“In the course of the audience, the Pope made it clear that institutes such as the Fraternity of Saint Peter are not affected by the general provisions of the by their own motion, the Guardians of Traditionsince the use of ancient liturgical books was at the origin of their existence and is provided for in their constitutions,” the statement continues.
Since its founding in 1988, the FSSP has grown to become the largest community of Church of God. According to internal figures from 2023, the FSSP currently has 368 priests, 22 deacons and 179 seminarians. The average age of its members is 39 years.
The FSSP is present in 146 dioceses, celebrates Mass in 246 locations and has 48 personal parishes. One of its most active parishes is Holy Trinity of Pilgrimsin Rome, which is one of the main places of the annual pilgrimage the Supreme Pontiff.
The FSSP currently has two international seminars. Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary, located in Denton, Nebraska, United States, is for English-speaking seminarians, while St. Peter’s Seminary, in Wigratzbad-Opfenbach, Germany, is divided into two sections for English-speaking seminarians. German and French.