Do You Attend An FSSP Parish?

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In my city there is an Indult/Motu proprio mission, very large, that meets in a large Latin parish church near me, though it has a separate organization.

I get the impression from how the people have been acting that they don’t really want to build a parish of their own. They simply want a place to go and have the 1962 mass and act like the previous 50 years or so never happened.

This has been going on for several years. They have MORE than enough people to build and support a church if they really wanted to.

This is NOT the fault of the FSSP clergy who care for them.
 
It sounds like we’re not getting the whole story here. The laity can’t just go out and “build a parish”…parish boundaries are drawn by the bishop, and parishes normally contain one or more church buildings for worship.

I support there’s the possibility of constructing a personal (non-geographical) parish for an indult Mass community, but again, this is something that the bishop would have to implement. All personal parishes that I’m aware of are based on nationality. Is there even any precedent for an indult-only personal parish? (I’m not sure about this so I’m asking you).

(Note that I have no connection to the FSSP and have never attended an indult Mass…)
Cluny said:
In my city there is an Indult/Motu proprio mission, very large, that meets in a large Latin parish church near me, though it has a separate organization.

I get the impression from how the people have been acting that they don’t really want to build a parish of their own. They simply want a place to go and have the 1962 mass and act like the previous 50 years or so never happened.

This has been going on for several years. They have MORE than enough people to build and support a church if they really wanted to.

This is NOT the fault of the FSSP clergy who care for them.
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"ack:
… The laity can’t just go out and “build a parish”…parish boundaries are drawn by the bishop …
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True.
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ack:
All personal parishes that I’m aware of are based on nationality. Is there even any precedent for an indult-only personal parish?
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Yes. And the FSSP actually has charge of several of them.
Cluny said:
In my city there is an Indult/Motu proprio mission, very large, that meets in a large Latin parish church near me, though it has a separate organization.
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The so-called “indult” is now, fortunately, a thing of the past.
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Cluny:
I get the impression from how the people have been acting that they don’t really want to build a parish of their own. They simply want a place to go and have the 1962 mass and act like the previous 50 years or so never happened.
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Well, the past 50 happened, and most folks accept that fact: it’s kind of hard to ignore, especially when one looks at one’s birth certificate. One of the things that began some 40 years ago is the liturgical free-for-all that enveloped the Latin Rite. A lot of people (and not only gray-haired dinosaurs) are less than impressed with that particular occurrence, which is part (but not all) of the reason why they prefer the EF.

The ecclesiastical East seems to have largely (but not entirely) escaped that fate, but lest anyone think otherwise, some parts of the ecclesiastical Orient have, sadly, been infected.
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Cluny:
This has been going on for several years. They have MORE than enough people to build and support a church if they really wanted to.

This is NOT the fault of the FSSP clergy who care for them.
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It sounds quite like the makings of a very solid “personal parish” along the lines of many that are in the charge of the FSSP. But of course a “personal parish” (or Oratory, etc) cannot normally (i.e. without a specific intervention from Rome) be erected without the local Ordinary. Even without knowing the particulars of the situation, it still makes one wonder if perhaps the obstacle lies in the local Latin Rite chancery.
 
I do not regularly but I have attended… and it was… magnificent… the quality of the high mass, the quality of the sermon, the reverence and friendliness of the faithful. .

I am seriously considering the benefits of moving to be able to go to it more often.
 
I have been to Low Mass from time to time (I have yet to experience High Mass) and I go to Confession with an FSSP priest, most of the time. I find the experience enjoyable, but I am unwilling to break my ties and friendships with my current parish, because I also gain a lot of benefits from that, too.

I’m glad to be living in an era when we can experience a wide variety of different kinds of spirituality, without having to consider any of them inferior to any of the others. 🙂
 
Few comments and observations on the FSSP parish I attend - The good, the bad, the ugly:
  • Very family-oriented
  • Very close knit, and thus difficult for an outsider to make friends in general. Definitely cliquish.
  • Cliquishness leads to political infighting among parishioners. Led to the dismissal of one of the priests. Caused many parishioners to leave.
  • Beautiful service, very well orchestrated with outstanding Gregorian Chant
  • Confession is well observed, but personal experience has been less than fruitful. Priest seems more intent on severe humiliation than reconciliation. Will never go back for confession there.
  • Plenty of altar boys, all of whom appear to be quite devoted to serving.
  • Hard-line, old school conservatives in adhering to tradition - A bit harsh sometimes and myopic in terms of sermons and the approach of the priests to the parish in general.
  • A good deal of fire and brimstone in the sermons from time to time. A bit over the top sometimes, but overall, generally well thought out sermons with average to above average commentary.
  • Consultations with priest for sacraments (first communion, etc.) are basically one-sided dictations by the priest, with little if any room for discussion or consultation. Frustrating and a bit too patriarchal for most modern Catholics.
  • Almost all the women wear veils, most men wear suits. Very well dressed crowd.
In general, the Mass is beautiful, but the culture of the parish leaves a lot to be desired.
 
I do…kind of. I attend an FSSP Parish, but, they use the church that now celebrates OF Masses under the Diocese. This building has a Byzantine Rite Mass on Saturday nights, High and Low EF Masses Sunday, and OF Mass on Sunday.

The Mass is celebrated very reverently, there are altar rails, and two altars, one against the back wall, and another marble one in front of that one. The Tabernacle is kept on the back wall, but, the readings and such happen in front of the other one. Because the first altar doesn’t leave much space to stand, there is a carpeted steps/plank/runway that was constructed to fit over the already existing stairs. It is a portable thing. The priests make the best of what they have.

People do not dress inapropriately. I am probably the only female there who wears pants on a regular basis (all others wear skirts/dresses).

The FSSP Priests are very good, too. They are actually priests who Homily about the Church and Her beliefs and practices.
 
Dempsey1919 said:
What are these parishes like?
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I travel a lot for work and have attended many FSSP Parishes throughout the country. I am always very impressed. I’ve never seen anything inappropriate with their masses, and the Priests have all been excellent. In confession they’ve always given good solid advice. I converted through the SSPX and have been associated with them from one degree or another for over a decade. The SSPX and FSSP are very similar in many ways.
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Dempsey1919 said:
What are these parishes like?
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Although I am not a member of a FSSP parish, I have been to several. I have also visited Saint Gregory’s Academy for several days, as well as a few days at the FSSP seminary.

My experience at both these places and at the various parishes I attended was always an overwhelmingly positive one. I felt no call to join the FSSP as I feel called to marriage, but if I were to be a priest I can think of no better place to go.

Upon visiting one parish, I was invited by one of the parishioners to join them at the coffee and doughnuts after Mass. I regret that I was in a hurry, so I had to decline. Otherwise I might have gotten a better “feel” for the laity.

The only thing I have to say that is negative is that I REALLY wish the FSSP would start wearing microphones for the audible parts of the Mass. In large churches you can’t hear a thing for the entire hour (if it is low Mass). And I visited one church where there was not even a microphone at the pulpit! I couldn’t hear a bit of Father’s homily!
 
All personal parishes that I’m aware of are based on nationality. Is there even any precedent for an indult-only personal parish?
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I am a parishioner of one of them - the very first personal (only EF) parish established post Vatican II. It’s St. Clement Parish, in Ottawa, Canada (FSSP). Here’s a link to our Wikipedia page, which I helped write:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St.Clement_Catholic_Church(Ottawa).

And our website:

st-clementottawa.ca/

It is a very, very active parish, with many young families with many children. There are youth groups for all different ages, and garage sales, fundraisers, parish picnics, receptions, and the like. On Sunday we have an 8:30 Low Mass, 10:30 High Mass, and 6:30pm Low Mass. There is also a parish school. The confessions are superb, the reverence at Mass is so incredibly good. Our choir is very good (the men have something to be desired, hehe…but the woman are very good). The priests are just amazing!! We have an American, Canadian, and French one, and an English Deacon. If you are ever in the national capital region, definitely stop by to this flourishing parish.
 
Resurrexit_01 said:
The only thing I have to say that is negative is that I REALLY wish the FSSP would start wearing microphones for the audible parts of the Mass. In large churches you can’t hear a thing for the entire hour (if it is low Mass). And I visited one church where there was not even a microphone at the pulpit! I couldn’t hear a bit of Father’s homily!
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I think there would be a slight problem with the microphone thing, since the rubrics for hand gestures/placement, etc. are very strict in the EF. A priest couldn’t be constantly fumbling with a microphone switch to turn it on/off. There are times where the priest might not be heard by the congregation, but he is speaking audibly - the rubrics just call for that part to be spoken in a low voice. Also, once the priest has consecrated the Host, he never parts his index fingers and thumbs until after communion and the purification of the sacred vessels- this would make the administration of communion very distracting to hear him repetetively say to each communicant “Corpus domini nostri Iesu Christi custodiat animam tuam ad vitam aeternam.”

As for my experience - I have attended an FSSP mass in Sacramento for over a decade. First it was said in a couple local parishes under the indult (the mass was inserted inbetween other OF masses. Eventually, we were able to raise enough money to purchase an old abandoned Lutheran church and retrofit it to make it a traditional Catholic structure. The new church is exclusively EF, and I must say every mass I attend is beautiful (be it a low or a high mass). The parishoners are very repecful and reverent during mass (no chit chatting/deisrespectful attire). There are lots of altar boys (as a previous poster mentioned) The Choir is excellent. I feel that there is a strong community bond, and I felt I was welcomed right away - I didn’t have any difficulties getting to know people or establish friendships. I would say there are probably some “cliquish” groups, but what parish doesn’t have that? The priests are very orthodox, and while some might consider their homilies “harsh” I would counter that most (if not all) of the time, they are well grounded, and their desire is only for the salvation of their parishoners.

I had the great fortune of being married by Rev. John Berg (the current Superior General) when he was in Sacramento. (He also instructed my wife (then fiance) in catechesis for her conversion to the faith from the Baptist denomination, and also administered her First Holy Communion in the Church), batpized one of my children and administered last rights/confirmation to another of my children who passed away a few weeks after birth.
The celebration of the Sacraments is extraordinary (in that they are so beautiful and full of prayers and ceremonies no longer practiced in the OF.)

I would reccomend FSSP masses to anyone, as they definitely help convey the sense of awe that should be present at the Mass, and there is much less (if any) worry about liturgical abuses or unorthodox teaching coming from the pulpit.
It seems to me that the people who attend mass with me try to make being Catholic and participating in the Church a truly full time thing - there are constant events, catechism classes, Latin classes, retreats, etc. for the parishoners. There is a real sense that everyone there desires to keep improving and learning their faith, rather than being satisfied with where they are currently. It is a wonderful experience.
 
pickguard1 said:
I think there would be a slight problem with the microphone thing, since the rubrics for hand gestures/placement, etc. are very strict in the EF. A priest couldn’t be constantly fumbling with a microphone switch to turn it on/off. There are times where the priest might not be heard by the congregation, but he is speaking audibly - the rubrics just call for that part to be spoken in a low voice. Also, once the priest has consecrated the Host, he never parts his index fingers and thumbs until after communion and the purification of the sacred vessels- this would make the administration of communion very distracting to hear him repetetively say to each communicant “Corpus domini nostri Iesu Christi custodiat animam tuam ad vitam aeternam.”
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Well, my regular parish has the TLM twice a week, Sunday and Wednesday. Father uses a microphone just fine - he keeps the power pack part under his chasuble on his cincture. When it is time for the homily, he just reaches under and clicks it off and uses the mic at the pulpit. Then he turns it back on before walking to the altar, and right after the Sanctus he reaches under and clicks it off again, then leaving it off until after he purifies his fingers.

It helps a great deal, and having experienced countless EF Masses with and without, I greatly prefer the microphone. I can follow along without it just fine…but I still love it.
 
Resurrexit_01 said:
Well, my regular parish has the TLM twice a week, Sunday and Wednesday. Father uses a microphone just fine - he keeps the power pack part under his chasuble on his cincture. When it is time for the homily, he just reaches under and clicks it off and uses the mic at the pulpit. Then he turns it back on before walking to the altar, and right after the Sanctus he reaches under and clicks it off again, then leaving it off until after he purifies his fingers.

It helps a great deal, and having experienced countless EF Masses with and without, I greatly prefer the microphone. I can follow along without it just fine…but I still love it.
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Hmm, that seems like a good use of the microphone. My church isn’t too large (maybe seating for 300-400 people), so all of the audible parts of the liturgy are clearly heard from anywhere in the building.
 
In the old days before the advent of electricity, the preacher would stand on an empty wooden box to amplify his voice. Could that idea help to solve the problem? That way, he could hold his hands in the proper position without worrying about a microphone.
 
I attend an FSSP parish that has a regular attendance of 200-300. We meet in a very large church. The priest uses a microphone which doesn’t hinder his movements in any way.

I have only excellent things to say about the FSSP and have never encountered a bad priest. I have had opportunity to interact with many of their deacons (ie. men in seminary) and they seem to be top notch both academically and spiritually.

Sermons in the FSSP usually have much greater depth than what you will experience in the average novos ordo. And, confessions with our individual priest are usually longer than what you ordinarily would experience as the priest does take time to counsel and exhort.
 
Rev. John Berg (the current Superior General) when he was in Sacramento.
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I know Fr. Berg! He’s excellent. I suppose you attend St. Stephen the First Martyr Parish? If so, I have known Fr. McNeely all my life - his family and ours are great friends.
 
In my diocese we have a beautiful oratory that celebrates the TLM with FSSP priests. It is established canonically and therefore we must be registered in our territorial parish and we must continue to support taht parish…both with time, talent and treasure. We also can become associates of the oratory where we are spiritually connected. I am pleased and very lucky to have both.

We have very reverent priests and the sermons are not about a review of the movie Benjamin Button. They truly are sermons pertaining why we really are at Mass. There is never a chance of coming to Mass and finding 2 projection screens set up to show a ,little “movie” about the next plea for donations.:(…after the homily.

We have well trained and reverent altar boys…beautiful liturgies…

The people who worship there are friendly and welcoming and I could not ask for more.
 
I do not attend a FSSP parish on a regular basis since there are none near where I live, but I have attended one a few times while travelling and was very impressed. There is very much a sense of reverence that I see lacking in many other parishes. Whenever I have an opportunity to attend one, I do.

Regarding an earlier comment on confession. I have gone to confession at a FSSP church and found it to be very rewarding. I did not feel that the priest was tryinig to humiliate me. On the contrary it was the best confession I have ever made. It was indeed very long and he requested a great deal of detail, but I felt he was genuinely interested in my spiritual welfare and not just moving me on down the road. I was not prepared for the depth of the confession that was involved, but I left with a feeling that this was how a confession was suppose to be conducted.
 
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