Father Josef Bisig, one of the founding members of the FSSP, with Pope John Paul II in Vatican City.

The Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (In Latin: Fraternitas Sacerdotalis Sancti Petri - FSSP) is a group of Traditionalist Catholic priests and seminarians in good standing with the Holy See. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Coat of Arms of Pope John Paul II. The Letter M is for Mary, the mother of Jesus, to whom he held strong devotion Pope John Paul II (Latin: , Italian: Giovanni Paolo II) born   [] (May 18, 1920, Wadowice, Poland – April 2, 2005, Vatican City) reigned as Pope of the Catholic... Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in Latium, the region immediately surrounding Rome. ... A 1950s Low Mass in Bohermeen, Ireland in the presence of a bishop and several priests and with the altar arranged for Eucharistic devotions to follow A traditionalist Catholic is a Roman Catholic who believes that there should be a restoration of the liturgical forms, public and private devotions, and...

Canonical status

According to Canon law, the FSSP is a "Clerical Society of Apostolic Life of Pontifical Right." Unlike most religious orders, is not an Institute of Consecrated Life, and its members take no religious vows. They make the same promises of chastity and obedience as diocesan priests 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 subordinate only to him, through the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, and not to the local bishops. In this sense its organization and administrative reporting status are similar to those of religious orders of Pontifical Right such as the Jesuits or Dominicans. Canon Law is the ecclesiastical law of the Roman Catholic Church. ... A Society of Apostolic Life is a kind of religious order within the Roman Catholic Church, whose members do not profess religious vows, unlike members of an Institute of Consecrated Life. ... Catholic religious orders are organizations of laity and/orclergy in the Roman Catholic Church who live under a common rule. ... An Institute of Consecrated Life is a religious order within the Roman Catholic Church, whose members profess the religious vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience. ... The current Pope is Benedict XVI (born Joseph Alois Ratzinger), who was elected at the age of 78 on 19 April 2005. ... The Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei is a commission of the Roman Catholic Church aiming to bring back traditionalist Catholics into communion with Rome, primarily the Society of Saint Pius X. It is headed by Darío Cardinal Castrillón Hoyos. ... The Society of Jesus (Latin: Societas Iesu), commonly known as the Jesuits, is a Roman Catholic religious order. ...

Charism

The FSSP consists of priests and seminarians who intend to pursue the goal of Christian perfection according to a specific charism. The FSSP's specific charism is to offer the Mass and other sacraments according to the Roman Rite, as it existed before the Second Vatican Council. Thus, the Fraternity uses the Roman Missal, the Roman Breviary, the Pontifical (Pontificale Romanum), and the Roman Ritual, according to the editions of 1962, the last before the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council were promulgated. A seminary or theological college is a specialized and often live-in higher education institution for the purpose of instructing students (seminarians) in philosophy, theology, spirituality and the religious life, usually in order to prepare them to become members of the clergy. ... A charism is a power, generally of a spiritual nature, believed to be a freely given gift by the grace of God. ... A Medieval Low Mass by a bishop. ... A sacrament is a Christian rite that mediates divine grace. ... A Tridentine Mass being celebrated in Bohermeen, Ireland in the 1950s. ... The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, or Vatican II, was an Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church opened under Pope John XXIII in 1962 and closed under Pope Paul VI in 1965. ... The Roman Missal (Missale Romanum) is the liturgical book that contains the texts and rubrics for the celebration of the Latin rite of Mass. ... A breviary (from Latin brevis, short or concise) is a liturgical book containing the public or canonical prayers, hymns, the Psalms, readings, and notations for everyday use, especially for priests, in the Divine Office (i. ... Pope John Paul II has reigned since 22 Oct 1978. ... The Roman Ritual (Latin: Rituale Romanum) is a religious text of the Catholic faith. ... 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar). ... The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, or Vatican II, was an Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church opened under Pope John XXIII in 1962 and closed under Pope Paul VI in 1965. ...

Mission

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. As such, they are to celebrate the sacraments, catechize, organize youth groups (e.g. Boy Scouts/Girl Guides or similar), 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 bringing up priests to serve the fraternity. Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, so that they may play constructive roles in society. ... It has been suggested that Guides on the Air be merged into this article or section. ... For other uses, see Pilgrimage (disambiguation). ... A seminary or theological college is a specialized and often live-in higher education institution for the purpose of instructing students (seminarians) in philosophy, theology, spirituality and the religious life, usually in order to prepare them to become members of the clergy. ...

Founding

Main article: Ecône Consecrations

The FSSP was formed on July 18, 1988 at the Abbey of Hauterive, Switzerland by twelve priests, twenty four young boys and a score of seminarians (led by Father Josef Bisig) who had formerly belonged to Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre's Society of St. Pius X and who were unwilling to follow that order into what the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith defined to be a schismatic act and grounds for excommunication latæ sententiæ due to the consecration of four bishops without a papal mandate.^[1] Father Josef Bisig became the Fraternity's first superior general. The Ecône Consecrations are those by which Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre consecrated four Catholic bishops on 30 June 1988, notwithstanding the express prohibition of the Pope. ... July 18 is the 199th day (200th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 166 days remaining. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Hauterive may refer to: In Switzerland: Hauterive, Neuchâtel Hauterive, Fribourg In France: Hauterive, Allier Hauterive, Orne Hauterive, Yonne In Canada: Hauterive, Quebec, now part of Baie-Comeau Abbey of Hauterive, in Posieux, Hauterive, Fribourg, Switzerland Hauterive-la-Fresse, Doubs department, France Alexandre Maurice Blanc de Lanautte, Comte dHauterive... Very Rev. ... Archbishop Marcel-François Lefebvre C.S.Sp. ... Archbishop LefebvreFounder of the Society of St. ... The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) (Congregatio pro Doctrina Fidei) is the oldest of the nine congregations of the Roman Curia. ... The word schism (IPA: or ), from the Greek σχίσμα, skhísma (from σχίζω, skhízō, to tear, to split), means a division or a split, usually in an organization or a movement. ... Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive or suspend membership in a religious community. ... The Ecône Consecrations are those by which Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre consecrated four Catholic bishops on 30 June 1988, notwithstanding the express prohibition of the Pope. ...

Organization

The FSSP's current superior general is the Very Rev. John Berg. The Vicar General and Assistant is the Very Rev. Patrick du Faÿ. Very Rev. ...

The Fraternity is divided into three districts and three regions:

• German-speaking District, Superior: Pater Axel Maußen
• French (France) District, Superior: Abbé Vincent Ribeton
• North American District, Superior: Father George Gabet
• Belgium-Netherland Region, Superior: Abbé Hervé Hygonnet
• Great-Britain Region, Superior: Father John Emerson
• Southern Cross Region, Superior: Father Laurence Gresser

The Fraternity has two seminaries: Pater Axel Maußen, FSSP is a Roman Catholic priest and is the current regional superior of the German speaking region of the Priestly Fraternity of St. ... Father George Gabet, FSSP is the current North American District Superior of the Priestly Fraternity of St. ... Father John Emerson is the current regional superior of the Priestly Fraternity of St. ...

• The International Seminary of St. Peter in Wigratzbad-Opfenbach, in the Bavaria region of Germany (Diocese of Augsburg), was established in 1988. It serves French and German-speaking seminarians.
• Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary, in Denton, Nebraska, USA (Diocese of Lincoln), was established in 1994 and serves English-speaking seminarians.

They also operate a boarding school, St. Gregory's Academy in Elmhurst, Pennsylvania. Wigratzbad, a hamlet in Germany is the headquarters of the Priestly Fraternity of St. ... Wigratzbad, a hamlet in Germany is the headquarters of the Priestly Fraternity of St. ... Opfenbach is a town in the district of Lindau in Bavaria in Germany. ... The geographic region and Free State of Bavaria (German: Freistaat Bayern), with an area of 70,553 km² (27,241 square miles) and 12. ... The Bishop of Augsburg is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Augsburg in the Archdiocese of München und Freising / Munich. ... Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary is a seminary of the Priestly Fraternity of St. ... Denton is a village located in Lancaster County, Nebraska. ... Official language(s) English Capital Lincoln Largest city Omaha Largest metro area Omaha Area  Ranked 16th  - Total 77,421 sq mi (200,520 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 430 miles (690 km)  - % water 0. ... The Roman Catholic Diocese of Lincoln (Latin: Dioecesis Lincolnensis) is a Roman Catholic diocese in Nebraska. ... Saint Gregory’s Academy is an all-male Roman Catholic boarding school located in Elmhurst, Pennsylvania. ... Elmhurst Township is a township located in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. ...

As of January 2005, the FSSP included 194 priests and 115 seminarians in 50 dioceses spread among Australia, Austria, Benin, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Nigeria, Poland, Switzerland, and the USA. 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Sources

• FSSP Overview from the FSSP
• Address by Father Arnaud Devillers, former FSSP Superior General, at the Ordinary General Assembly Of The Synod Of Bishops October 2001

Very Rev. ...

External link

• Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (International website) Main website with pages in English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Polish, and Latin

References

1. ^ The Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter was founded in July 1988 by 12 clerics who had been members or associates of the Society of St. Pius X. Why did they leave? They left when Archbishop Lefebvre decided to consecrate four bishops against the express will of the Holy Father. A Response to Christopher Ferrara Father Arnaud Devillers, Superior General, Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter – Summer 2002