Bad Theology, Invalid Episcopacy: Fr. Anthony Ward Consecrated by Novus Ordo Bishop, Dismisses Vatican Excommunication

Theology has consequences…

Bad Theology, Invalid Episcopacy: Fr. Anthony Ward Consecrated by Novus Ordo Bishop, Dismisses Vatican Excommunication

Fr. Anthony Ward (b. 1948) was ordained a priest for the Society of St. Pius X (FSSPX) by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre on Apr. 14, 1973. Four years later, he left the Society and established the Servants of the Holy Family (Servi Sanctae Familiae) in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

On Nov. 16, 2025, Fr. Ward announced that he had secretly been consecrated a bishop in the traditional Roman rite by ‘Archbishop’ Telesphore George Mpundu (b. 1947), retired ordinary of Lusaka, Zambia. The ceremony took place on Mar.… READ MORE

Pope Pius XII Against Modern Errors on the Church

Papal address of June 24, 1939…

Pope Pius XII Against Modern Errors on the Church

Image credit: © KEYSTONE Pictures USA via Alamy

One of the main services Novus Ordo Watch tries to render to the public is the making available of, or raising awareness concerning, Catholic magisterial texts that are not widely known or have not before been published online in English. There is a wealth of pre-Vatican II papal teaching ‘on the books’ that, unfortunately, is largely unknown even to traditional Catholics; thus we are trying to do our part to help remedy this situation. Thankfully, with recent advances in technology, discovering, translating, and spreading it has become easier and easier.… READ MORE

‘Eternal Rome’: Pope Pius XII Against Recognize-and-Resist

On the true and false meaning of a concept…

‘Eternal Rome’:
Pope Pius XII Against Recognize-and-Resist

In a Novus Ordo Watch tweet of Oct. 23, 2025, reacting to this article headline by The Remnant, we stated: “Just a quick reminder to The Remnant that there is no such thing as ‘Eternal Rome’. That term was invented by Abp. Marcel Lefebvre to accommodate his position of recognizing Modernists as true Catholic Popes while resisting their heretical magisterium.”

It turns out that is not entirely correct. A reader made us aware that in 1949 the phrase “Eternal Rome” was actually used by Pope Pius XII (r.… READ MORE

What Has Happened to the Catholic Church? An Updated Guide for Confused Catholics

New 2025 edition now available…

What Has Happened to the Catholic Church?
An Updated Guide for Confused Catholics

Novus Ordo Watch is not receiving any kind of compensation for promoting this book (with the exception of one free copy).

Many people who sincerely desire to be good and loyal Roman Catholics are seriously troubled and confused today. Although the Second Vatican Council occurred more than 60 years ago, it has left a lasting impact. Vatican II, as the council is called for short, took place from 1962-65 and radically changed Catholic liturgy, the sacraments, and essential beliefs that have come down to us from Christ and the Apostles.… READ MORE

The Unsolvable Pendulum Problem of the Society of St. Pius X

Forever torn between two mutually exclusive ideas…

The Unsolvable Pendulum Problem of the Society of St. Pius X

The Society of St. Pius X (SSPX or FSSPX), founded by Abp. Marcel Lefebvre in 1970, is once again in the news, this time on account of its Jubilee pilgrimage to Rome last week (see a few official photos here).

Some SSPXers are celebrating, whereas others are expressing concern. The reason for the inconsistent reactions to the same development is that some see it as Rome accepting the SSPX as Catholic and recognizing the rights of ‘Tradition’ (a Lefebvrist euphemism for what is simply the Catholic Faith); whereas others see it as a dangerous luring of the Lefebvrist leadership into the ecumenical zoo presided over by Modernist Rome.… READ MORE

Leo XIV to Eastern Orthodox: ‘Rome, Constantinople, and All Other Sees Not Called to Vie for Primacy’

Nothing to see here, just a little HERESY…

Leo XIV to Ecumenical Group with Orthodox: ‘Rome, Constantinople, and All Other Sees Not Called to Vie for Primacy’

‘Pope’ Leo XIV in Castel Gandolfo on July 13, 2025

Today at Castel Gandolfo, the ‘Holy Father’ Robert Prevost (‘Pope Leo XIV’) received in audience participants in a so-called Orthodox-Catholic ecumenical pilgrimage from the United States. The Vatican has published some photos here.

Aside from the usual ecumenical blather about “restoring full unity among all Christ’s disciples” — as if one could be a disciple of Christ without belonging to His flock, which is the Roman Catholic Church exclusively — ‘Pope’ Leo dropped a bombshell regarding papal primacy.… READ MORE

Don’t Be Like Judas! (Nor Like Eric Sammons, For That Matter)

Response to another flawed semi-trad argument…

Don’t Be Like Judas!
(Nor Like Eric Sammons, For That Matter)

OK, so we doctored this screenshot a little: The painting on the left doesn’t actually show the betrayal of Judas

Eric Sammons, editor-in-chief of Crisis Magazine, recently released a video clip on YouTube that’s a composite of highlights from his 35-minute Crisis Point podcast episode “Don’t Be Judas” of Apr. 15, 2025.

As the clip is less than a minute long (a so-called YouTube ‘short’), a lot more people will be exposed to what Sammons says there than would take the time to sit through the full-length episode.… READ MORE

Dr. Kwasniewski Reacts to Novus Ordo Watch Critique: I Don’t Engage Sedevacantists!

Oh yes, we’ve noticed… 

Dr. Kwasniewski Reacts to Novus Ordo Watch Critique: I Don’t Engage Sedevacantists!

Earlier this month, yours truly joined Louie Verrecchio for a video podcast to respond to a recent article by Dr. Peter Kwasniewski regarding papal authority and the Sacred Liturgy. The video was released on Apr. 4 on Verrecchio’s channel and a day later on Novus Ordo Watch’s:

On Apr. 6, Kwasniewski published a comment on Facebook and on Twitter explaining that people had asked him if he was going to respond, which he answered in the negative because “I do not engage sedevacantists.”… READ MORE

The Roman Pontiff and the Breviary: Response to Dr. Peter Kwasniewski (Video)

Novus Ordo Watch on ‘akaCatholic Podcast’…

The Pope and the Breviary: Response to Dr. Peter Kwasniewski (Video)

Host Louie Verrecchio and guest Mario Derksen dismantled a recent article by Dr. Peter Kwasniewski

On Mar. 26, 2025, Dr. Peter Kwasniewski published an article on the New Liturgical Movement site entitled, “Do Priests or Religious Need Special Permission to Pray a Pre-55 Breviary?”.

In it, the author, who is a popular and prolific advocate of recognize-and-resist traditionalism, attempts to answer the question whether clerics who are required by canon law to pray daily the Roman Breviary (aka Divine Office, Liturgy of the Hours) may fulfill their obligation by using the Breviary edition from before 1955, that is, before Pope Pius XII simplified the rubrics for the Sacred Liturgy with the decree Cum Nostra Hac Aetate of the Sacred Congregation of Rites (Mar.… READ MORE

PHOTOS: ‘Bishop’ Athanasius Schneider in Audience with ‘Pope’ Francis

A jolly chitchat in the Apostolic Palace…

PHOTOS: ‘Bishop’ Athanasius Schneider in Audience with ‘Pope’ Francis

(image ©Vatican Media)

The daily news bulletin put out by the Holy See Press Office on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, included a rather unexpected item: ‘Pope’ Francis (Jorge Bergoglio) had received in audience that morning the Most Rev. Athanasius Schneider, O.R.C., auxiliary bishop of the diocese of Maria Santissima in Astana, Kazakhstan.

This was a surprise insofar as Schneider has for years been one of Bergoglio’s most vocal critics.

Not much is known about the meeting. There has been no comment from the Vatican, but of course there are photographs (above and further down below, and a few more here), and there are a few words from Bishop Schneider himself to the National Catholic Register:

Bishop Athanasius Schneider said Pope Francis “showed great cordiality” toward him during a private audience on Monday and that they “spoke about some important themes on the life of the Church.”

… READ MORE

The ‘Pope of Inclusion’ Strikes: Francis Laicizes Novus Ordo Priest who Denies He is Pope

But then, who is he to judge?

The ‘Pope of Inclusion’ Strikes:
Francis Laicizes Novus Ordo Priest who Denies He is Pope

‘Fr.’ Fernando Cornet, center, has been defrocked by ‘Pope’ Francis; ‘Fr.’ Giorgio Faré, left, may be next in line

More and more laity and clergy in the Vatican II Sect are figuring out there’s no way Francis could be the Pope of the Catholic Church, even if at times they still give the wrong reasons for arriving at this conclusion.

On Nov. 13, 2024, the Novus Ordo Archdiocese of Sassari, Italy, announced that ‘Pope’ Francis had removed one of its priests from the clerical state and reduced him, juridically, to the status of a layman.… READ MORE

When the Shepherd Is Struck: The Papacy and Sedevacantist ‘Disunity’

“Strike the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered…” (Zac 13:7)

When the Shepherd Is Struck:

The Papacy and Sedevacantist ‘Disunity’

The following article appeared in the sedevacantist quarterly The Reign of Mary, vol. XLV, no. 155, in the summer of 2014. It addresses a phenomenon that a lot of people seeking to be genuine traditional Catholics struggle with: the apparent ‘disunity’ among sedevacantists. If Sedevacantism is the correct position to take in the face of the apostasy of the Vatican II Church, why then are there different groups of sedevacantists that are at odds with each other over various issues?… READ MORE

A Serious Accusation: Is Novus Ordo Watch Being Deceptive? Response to Matt Gaspers

Response to Matt Gaspers of ‘Inside the Vatican’…

A Serious Accusation:
Is Novus Ordo Watch Being Deceptive?

Here is the Evidence – YOU Decide!

[UPDATE: On Oct. 5, 2024, Mr. Matt Gaspers graciously apologized on Twitter and conceded that his interpretation of the New Commentary is likely incorrect. Of course we accept the apology.]

Sometimes sparks fly when people discuss matters of theology on social media, and that is not necessarily a bad thing. What ought not to happen during such skirmishes, however, is that one party rashly accuse the other of being dishonest about the issue under discussion.

Unfortunately, Mr.… READ MORE

Francis in Interview: Some Only Accept the Popes up to Pius XII, Not the Popes After!

Mentions ‘Sedevacantists’ to Chinese interviewer…

Francis in Interview: Some Only Accept the Popes up to Pius XII, Not the Popes After!

The Rev. Pedro Chia, S.J., is director of the press office of the Chinese Province of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits).

On May 24, 2024, he had the misfortune of interviewing the Argentinian apostate Jorge Bergoglio — under his stage name ‘Pope Francis’ — in the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican. The full video of the brief, 15-minute conversation was released today, Aug. 9, on YouTube.

Early on in the interview, ‘Fr.’ Chia asks Francis how he deals with stress, with problems in the Church, with criticism, and with opposition from others.… READ MORE

True Catholic Church or Diabolical Counter-Church? Analyzing The Remnant’s Absurd Theology

Response to an article by Robert Morrison…

True Catholic Church or Diabolical Counter-Church?
Analyzing The Remnant‘s Absurd Theology

Robert Morrison is currently one of The Remnant‘s most prolific writers

On July 30, 2024, the semi-traditionalist recognize-and-resist publication The Remnant once again released an article by its columnist Robert Morrison that purports to offer traditional Catholic guidance to help people cut through the confusion of our times:

In actual fact, however, the write-up accomplishes no such thing. Rather, one is reminded of a warning given by Our Lord, to wit: “Let them alone: they are blind, and leaders of the blind.… READ MORE