What in the world is "FSSP"?

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RWMorris

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I just went to a High Solemn Mass that was conducted in Latin. The priest is newly ordained and was celebrating his first mass. I noticed that after his name there was a “FSSP”. What does that stand for?
Anybody?
 
FSSP - Fraternitas Sacerdotalis Sancti Petri

Which is Latin (I think its Latin anyway) for “Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter”.

www.fssp.org
 
RWMorris said:
I just went to a High Solemn Mass that was conducted in Latin. The priest is newly ordained and was celebrating his first mass. I noticed that after his name there was a “FSSP”. What does that stand for?
Anybody?
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It refers to the “Fraternal Society of St. Peter”, an organization which the Vatican allows to exclusively say the Extraordinary Form of the Mass. Another, similar group is the Institute of Christ the King.
 
I was curious as to why the title of this thread needed to include the words “What in the world”?
 
Chatter163 said:
I was curious as to why the title of this thread needed to include the words “What in the world”?
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Perhaps the OP is like so many mainstream Catholics that aren’t particularly aware of the non-mainstream aspects of the Church…or maybe they’ve heard so much about the SSPX and such, that they assumed that the FSSP was another “fringe” faction within the Church.
 
Perhaps the OP is like so many mainstream Catholics that aren’t particularly aware of the non-mainstream aspects of the Church…or maybe they’ve heard so much about the SSPX and such, that they assumed that the FSSP was another “fringe” faction within the Church.
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Hmmmm, either one is fairly insulting to those of us who are involved with, or at least follow the work of, the FSSP. When I have not heard of something, I do not respond with “What in the world is _____?” as this would imply that I already knew everything that should be known. I hope that there is another answer. 🤷
 
RWMorris said:
I just went to a High Solemn Mass that was conducted in Latin. The priest is newly ordained and was celebrating his first mass. I noticed that after his name there was a “FSSP”. What does that stand for?
Anybody?
Click to expand...
It is a group of Society of Saint Pious X (SSPX) members who remained faithful to the Chruch by breaking off from SSPX when Bishop Lefebvre (leader of SSPX) was excommunicated for consecrating bishops without papal authority in 1988.

The FSSP is a very pious and faithful group who are bringing the latin Mass back to the US and other countries.
 
I am the OP. I am puzzled as to why I shouldn’t use the phrase “what in the world”…? I don’t think I know everything by using that phrase.
Some people seem to attribute personality traits to others that simply aren’t true.
At any rate, I’ve learned my lesson: don’t come here to ask any questions.:confused:
 
It is not that you shouldn’t come to ask questions, it is just that forums are places where sometimes it is easy to be understood differently than you mean to.

You asked the question in good faith, yet many faithful Catholics are used to being insulted for being faithful to the Church and are kinda sensitive. So where you meant nothing offensive it would sound to someone who is used to being attacked for loving the faith of the Catholic Church, as an insult. I am looked at weird in my parish because I believe that we should have only men as priests, and it is common to teach otherwise.

It is common for people to misinterpret others on the internet and questions are certainly welcome. Don’t worry about it and feel free to ask questions.

In Christ
Scylla
 
At any rate, I’ve learned my lesson: don’t come here to ask any questions.

Well, that’s needlessly dramatic.
 
RWMorris said:
I am the OP. I am puzzled as to why I shouldn’t use the phrase “what in the world”…? I don’t think I know everything by using that phrase.
Some people seem to attribute personality traits to others that simply aren’t true.
At any rate, I’ve learned my lesson: don’t come here to ask any questions.:confused:
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Ours is a society where people are easily offended over even the hint of a slight and are always ready to assume the mantle of victimhood
 
estesbob said:
Ours is a society where people are easily offended over even the hint of a slight and are always ready to assume the mantle of victimhood
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No, some people are just easily hurt. The OP is possibly a very decent and beloved man in his circle of relatives and friends, and he is not used to getting castigated for asking a simple question and using a folk phrase. Some people move only in loving circles, where people are kind and polite to each other, and no one yells or uses insulting language or has ulterior motives. This kind of life leaves a person totally unprepared for the “real world,” where people are rude, conniving, loud, and critical of everything and everyone.

The OP shouldn’t be criticized for having soft…heart.

We also don’t know what is in the OPs past that may have been upset by some of the responses. **Just yesterday on this board, someone used the exact same phrase to criticize me that one of the pastors who threw me out of my Protestant church used about me during the Tribunal trial. **

It left me shaken and upset for the entire day, and I’ll admit that I still haven’t recovered from that post. I have been on the edge of tears for over 24 hours now.

A simple phrase–but to me, it was like having an old wound cut open and seeded with salt and dung. The poster meant well and probably has no idea that he has reduced me to a tearful lump that doesn’t even want to leave my house. I am forcing myself to get through this incident, knowing that he posted the phrase in innocence, although a part of me is terrified that the pastor found his way to this board, figured out who I am, and is stalking me–fantastic, I know, but after the ousting, I suffered from graphic, bloody nightmares for over a year. It’s not surprising that I should have such a gutwrenching reaction to a phrase that recalls the worst time in my life.
 
Cat said:
although a part of me is terrified that the pastor found his way to this board, figured out who I am, and is stalking me–
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Cat, I would put that worry aside. There are very few priests on this board that I can tell. And, the handful of priests that I have discussed CAF and other online forums with generally roll their eyes and say “I don’t have time for that stuff”. (Especially the ones that I have actually looked at this site with).
 
I am curious as to why you find that unusual. It a preety common phrase.
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The expression is fairly common, but it is generally used to express astonishment. One uses it when something encountered is so completely unexpected, unfamiliar or impossible to follow that one is almost shocked at seeing it.

Examples:

“What in the world would make you say that?” (After someone has said something bizarre or off-base–you do not randomly say it in response to something routine that you hear all the time.)

“What in the world is that thing?” (Upon seeing something completely new and puzzling. You do not say it when your friend shows you his new car, but you might say it if the car had a twenty-foot high satellite dish on top.)

“What in the world is her problem?” (Said in an unflattering way, meaning that the person is being unreasonable or annoying, but never about a seemingly normal, friendly person.)

“What in the world happened to you?” (Asked after seeing an obviously disheveled person who looked like he had been through some traumatic experience, even though all he was supposed to have done was go to the market for milk.)

"What in the world happened at that Mass? (After witnessing a bizarre liturgical aberration.)

Sorry, the expression has meaning; it implies complete astonishment at seeing or hearing something out of the ordinary. It is not a matter of reading something into what someone else asked; that is what the chosen expression implies in everyday English. Unfortunately, with written communication, that is all one has to go by–the commonly accepted meanings of words, phrases and expressions.
 
RWMorris said:
I am the OP. I am puzzled as to why I shouldn’t use the phrase “what in the world”…? I don’t think I know everything by using that phrase.
Some people seem to attribute personality traits to others that simply aren’t true.
At any rate, I’ve learned my lesson: don’t come here to ask any questions.:confused:
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Well, anyone who has the audacity to discuss anything traditional on this sub fora, will, by default, subject themselves to a “virtual inquisition” by those foaming at the mouth, waiting to pounce.

Since the FSSP is in full communion with the Church, the group itself can’t be attacked, so, desparate for something, anything, to devour, your phrasing was targeted.

Don’t let it run you off though. That’s their goal. It’s plan B. Plan A, the closing of this sub fora, didn’t work.
 
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