Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter

According to canon law, the FSSP is a clerical society of apostolic life of pontifical right.{{Cite web | title = What are we? | publisher = The Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter | date = June 9, 2010 | url = http://www.fssp.org/en/presentation.htm | access-date = June 10, 2010}} It is not, therefore, an institute of consecrated life and members take no religious vows, but are instead bound by the same general laws of celibacy and obedience as diocesan clergy and, in addition, swear an oath as members of the society. The fraternity's pontifical right status means that it has been established by the Pope and is answerable only to him in terms of its operation (through the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life; prior to January 17, 2019, through the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei), rather than to local bishops.{{Cite web | title = Decree erecting the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter, 18 October 1988 | work = Documents | publisher = Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter | date = October 18, 1988 | url = http://www.fssp.org/en/decerec.htm | access-date = June 10, 2010}} A local bishop still governs the fraternity's work within his respective diocese.{{citation needed|date=June 2023}} In this sense its organization and administrative reporting status are similar to those of religious orders of pontifical right (for example, the Jesuits or Dominicans).

On 28 September 2024, the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life informed the FSSP that it had opened an apostolic visitation. According to the Fraternity, this is intended to "enable the Dicastery to know who we are, how we are doing and how we live, so as to provide us with any help we may need."{{cite web | url=https://www.fssp.org/en/apostolic-visitation-of-the-fraternity/ | title=Apostolic visitation of the Fraternity – FSSP | date=27 September 2024 }}

File:Missa tridentina 002.jpg]]

The FSSP consists of priests and seminarians who intend to pursue the goal of Christian perfection according to a specific charism, which is to offer the Mass and other sacraments according to the Roman Rite as it existed before the liturgical reforms that followed the Second Vatican Council.{{Cite web | title = History of the North American District | work = What are we? | publisher = Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter | date = June 9, 2010 | url = http://www.fssp.org/en/historique.htm | access-date = June 10, 2010}} Thus, the fraternity uses the Roman Missal, the Roman Breviary, the Pontifical (Pontificale Romanum), and the Roman Ritual in use in 1962, the last editions before the revisions that followed the Council.

The 2007 motu proprio Summorum Pontificum had authorized use of the 1962 Roman Missal by all Latin Church priests as an extraordinary form of the Roman Rite without limit when celebrating Mass "without a congregation".{{Cite web|url=https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/motu_proprio/documents/hf_ben-xvi_motu-proprio_20070707_summorum-pontificum.html|title=Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum on the "Roman liturgy prior to the reform of 1970" (July 7, 2007) {{!}} BENEDICT XVI|website=w2.vatican.va|access-date=2018-12-29}} Its use for Mass with a congregation was allowed with the permission of the priest in charge of a church for stable groups attached to this earlier form of the Roman Rite, provided that the priest using it was "qualified to do so and not juridically impeded" (as for instance by suspension).Summorum Pontificum, art. 5 That was abrogated by the 2021 motu proprio Traditionis custodes that emphasized deference towards the Mass of Paul VI and added restrictions to which clergy could perform the Roman Rite according to the pre-Vatican II form.{{cite web|date=16 July 2021|title=New norms regarding use of 1962 Roman Missal: Bishops given greater responsibility|url=https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2021-07/pope-motu-proprio-traditionis-custodes-1962-roman-missal-liturgy.html|access-date=16 July 2021|work=Vatican News|location=Vatican City}}{{cite web|url=https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2021/07/16/0469/01014.html#ingM|title=Traditionis Custodes|author=Pope Francis|date=16 July 2021|access-date=16 July 2021|location=Rome}}

On 4 February 2022, two priests of the fraternity were received by Pope Francis in private audience, who subsequently issued a decree confirming that the FSSP could continue to celebrate the traditional liturgy publicly in their own churches or oratories, or anywhere else with the consent of the local ordinary.{{Cite web |title=Decree of Pope Francis confirming the use of the 1962 liturgical books – FSSP |url=https://www.fssp.org/en/decree-of-pope-francis-confirming-the-use-of-the-1962-liturgical-books/ |access-date=2024-03-08 |website=www.fssp.org |date=11 February 2022 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2022-02-21 |title=Official communiqué of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter – FSSP |url=https://www.fssp.org/en/official-communique-of-the-priestly-fraternity-of-st-peter/ |access-date=2024-03-08 |language=en-US}} The decree was dated 11 February 2022, the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes and coincidentally the same day that the FSSP consecrated themselves to the Immaculate Heart of Mary after a nine-day novena.{{Cite web |date=2022-02-11 |title=Consecration of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter to the Immaculate Heart of Mary – FSSP |url=https://www.fssp.org/en/act-of-consecration-of-the-priestly-fraternity-of-saint-peter-to-the-immaculate-heart-of-mary/ |access-date=2024-03-08 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Mares |first=Courtney |date=21 Feb 2022 |title=FSSP says Pope Francis has issued decree confirming its use of 1962 liturgical books |url=https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/250438/fssp-says-pope-francis-has-issued-decree-confirming-its-use-of-1962-liturgical-books |access-date=2024-03-09 |website=Catholic News Agency |language=en}} On 29 February 2024, the Superior General of the FSSP, Fr. Andrzej Komorowski, was received in private audience by Pope Francis, who assured them that the FSSP would continue to enjoy the right to celebrate the traditional liturgy.{{cite news |last1=Santucci |first1=Matthew |date=March 1, 2024 |title=Pope Francis meets FSSP head, confirms right to celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass |url=https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256968/pope-francis-meets-fssp-head-confirms-right-to-celebrate-the-traditional-latin-mass |accessdate=March 2, 2024 |publisher=Catholic News Agency}}{{Cite web |date=2024-03-01 |title=Audience with Pope Francis – FSSP |url=https://www.fssp.org/en/audience-with-pope-francis/ |access-date=2024-03-08 |language=en-US}}

Following from its charism, the fraternity's mission is twofold: to sanctify each priest through the exercise of his priestly function, and to deploy these priests to parishes.{{Cite web | title = Excerpt of the Constitutions of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter | work = Documents | publisher = Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter | date = June 29, 2003 | url = http://www.fssp.org/en/constitu.htm | access-date = June 10, 2010}} As such, they are to celebrate the sacraments, catechize, preach retreats, organize pilgrimages, and generally provide a full sacramental and cultural life for lay Catholics who are likewise drawn to the rituals of the 1962 missal. In order to help complete its mission, the fraternity has built its own seminaries with the goal of forming men to serve the fraternity.

{{See also|Ecône Consecrations}}

{{blockquote|For the honour and glory of the holy Catholic Church, for the consolation of the much troubled faithful, and for the peace of their conscience, the undersigned, members until now of the Fraternity of Saint Pius X, declare with profound regret over the illicit consecration of bishops on 30 June [1988] that they have remained within the Catholic Church as pars sanior of this same Fraternity, and that they have but one desire: to be able to live as a religious society in this Church and place themselves at her service under the authority, of course, of the Roman Pontiff, her supreme head.|From the Declaration of Intention by the Founders (2 July 1988){{Cite web | title = Declaration of intention by the founders, 2 July 1988 | work = Documents | publisher = Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter | date = July 2, 1988 | url = http://www.fssp.org/en/declfond.htm | access-date = June 10, 2010}}}}

The FSSP was established on July 18, 1988, at the Abbey of Hauterive, Switzerland, by twelve priests and twenty seminarians, led by Josef Bisig, all of whom had formerly belonged to Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre's Society of Saint Pius X; they were unwilling to follow that movement into what the Congregation for Bishops and Pope John Paul II declared to be a schismatic act and grounds for excommunication latae sententiae due to the consecration of four bishops without a papal mandate.{{Cite conference | title = Audition of the Auditors II | book-title = Synodus Episcoporum Bulletin | publisher = Holy See Press Office | date = September 30 – October 27, 2001 | url = https://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/sinodo/documents/bollettino_20_x-ordinaria-2001/02_inglese/b18_02.html#Rev._Arnaud_DEVILLERS,_F.S.S.P.,_Superior_General_of_the_Fraternity_of_the_Priests_of_St._Peter_(United_States_of_America) | access-date = June 10, 2010}}{{Cite web | last = Devillers | first = Arnaud | title = A Response to Christopher Ferrara | publisher = Latin Mass Magazine | date = Summer 2002 | url = http://www.latinmassmagazine.com/articles/articles_2002_SU_Devillers.html | access-date = June 10, 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20040414032730/http://www.latinmassmagazine.com/articles/articles_2002_SU_Devillers.html | archive-date = April 14, 2004 | url-status = dead }} Fr. Josef Bisig became the fraternity's first superior general.

Image:FSSP-Perpinya.JPG procession at an FSSP apostolate in Perpignan, France]]

{{As of|2023|11}}, the fraternity included 569 members: 368 priests, 22 deacons, and 179 non-deacon seminarians in 146 dioceses spread among Australia, Austria, Benin, Canada, Colombia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Nigeria, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Switzerland, the United States, and Vietnam. The fraternity's membership represents 35 nationalities, and the average age of its members is 39. {{As of|2023|}}, the lay Confraternity of Saint Peter had 9,546 members enrolled, who spiritually support the fraternity's charism.{{Cite web | title = Presentation | work = Confraternity of Saint Peter | publisher = Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter | date = November 1, 2023 | url = http://www.fssp.org/en/presentation-2/figures/}}

The FSSP's current superior general is Fr. John Berg, who was elected to a third (non-consecutive) term as superior general on July 9, 2024.{{cite news |title=Election of the Superior General of the Fraternity |url=https://www.fssp.org/en/election-of-the-superior-general-of-the-fraternity/ |publisher=FSSP.org |date=July 11, 2024}} Former superiors general include:

• Fr. Josef Bisig (1988–2000)
• Fr. Arnaud Devillers (2000–2006)
• Fr. John Berg (2006–2018, 2024–)
• Fr. Andrzej Komorowski (2018–2024)

The fraternity is divided into four districts:{{Cite web | title = New District Superior for the FSSP | publisher = Una Voce Carmel | date = February 26, 2008 | url = http://uvcarmel.org/2008/02/26/new-district-superior-for-the-fssp/ | access-date = June 10, 2010}}

• German-speaking District, Superior: Fr. Stefan Dreher
• French District, Superior: Fr. Benoît Paul-Joseph
• North American Province, Provincial: Fr. William Lawrence
• Oceania District, Superior: Fr. Michael McCaffrey

The fraternity has two seminaries:

• The International Seminary of St. Peter in Wigratzbad-Opfenbach, in the German state of Bavaria (Diocese of Augsburg), was established in 1988. It serves French and German-speaking seminarians. Its current rector is Fr. Vincent Ribeton.
• Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary, in Denton, Nebraska, United States (Diocese of Lincoln), was established in 1994 and serves English-speaking seminarians. Its current rector is Fr. Josef Bisig.

Ezechiel House, a house of formation for first-year seminarians, exists in the city of Sydney, Australia. The Director of Ezechiel House is Fr. Duncan Wong.

In 2015, the fraternity established in Guadalajara, Mexico, Casa Cristo Rey, an apostolate which it plans to develop into a house of formation for first-year seminarians for native Spanish-speaking postulants. Presently, Casa Cristo Rey serves as a priestly discernment program for young men from Spain and Latin America.{{Cite web | title = About | work = Casa Cristo Rey | publisher = FSSP Mexico | date = September 2015 | url = http://fsspmexico.com/about/ | access-date = March 23, 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170323233253/http://fsspmexico.com/about/ | archive-date = March 23, 2017 | url-status = dead }} In 2016 Casa Cristo Rey opened the Junipero Serra Spanish Institute, a program offering six or eight weeks of Spanish immersion for priests and seminarians.{{Cite web | title = FSSP in Mexico to Offer Spanish Immersion for Clergy | publisher = New Liturgical Movement | date = December 10, 2015 | url = http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2015/12/fssp-in-mexico-to-offer-spanish.html#.WNO8im8rL4Y/ | access-date = March 23, 2017}}

{{Portal|Catholicism}}

• Fr. George Gabet
• Fr. Antony Sumich

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category|Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter}}

• [http://www.fssp.org/ Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter] – International website with pages in English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Polish, and Latin
• [http://www.fssp.org/en/organigramme.htm Organizational chart of FSSP leadership]
• [http://www.fssp.org/en/documents.htm Documents relating to the foundation of the FSSP]
• [http://www.confraternityofstpeter.org/ Confraternity of Saint Peter] (Lay associate members of the FSSP)
• [http://www.fsspolgs.org/ Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary]
• [http://www.fssp.org/en/seminaireW.htm The Seminary of Wigratzbad]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20100416051841/http://www.saintgregorysacademy.com/ Saint Gregory's Academy]
• [https://fraternitypublications.com Fraternity Publications]
• [https://missiontradition.us/ Mission Tradition]

;International links

• [https://fssp.ca/ Canada]
• [https://www.fssp.fr/ France]
• [https://www.petrusbruderschaft.de/ Germany]
• [https://fssp.ie/ Ireland]
• [https://fssp.it/ Italy]
• [https://www.fsspmexico.mx/ Mexico]
• [https://www.icksp.org.uk/ United Kingdom]
• [https://fssp.com/ United States]

{{Traditionalist Catholicism}}

{{SSPX}}

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