Fr. John Berg is Re-elected Superior General; Reappoints Fr. Eric Flood District Superior

The North American District of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) would like to congratulate Fr. John Berg on his re-election as the Superior General for a second term from 2012-2018. We look forward to his continued leadership over the course of his second six year term.

The General Chapter of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter is gathering from July 3 to July 18, 2012 at the International Seminary of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Denton, Nebraska. The election, at which the 33 capitulants were present, took place on July 9, 2012.

The Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei was immediately informed and sent a congratulatory message.

Father John Berg is an American priest born in 1970, where he studied philosophy at St. Thomas Aquinas College in California and theology at the International Seminary of St. Peter in Wigratzbad, Bavaria, Germany. Fr. Berg holds a licentiate from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome. Ordained a priest in 1997, Fr. Berg taught as a professor at the International Seminary of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Nebraska from 1999 to 2000. Afterwards he exercised his ministry from 2000 to 2005 at the FSSP parish in Sacramento, California, before being appointed again as professor at Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary. In 2006, the FSSP General Chapter elected him Superior General for a first term of office.

UPDATE (July 13, 2012) – Election of Assistants and Counselors

The election of the Assistants and Counselors took place on July 11, 2012.

Assistants to Fr. Berg elected are Fr. Patrick du Faÿ de Choisinet for another term, and Fr. José Calvin Torralbo and Fr. Andrzej Komorowski, who replace Fr. Almir De Andrade and Fr. Charles Van Vliet.

Counselors elected are Fr. Josef Bisig for another term, and Fr. John Brancich, who replaces Fr. Alban Cras.

UPDATE (July 17, 2012) – Appointment of North American District Superior

On Saturday, July 14, 2012, Superior General Fr. John Berg reappointed Fr. Eric Flood as the District Superior of North America for a three year term.  We look forward to Father Flood’s continued pastoral care and planning over the course of the next three years.

UPDATE (July 18, 2012) – End of the 2012 Chapter: Communiqué of the Superior General

The final session of the fifth General Chapter of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter took place on July 17, 2012. The Capitulants carried out their work, united together through charity, with a great zeal and dedication. They were able to approve a number of texts and directories which will be of long lasting service to the sanctification of its members. More importantly, the days of discussion were a testimony to the fundamental attachment of its members to the direction given to the Fraternity at the moment of its foundation.

Today, on this 24th anniversary of the foundation of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, Fr. Walthard Zimmer, youngest among the founders of the FSSP, preached at the votive Mass of Ss. Peter and Paul to close the General Chapter. He pointed out how the prayer for this week reminds us of the debt of gratitude we have to the hand of Providence throughout these 24 years: Deus, cuius providentia in sui dispositione non fállitur: te súpplices exorámus; ut nóxia cunta submoveas, et ómnia nobis profutúra concédas. (God, whose providence in its plan is not circumvented, humbly we implore You, that you clear away every fault and grant us all benefits.)

May God’s Providence continue to guide us in these next six years!

Following the General Chapter and the first meetings of the newly elected General Council, the elections and a number of nominations can be announced:

The General Chapter has elected the following:

• Fr. John Berg, Superior General for six years
• Fr. José Calvin Torralbo, Fr. Patrick du Faÿ de Choisinet and Fr. Andrzej Komorowski as Assistants for six years
• Fr. John Brancich and Fr. Josef Bisig as Counselors for six years

The Superior General has nominated the following with the approval of his General Council:

• Fr. Patrick du Faÿ de Choisinet as Rector of the International Seminary of St. Peter in Wigratzbad for two years
• Fr. Josef Bisig as Rector of the International Seminary of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Denton, USA) for three years
• Fr. Vincent Ribeton as District Superior of France for three years
• Fr. Axel Maussen as Superior of the Germanophone District for three years
• Fr. Eric Flood as Superior of the North American District for three years
• Fr. Arnaud Evrat as General Secretary for three years