Archbishop of San Antonio announces laicization of priest for schism and disobedience to the pope

Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller of San Antonio has announced that John Mary Foster, a priest of the archdiocese, has been found guilty of schism and has been dismissed from the clerical state.

According to a statement by the archbishop , Foster, who was incardinated into the Archdiocese of San Antonio in 2009, has publicly referred to Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV as “usurpers.” He published messages allegedly received from God, Jesus, and the Blessed Mother by a member of the Mission of Divine Mercy, which he led, and which he said claimed that Pope Leo XIV is “not a true pope.”

Despite the archbishop’s multiple requests that Foster repent and stop his “schismatic actions and teachings,” the priest continued to celebrate Mass while omitting the names of both the late Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV from the Eucharistic Prayer.

In response to Foster’s disobedience, a tribunal of independent canon lawyers authorized by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith conducted a judicial process that began April 10, 2025. The tribunal spent over a year reviewing evidence consisting of Foster’s statements, actions, homilies, and teachings. It also heard testimony from witnesses.…