Institute of Christ the King or FSSP?

[hamburglar]

Which do you like better, and why? (They are both wonderful, by the way.)

 

[jeanannemarie]

The Institute is first in my heart simply because my son is a deacon there. I also love the FSSP and read all their newsletters.

 

[Paul_Folbrecht]

I’ll say ICK, only because we have direct experience with them (we attend a ICK parish) and everything about them could not be more wonderful.

Their vicar general has even been to our parish and our summer picnic. Great guy and told a great joke (which I forget).

 

[CathMass]

I feel that the Institute is very friendly and not overly involved in politics. I just love their Salesian-Benedictine-Thomistic Spirituality. Also, I love their devotion to the Infant King.

 

[CollegeKid]

I’ve had some exposure to both of these priestly societies. I’d have to say my preference is the Institute of Christ the King with the caveat that this should in no way be interpreted as a slight to the Fraternity of St. Peter. Both offer the Liturgy very beautifully and are steadfastly committed to the Faith as passed down to us in Tradition, but the ICRSS would say that it lives for the Liturgy, and I think they live up to that assertion.

They are committed, I think, to a slightly higher degree than the Fraternity to the potential for that which is aesthetically beautiful to grab the soul’s attention in bringing one closer to God, and to letting our Catholic Faith infuse itself into the various aspects of culture, for example, music and art, thereby making our culture more beautiful, and in turn drawing us to God in an ever-greater variety of ways.

The Institute really tries to make everything as perfect and precise as possible, in terms of which churches they take over, the renovations they oversee in these churches, the vestments and vessels they use, the training of their priests, deacons, minor clerics and altar servers so everyone will know their liturgical functions as perfectly as possible and move together with as much uniformity as possible, etc.

As I mentioned at the beginning of my run-on sentences , I have spent time with members of both these groups, and they’re both wonderful. The Fraternity’s Masses are also beautiful examples of the Liturgy offered as it should be offered. Moreover, in my time with the two groups, I have always noticed a naturalness about them- they are men of good humor, their attitudes and temperaments are well-balanced and measured, they are incredibly pastoral (especially in the confessional), they exude warmth and a friendly spirit, above all they are loyal to our Faith of Tradition.

I’ll relate a short story to try and illustrate what I’m talking about a little. I was visiting the Fraternity’s seminary once, and one particular evening we had just finished the communal recitation of Vespers (chanted in Latin, of course). All the clerics (any seminarian tonsured or above) got in line to go up and receive a first blessing from one of their newly-ordained priests (I was visiting on the weekend of ordination, which was great). This was a mistake on my part; I should have noticed that only those tonsured or higher were receiving blessings at this time but I got in line anyway, unthinkingly.

One of their seminarians very graciously came up to me and informed me of my mistake in the most delicate manner possible, and waved off my embarrassed and nervous suggestions that I was in the wrong and should immediately exit the line and return to the pews. An older priest immediately behind me in the line, sensing my discomfort, said to me in a simultaneously gruff and friendly tone, “Relax. You’re fine. Stay right where you are, that’s an order.” I could only smile and thank God for kind priests.

 

[Hijikata]

I have an attachment to the FSSP because of their parish here in Sacramento. Both are wonderful orders! I thank God for them all the time…

 

[CollegeKid]

Another thing that should be taken into account is that the spiritualities of the two groups, while very similar, do have some divergences. Someone already mentioned the Institute’s devotion to the Infant King, for example, which is unique to them when comparing the ICRSS and FSSP.

There is of course the Institute’s strong emphasis on the link between faith and culture. Someone who is not as preoccupied with culture might feel more drawn to the Fraternity. There wouldn’t be anything wrong with this; some of these things really come down to what one’s personal spirituality is geared towards.

The Institute’s charism is also shaped heavily by St. Francis de Sales and his spirituality-living and spreading the Faith in charity. Again, that is something the Institute emphasizes more than the Fraternity, but it certainly doesn’t mean Fraternity priests are the less charitable of the two.

The spirituality of St. Benedict (“Ora et Labora”) which calls for a strong communal life, like a family, built around work and prayer (especially the Solemn High Mass) influences the Institute’s formation greatly as well. As for the work part, there seems to me to be a greater emphasis coming from the Institute on the need for the seminarian’s formation to include a lot of work-specifically, manual labor, in addition to theological, philosophical, human and cultural formation.

To foster a greater, more tightly-knit unity and family spirit, the Institute has at present one seminary, where all their vocations are sent regardless of nationality, and they have one language, French. Their two founders are French priests, who maintained their native tongue as the Institute’s language of priestly formation and in conversations between priests of mixed nationalities, and they want all of their seminarians to have a good deal of exposure to Monsignor Gilles Wach, the primary “founding father” of the ICRSS. His charism is viewed as the charism of the entire Institute. They want their men to imbibe this charism through their exposure to him.

I hope these points are at least a little bit helpful.

 

[Catholic29]

To foster a greater, more tightly-knit unity and family spirit, the Institute has at present one seminary, where all their vocations are sent regardless of nationality, and they have one language, French. Their two founders are French priests, who maintained their native tongue as the Institute’s language of priestly formation and in conversations between priests of mixed nationalities,

I guess that limits their potential candidate pool by a significant margin, I wonder how many they attract from places like Quebec. Atheism and Secularism are quite rampant in many French speaking parts of the world today, including the mother country (France).

 

[Catholic29]

To foster a greater, more tightly-knit unity and family spirit, the Institute has at present one seminary, where all their vocations are sent regardless of nationality, and they have one language, French. Their two founders are French priests, who maintained their native tongue as the Institute’s language of priestly formation and in conversations between priests of mixed nationalities,

I guess that limits their potential candidate pool by a significant margin, I wonder how many they attract from places like Quebec. Atheism and Secularism are quite rampant in many French speaking parts of the world today, including the mother country (France).

 

[malphono]

CollegeKid:

To foster a greater, more tightly-knit unity and family spirit, the Institute has at present one seminary, where all their vocations are sent regardless of nationality, and they have one language, French. Their two founders are French priests, who maintained their native tongue as the Institute’s language of priestly formation and in conversations between priests of mixed nationalities…

Catholic29:

I guess that limits their potential candidate pool by a significant margin, I wonder how many they attract from places like Quebec. Atheism and Secularism are quite rampant in many French speaking parts of the world today, including the mother country (France).

I don’t really see why the French language itself would be a deterrent to vocations. On the contrary, I think the idea of the ICRSS having a lingua franca for itself is a good one: It’s not all that unique: keep in mind that it has worked for ages in Rome where instruction in the Pontifical Institutes has always been in Latin and/or Italian. As well, a number of religious Orders (including congregations, societies, etc) have the same practice. (At least they did in pre-conciliar days, and I believe it is still the same now.)

Whereas I am a life-long Easterner, I personally know numerous alumni (from the Roman Rite as well as several of the ECCs) of a variety of the Pontifical Institutes who are from various countries and so have a variety of mother tongues. Not all have a gift for languages but nonetheless were able to learn Italian well enough to earn their Pontifical degrees. Some were later consecrated bishops.

More directly on the topic, while I admit I know little about the ICRSS, (and even less about the FSSP), I will venture a couple of observations.

From I understand, the FSSP is a “Fraternity” of secular priests and functions as such. And of course that is not at all a bad thing. On the contrary, I see the FSSP as a good thing, and I can make no criticism of them.

As for the ICRSS, it seems to me that while it is de jure an “Institute” (now of Pontifical Right), the ICRSS, is de facto more a “congregation of Canons,” which is reflected in their habit, precepts (it’s not technically a “rule” at this stage), communal and liturgical practices, etc. In post #5, CollegeKid said “… ICRSS would say that it lives for the Liturgy, and I think they live up to that assertion.” which is rather the hallmark of Canons. (As an aside, and for what it’s worth, (and I don’t know if there’s any truth to this), I have head some talk that the ICRSS may eventually become an Order of Canons (whether Regular or Secular, I have no idea).)

One thing that I love about the ICRSS is that it originated in France, and thus shines as an example of the vibrancy of traditional practice in the faces of those French bishops whom I see as obstructionist. (Remember that Summorum Pontificum had a lot of opposition from some of that group, and yes, we have plenty of those same types in the US too). IMHO, the Church needs the ICRSS, and the FSSP, (along with the Norbertines (O. Praem), Canons Regular of St John Cantius (SJC) etc) in order to help tradition (particularly the EF) to flourish anew and regain its place in the Roman Rite.

 

[CollegeKid]

I guess that limits their potential candidate pool by a significant margin, I wonder how many they attract from places like Quebec. Atheism and Secularism are quite rampant in many French speaking parts of the world today, including the mother country (France).

Actually, they get plenty of American vocations as well as from other, non French-speaking parts of the world. With candidates who do not already know the language, they spend the first 2 years of their formation teaching it to them.

 

[bpbasilphx]

Why choose?

 

[Monica37]

Totally biased here! My cousin is with the FSSP. I trust him completely because whenever I ask him a question, he usually starts off the answer with, “I know this is not what you want to hear, but the truth is…” He also has a strong devotion to Our Blessed Mother so I really like that. Again, my vote and post is completely biased, so take it for what it’s worth. I’d love to have more exposure to both. So let’s pray for untold amounts of vocations for both!!!

 

[DixitDominus]

I can’t choose. I have had great experiences with both.

 

[bkovacs]

Well I am a member of the Confraternity of St Peter (FSSP)), but I have not been able to attend a Mass with either order or get spiritual guidance from either. All Novus Ordo parishes in my area of eastern PA. So the internet is my only source of learning about traditional Catholicism. :sad_yes:

 

[bkovacs]

The Institute is first in my heart simply because my son is a deacon there. I also love the FSSP and read all their newsletters.

I haven’t received one Newsletter yet from the FSSP, and requested them several times on the internet. I did get one from the Institute of Christ the King. And a guy I work with brings back literature from his SSPX chapel.