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[Photo: The Immaculata Church in St. Mary’s, Kansas]

At a time when religious practice is rapidly declining in this country, any rapidly-growing subset of the Faith is an anomaly that should interest our Catholic bishops.

By Eric Sammons, Crisis Magazine, May 8, 2025

Eric Sammons is the editor-in-chief of Crisis Magazine.

Recently the traditionalist Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) consecrated a new church in the small town of St. Mary’s, Kansas. At first glance, this seems to be non-news. However, consider that the consecration was attended by more than 3,000 people (the town’s entire population is less than that!); the church is now the SSPX’s largest church in America; the new church is a sign of the SSPX’s growth in recent years; and many Catholic dioceses are in the midst of closing churches. That makes it newsworthy.

This contrast—the SSPX growing and building churches while Catholic dioceses close churches—should raise questions in the minds of Catholic leaders, especially our bishops: Why is there a contrast in the first place? What is attractive about the SSPX? Why is it growing in this country while ordinary Catholic parishes are declining? …

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