luigi Casalini, of the Messa in Latino (Latin Mass) blog, said the consecrations are “grievously unlawful” and that the SSPX claim of a “state of necessity” to justify them is unfounded.

But he also accused the Vatican of a double standard: threatening SSPX bishops with excommunication for their ultra-orthodox deviation from Rome, while actively negotiating with German bishops on their ultraprogressive reforms that also run afoul of Catholic doctrine.

Leo refused to meet with Pagliarani and yet “such severity is not shown toward the doctrinal statements — which are indeed on the verge of schism," circulating within the German church, Casalini said.

As if to preempt such arguments, the Vatican on Tuesday officially shot down a German request to let laypeople preach homilies at Mass, restating church rules saying only priests and deacons may.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Pope Leo XIV delivers his speech in the "St. Antonio Abate and Francesca Cabrini" church in Sant'Angelo Lodigiano, northern Italy, Saturday, June 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Faithful reach out to Pope Leo XIV as he leaves Pavia Cathedral in northern Italy, Saturday, June 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Pope Leo XIV talks to journalists as he leaves his residence in Castel Gandolfo, on the outskirts of Rome, to return to the Vatican, Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Pope Leo XIV greets people as he leaves his residence in Castel Gandolfo, on the outskirts of Rome, to return to the Vatican, Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Ben McAdams, a former Utah congressman who has sought to shed his reputation as a moderate, won the Democratic primary Tuesday in a redrawn U.S. House district that Democrats are strongly favored to win this fall.

His victory over three progressive candidates disappointed voters who wanted to push the Democratic Party further to the left in a race that illustrated the ideological clash playing out in Democratic primaries across the country this year. His opponents included a state senator and a former employee of TikTok and Meta who had insisted McAdams is too conservative to represent a left-leaning district. Some had urged other candidates to drop out of the primary to give a progressive a greater chance of winning.

The Salt Lake City area's 1st Congressional District is among the few anticipated Democratic pickups following a national redistricting fight started by President Donald Trump to try to help Republicans maintain their majority in the U.S. House. Democrats need to gain only a few seats in November to take control of the narrowly divided chamber.

McAdams is strongly favored to defeat Republican Riley Owen, an intelligence officer in the Navy Reserve who was chosen during the state GOP’s spring convention. Nevertheless, he appealed to his primary challengers and their supporters to help maintain the party's momentum.

“The energy and the passion your campaigns brought to this race is exactly what we need headed into November,” McAdams said after his win.

The other three of Utah's four congressional seats are considered safely Republican. That includes the 3rd District, where Trump-endorsed U.S. Rep. Celeste Maloy fended off a challenge from further right.

Candidates in the new district tried to outflank one another on the left, marking a departure from decades of Democrats trying to appeal to Utah's mostly conservative electorate.

During his 2018 campaign, McAdams pitched himself as a moderate when he ousted a GOP incumbent in the midterms of Trump’s first term. He also described himself at the time as having anti-abortion views, but said the decision to terminate a pregnancy should be made by a woman in consultation with her doctors, family and faith counselors. This year, as he campaigned in a much more Democratic district, McAdams pledged his support for abortion rights and insisted that he’s only “moderate in tone.”

State Democrats held an open primary, meaning anyone in the district could vote, regardless of party affiliation.

After his primary win, McAdams outlined his previous work in Congress to expand healthcare, invest in public lands and secure protections for LGBTQ+ communities. But he said his defining vote was to impeach Trump, which was met with loud applause from his supporters.

“I would do it again,” he said. “Character matters, courage matters and right now talk is cheap. Utahns deserve someone who has already shown the courage to stand up and speak with conviction when the pressure is real.”

A supporter, Donna Gunn, said McAdams' victory is an opportunity to send a fierce ally for LGBTQ+ rights back to Washington. While she was dejected after the 2024 presidential race, she said Tuesday's primary outcome restored her hope.

“We are so happy and so lucky to get Ben, who’s going to stand up to that bully in the White House,” she said.

Among McAdams' opponents was state Sen. Nate Blouin, a progressive firebrand in the Republican-controlled Legislature who had hoped to bounce back from a social media controversy. Blouin apologized in April for several posts he made on internet forums between 2009 and 2015 that denigrated women and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Utah-based faith known widely as the Mormon church.

Blouin tried to energize an electorate he said has grown accustomed to settling for someone who will “play nice” with Republicans. He racked up endorsements from some of the country’s most prominent progressives, including independent Sen. Bernie Sanders and Democratic Reps. Pramila Jayapal, Greg Casar and Maxwell Frost.

On Tuesday night, he looked ahead and issued a statement saying his campaign, while falling short, marked “the beginning of a new era of organizing” in the state.

“The progressive movement in Utah still has a long way to go, but we’ve helped forge the path forward, and we’ll keep organizing for a better Utah where public lands are protected, ICE is abolished, and reproductive freedom is secure,” he said.

Two other progressive candidates, both political newcomers, Liban Mohamed and Michael Farrell, also vied for the seat.

Mohamed, a former Meta and TikTok employee, was a breakout star at the state’s Democratic convention earlier this year, where he emerged victorious after five rounds of ranked choice voting to earn the party’s backing in the primary over McAdams. He was backed by other prominent progressives, including U.S. Reps. Ilhan Omar and Ayanna Pressley.

While progressive voters had a wealth of candidates from which to choose, some said the field was too big and ended up splitting their support too many ways.

“It definitely was a heartbreaking feeling,” said Alex Minero, a Blouin supporter. “I still think having a Democrat in Congress is a win. It’s still better than nothing, but Nate Blouin would’ve done a much better job than Ben McAdams.”

Utah's new congressional map also left Maloy vulnerable to a primary challenge from a candidate who is further to the right. But she handily defeated former state lawmaker Phil Lyman, who embraced false claims of fraud following the 2020 presidential election.

The district, spanning most of southern and eastern Utah, emerged last fall from a legal battle over the state’s previous congressional map, dramatically altering its makeup.

Maloy was first elected to Congress in a special election in 2023 and was reelected to a full term in 2024. She worked previously as a soil conservationist and an attorney with a focus on public lands and water policy.

After her primary win, she issued a statement saying her campaign was focused on promoting “the conservative results” she had produced for her constituents.

She will face Democratic nominee Kent Udell, an engineer, in the November general election. Maloy is heavily favored to win in the deep red 3rd District.

Associated Press writer Matthew Brown in Denver contributed to this report.

Nate Blouin watches the results roll in with his wife, Jackie Rosen, at his primary election watch party at Kiitos Brewing in Salt Lake City, Utah on Tuesday, June 23, 2026. (Kristin Murphy/The Deseret News via AP)

Democratic congressional candidate Ben McAdams speaks between family members James, Isaac and Julie during a watch party for Utah's primary election on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Alex Goodlett)

Democratic congressional candidate Ben McAdams speaks during a watch party for Utah's primary election on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Alex Goodlett)

Democratic congressional candidate Ben McAdams speaks between family members Isaac, James and Julie during a watch party for Utah's primary election on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Alex Goodlett)

Utah congressional candidate Nate Blouin, left, speaks to Brian King, the chair of the Utah Democratic Party, at an Election Night watch party at Kiitos Brewing in Salt Lake City, Tuesday, June 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Hannah Schoenbaum)

Democratic congressional candidate Ben McAdams speaks to a crowd during a watch party for Utah's primary election on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Alex Goodlett)

Vote Here signs are posted outside the Salt Lake County Government Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, Tuesday, June 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Hannah Schoenbaum)

A Utah voter places a ballot in a drop box outside the Salt Lake County Government Center in Salt Lake City, Tuesday, June 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Hannah Schoenbaum)

A sign hangs at a voting center during Utah's primary election on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Alex Goodlett)

FILE - Liban Mohamed, the son of Somali immigrants and a former Meta and TikTok employee, speaks on a panel of candidates running to represent Utah's new Democratic-leaning congressional district, March 21, 2026, in Taylorsville, Utah. (AP Photo/Hannah Schoenbaum, File)

FILE - Utah state Sen. Nate Blouin, left, and tax attorney Michael Farrell speak on a panel of candidates running to represent Utah's new Democratic-leaning congressional district, March 21, 2026, in Taylorsville, Utah. (AP Photo/Hannah Schoenbaum, File)

FILE - Former U.S. Rep. Ben McAdams speaks at a forum for candidates running to represent Utah's new Democratic-leaning congressional district, March 21, 2026, in Taylorsville, Utah. (AP Photo/Hannah Schoenbaum, File)