What is the FSSP and Why Was it Founded?

[JReducation]

All good and interesting stuff, thanks for taking time to explain it all. As far as the women in the Sanctuary, I’d never question any Mendicant Order’s traditions.

That video is certainly a very moving glimpse at a Franciscan Mass.

The Franciscan usage is quite beautiful in both the OF and EF. It’s very simple. As I said elsewhere when people have asked if there will be “tinkering” with the EF. There already is. Franciscans are not the only ones “tinkering”. I love that word.

However, the things that are introduced or deleted are so subtle that only someone who knows every detail about either form of the mass will be able to notice, other than the whole community in the sanctuary. OK, that’s obviously very different from a mass said by the FSSP. The other details, do you wear a biretta or a cowl, do you use Gregorian Chant or some other kind of sacred music, does a friar priest take precedence over friar superior or the other way around, etc etc. No one notices those things.

Thanks for your answers.

I noticed a lot of houses, and I didn’t know if a “house” is something other than a Church, where the FSSP has masses or if they go to parishes and offer masses.

Societies of Apostolic Life live in communities. Just like religious they call their residences, “houses”. That’s what they’re referring to.

As to their actual place of work, just like religious, the house may be attached to a parish that they run. It can also be a freestanding house in a neighborhood and they help out at the local parish.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[CowboyCatholic]

I have attended Mass conducted by FSSP Priests and find the Mass incredibly lovely and spiritual.

 

[TrueLight]

They are in Pequannock, NJ, and the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest is in West Orange, NJ.
olfchapel.org/About/history.htm
institute-christ-king.org/westorange/

However, there are several regularly scheduled traditional Masses in New York.
[Ecclesia Dei - Traditional Mass Directory York](Ecclesia Dei - Traditional Mass Directory York)
rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2010/04/you-report-traditional-latin-mass-in.html

I do attend several. Now that I think about it a parishioner told mr that the priests and servers who offer the mass at one of the parishes come all the way from Jersey. They may be from the FSSP.

 

[TrueLight]

The Franciscan usage is quite beautiful in both the OF and EF. It’s very simple. As I said elsewhere when people have asked if there will be “tinkering” with the EF. There already is. Franciscans are not the only ones “tinkering”. I love that word.

However, the things that are introduced or deleted are so subtle that only someone who knows every detail about either form of the mass will be able to notice, other than the whole community in the sanctuary. OK, that’s obviously very different from a mass said by the FSSP. The other details, do you wear a biretta or a cowl, do you use Gregorian Chant or some other kind of sacred music, does a friar priest take precedence over friar superior or the other way around, etc etc. No one notices those things.

Societies of Apostolic Life live in communities. Just like religious they call their residences, “houses”. That’s what they’re referring to.

As to their actual place of work, just like religious, the house may be attached to a parish
that they run. It can also be a freestanding house in a neighborhood and they help out at the local parish.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

Thank you JR. So much to learn.

 

[wsxyz]

I do attend several. Now that I think about it a parishioner told mr that the priests and servers who offer the mass at one of the parishes come all the way from Jersey. They may be from the FSSP.

Assuming your religion tag “4 Months Till RCIA!” is up to date, You may want to ask them if you can receive instruction and enter the Church outside of RCIA. It may not be possible in your case because they don’t have a parish in your diocese, but it wouldn’t hurt to ask.

 

[TrueLight]

Assuming your religion tag “4 Months Till RCIA!” is up to date, You may want to ask them if you can receive instruction and enter the Church outside of RCIA. It may not be possible in your case because they don’t have a parish in your diocese, but it wouldn’t hurt to ask.

Yes, unfortunately, it is up to date. I am dying here.

 

[JReducation]

Thank you JR. So much to learn.

You’re just beginning. Not only do we have many details surrounding liturgy, we have many emerging charisms. We were used to religious orders and religious congregations. Those were confusing enough for most people. There were Societies of Apostolic Life, but most people confused them with the orders. There were also the secular orders that most lay people never understood. Now we have secular institutes of consecrated life. These are different from all the above. They make vows like religious. Therefore, they are consecrated men and women. However, they remain in their secular state just like the members of Societies of Apostolic Life. Then we have public associations and they come in many varieties: clerical, religious, lay, and mixed.

There is a good book that does not cover everything, but a lot of this stuff. The Catholic Source Book by Rev. Peter Klein. You can find it on amazon.com.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[porthos11]

Thanks Lazlo. Great information

So with that invite, some members left and became part of the FSSP? Were there any recriminations from their ex fellow SSPX members? How doesd the FSSP view the SSPX now?

Actually, the SSPX priests and seminarians who couldn’t follow the schismatic act of Archbishop Lefebvre went to Rome to seek assistance, but from the stories they shared, they didn’t know what kind of reception they would get or what they could expect. It’s a good thing one sympathetic ear they had who was instrumental in getting them set up was that of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger.

The FSSP, I’m sure is looking forward to the day the SSPX is reconciled. They do advise their parishioners against attending SSPX Masses, not because they’re invalid or what, but because they often preach with a schismatic mentality (and of course, SSPX marriages and confessions are invalid).

The SSPX, on the other hand, usually speaks and writes harshly against the FSSP.

 

[JReducation]

Actually, the SSPX priests and seminarians who couldn’t follow the schismatic act of Archbishop Lefebvre went to Rome to seek assistance, but from the stories they shared, they didn’t know what kind of reception they would get or what they could expect. It’s a good thing one sympathetic ear they had who was instrumental in getting them set up was that of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger.

The FSSP, I’m sure is looking forward to the day the SSPX is reconciled. They do advise their parishioners against attending SSPX Masses, not because they’re invalid or what, but because they often preach with a schismatic mentality (and of course, SSPX marriages and confessions are invalid).

The SSPX, on the other hand, usually speaks and writes harshly against the FSSP.

I have seen statements by the SSPX about the FSSP claiming that the FSSP “caved in to the post conciliar Church.”

The problem with this language is that it implies that there is some new Church after Vatican II. That’s dangerous, because it can lead people to think that the Catholic Church exists only in remnants such as the SSPX. It also suggests that by pledging their fidelity to the Pontiff the FSSP priests have betrayed the faith. When you look at this language closely, it tells you that whomever is making the statement has doubts about the legitimacy of the Church and the faith of the FSSP clergy. That’s most unfortunate, because there is no way of knowing if all priests in the SSPX really believe this.

What I have seen is that bishops, lay people and religious have drawn their wagons around the FSSP to protect them. For example, when a religious wants to learn to celebrate the Ef, superiors immediately say, “Go to the FSSP.” They would never send any of their men to the SSPX.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[TrueLight]

You’re just beginning. Not only do we have many details surrounding liturgy, we have many emerging charisms. We were used to religious orders and religious congregations. Those were confusing enough for most people. There were Societies of Apostolic Life, but most people confused them with the orders. There were also the secular orders that most lay people never understood. Now we have secular institutes of consecrated life. These are different from all the above. They make vows like religious. Therefore, they are consecrated men and women. However, they remain in their secular state just like the members of Societies of Apostolic Life. Then we have public associations and they come in many varieties: clerical, religious, lay, and mixed.

There is a good book that does not cover everything, but a lot of this stuff. The Catholic Source Book by Rev. Peter Klein. You can find it on amazon.com.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

There is a lot to learn but I love to learn. I’m putting this book o nmy Amazon list of books to buy. Speaking of books, I just purchased “A Primer of Ecclesiastical Latin” by John F. Collins.

I’m really excited!

 

[Chatter163]

Our FSSP apostolate, which is a full parish, was recently designated as a “house.” It was explained that this is an important canonical distinction. Though I cannot recall the canons in question, a house denotes a permanent presence within a diocese by a religious order or society of apostolic life, which the FSSP is. The designation is given by the bishop, who recognizes the permanent and ongoing presence of the society in the life of his diocese. It is completely unrelated to the physical location of where the priests (or in the the case of religious, brothers of sisters) live. We were thrilled at this news, not because we were concerned that the FSSP might leave, but because of this recognition of their work within the archdiocese.

 

[JReducation]

Our FSSP apostolate, which is a full parish, was recently designated as a “house.” It was explained that this is an important canonical distinction. Though I cannot recall the canons in question, a house denotes a permanent presence within a diocese by a religious order or society of apostolic life, which the FSSP is. The designation is given by the bishop, who recognizes the permanent and ongoing presence of the society in the life of his diocese. It is completely unrelated to the physical location of where the priests (or in the the case of religious, brothers of sisters) live. We were thrilled at this news, not because we were concerned that the FSSP might leave, but because of this recognition of their work within the archdiocese.

Actually a house has to have residents. That is a canonical requirement. There may be members of the house who live elsewhere. The Benedictines do this all the time. Those who live outside of the house are members of that house. They have the same rights and duties as anyone in residence.

The canonical importance to which you’re referring is the errection of the house. Once a bishop gives permission for a house or community to be errected in his diocese, he cannot suppress it without the permission of the Holy Father. This gives the FSSP, in this case, the freedom to assign men into the diocese without getting permission every time. The superior still has to inform the bishop, because the bishop grants the faculties. Usually, in larger dioceses this is covered by the Chancellor or the Vicar General, except for the pastor. The pastor must be installed by the bishop.

There is another side that protects the bishop. He cannot suppress the FSSP once he has canonically erected their house. But he can ask the superior to remome a man from his diocese and he can stip him of his faculties. Because the FSSP are secular, if the bishop strips an FSSP priest of his faculties, the superior cannot overrule it.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[Aramis]

By making it a house, the bishop prevents his successors from easily suppressing it.

Monastic, Religious, and/or Apostolic Life communities within a diocese, once established as a house, (or abbey, friary, convent, or skete,) they become juridic persons… and have additional protections and rights above simply “hired clerics” (as many FSSP ministries are).

 

[Chatter163]

Actually a house has to have residents. That is a canonical requirement.

True. What I meant was that if, say, our FSSP priests move the parish rectory elsewhere, they are still attached to St. André Bessette House of the FSSP in the archdiocese; it is not tied to their current building.

 

[JReducation]

True. What I meant was that if, say, our FSSP priests move the parish rectory elsewhere, they are still attached to St. André Bessette House of the FSSP in the archdiocese; it is not tied to their current building.

That is right. For example, I live 300 miles away from my canonical house, because I work for a diocese where we don’t have a house, yet.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF