Priest of archdiocese on leave of absence affiliates with schismatic movement

Archbishop Bernard Hebda has started a canonical process to clarify the status of Father Philip Conklin after the priest affiliated with the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX). In a letter shared by Father Michael Creagan, pastor of St. Michael and St. Mary in Stillwater, the archbishop stated that Conklin confirmed he does not intend to end his affiliation with the group.

Conklin, who was ordained in 2024, served as a parochial vicar in Stillwater from July 2024 until March 2026. He has been on a leave of absence for the last six months to discern his vocation. The archbishop informed Conklin that he is not permitted to perform any public priestly ministry.

The Vatican declared the SSPX in schism with the Catholic Church this past July after the group's leadership rejected a plea from Pope Leo XIV and consecrated four bishops in Switzerland without papal permission. That action resulted in the immediate excommunication of the consecrating bishop, the co-consecrator, and the four new bishops.