A breakaway group of traditionalist Catholics plans to challenge Pope Leo XIV’s authority next week by consecrating four bishops without his consent, according to reporting from multiple outlets. The group presents the action as a way to reject or bypass the pope’s oversight, framing itself as an “outsider” movement rather than acting in alignment with the Vatican hierarchy. The planned consecrations are set to take place even though the pope has not approved the bishops’ appointments, placing the group in direct conflict with the pope’s jurisdiction and standard Catholic practice regarding episcopal ordinations. The Independent describes the group as traditionalist and emphasizes its intention to defy the pope’s authority. The Yahoo News headline similarly characterizes the group’s stance as defying Pope Leo XIV while leaning into its status outside mainstream church governance. Both sources focus on the same core development: a scheduled consecration of four bishops next week conducted without the pope’s authorization.