In celebration of the one-hundredth anniversary of Saint Benedict parish in Richmond, Virginia, a Traditional Solemn High Latin Mass was offered this year on the Feast of the Assumption.  Fr. James F. Kauffmann, SSL, the pastor of Saint Benedict, joined with Fr. Robert Novokowsky, FSSP, and Fr. Karl Marsolle, FSSP, Pastor and Parochial Vicar, respectively, of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Richmond, to offer the Mass for the greater glory of God and Our Lady.  Father Novokowsky was Priest, Father Marsolle Deacon, and Father Kauffmann Subdeacon for the Mass.

Over 600 congregants of St. Benedict’s and faithful from the area were in attendance.

The choir sang the Missa Brevis by Zoltan Kodaly (1882-1967) under the direction of guest conductor Dr. Axel Theimer of Saint John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota, who was accompanied by Mr. James A. Dorn, choirmaster and organist at St Benedict Church.   The propers were sung by the schola from St. Joseph Church, led by Mr. David Pedersen, choirmaster.  Additionally, the choir sang Ave Maria by Franz Biebl (1906 – 2001) and Ave Maris Stella by Edvard Grieg (1843-1907). Prelude music was performed by the St. Benedict Trombone Quartet.

Very great thanks to the celebrants for the beautiful Mass, and to Father Kauffman and parishioners of Saint Benedict on their one-hundredth anniversary as a parish.

At the further ends of North America, the Fraternity was graced with the presence of two greater prelates for the Sacrament of Confirmation.

His Grace, Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, visited the Fraternity parish of Holy Family in Vancouver British Columbia.  Archbishop Miller assured the young people that courage and bravery is needed to spread the Gospel message to a world that is often indifferent, if not hostile to our Christian faith, and stated: “The world today needs brave men and women who know their faith and can explain it to others; those who stand up for what they believe in. It takes courage to follow Jesus, because the pressures to compromise are enormous. It is so easy just to follow the crowd and do what ‘everybody else does.’ But that is not the way of Jesus.”

In Guadalajara, Mexico, His Eminence, Cardinal Archbishop Emeritus Juan Sandoval Íñiguez, administered Confirmation at the church of Our Lady of Pilar, the Fraternity’s apostolate.

The Fraternity wishes to thank Archbishop Miller and Cardinal Íñiguez for their gracious visits and imparting the grace of the Sacrament of Confirmation upon young souls.

This year’s Camp St. Isaac Jogues, at headquarters in Elmhurst PA, was an enjoyable success with campers involved with a variety of sports and activities, along with daily Mass and devotions. This year included adoration and a solemn procession of our Lord on the Feast of Corpus Christi.  Fr. Antony Sumich, FSSP, led campers and seminarians on 10 days of rugby, soccer, camping and an  Olympiad.  Camp St. Isaac was truly a exercise for both body and spirit. The boys made lifelong memories and hopefully learned lessons of faith and responsibility. We look forward to next year’s camp!

Camp St. Peter in the Black Hills of South Dakota was a rousing success, where campers enjoyed camping and the sights of the the Black Hills.  Fr. Christopher Hathaway, FSSP, the founder of the camp, provided for the physical and spiritual needs of the camps with daily Mass and Confession, along with the “Ask Father” session each night. Campers enjoyed hikes, fishing, sports and “Ultimate Ninja” along with the stunning beauty of God’s creation. Camp St. Peter was truly a exercise for the body and the spirit.  The boys made lifelong memories and hopefully learned lessons of faith and responsibility that they will carry with them throughout life. We look forward to next year’s camp!

Fr. Brian T. Austin, FSSP was in Birmingham, Alabama this summer to conduct a Latin Mass Conference. The conference was held at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church on Saturday, July 7, 2012, which is the 5th Anniversary of the release of Summorum Pontificum, the Apostolic Letter of Pope Benedict XVI that encourages the widespread use of the Traditional Latin Liturgy according to the 1962 Roman Missal. Una Voce Northern Alabama was started in response to Summorum, and their local Latin Mass community in Birmingham has greatly benefitted from the liturgical freedom of the past five years. The workshop was sponsored by Una Voce Northern Alabama.

Fr. Austin began the conference at 9 a.m. by celebrating a Sung High Mass. Music for the Mass included the Missa Brevis of Palestrina, motets by Elgar and Pergolesi and the traditional chants for the votive Mass of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Following a short break after Mass, Father gave a presentation in the Church titled The Liturgical Reform of Pope Benedict XVI.

The Liturgical Reform of Pope Benedict XVI (Notes – PDF)

Fr. Austin’s Conference Audio: [audio:https://fssp.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/2012-UVNA-Conference.mp3|titles=2012 UVNA Conference]

Dates: September 17th – 21th, 2012  (Monday – Friday)

Cost: $400

Program

Each workshop comprises a five-day residential course at Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary including both classroom sessions and practical hands-on instruction. All instruction, training materials, meals, and room & board at the seminary are provided.

Low Mass Workshop:

• A comprehensive introduction to the Extraordinary Form of the Mass and its liturgical principles
• An overview of the 1962 Roman Missal and liturgical calendar
• A complete explanation and demonstration, with practical hands-on instruction, in the ceremony of Low Mass according to the 1962 Roman Missal
• Tips and strategies for gaining proficiency in Latin
• An introduction to Sung Mass and Gregorian Chant

Registration

To register, please go to the MASS TRAINING SIGN UP page and follow the steps listed. Please note that we need all the documentation listed before we can secure your reservation. Please register in advance as spaces are limited and will be allocated on a “first come, first serve” basis.

Financial Assistance Available

For priests who require financial assistance, Una Voce America has set up a financial aid plan. For details please contact Una Voce America, c/o Mr. Jason King, PO Box 1146, Bellevue, WA 98009 or e-mail INFO@UNAVOCE.ORG

From Mr. Daniel Heenan (an FSSP seminarian):

From June 18-28th the Saint Francis Xavier Mission Trip of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter journeyed to the remote town of Banica in the Dominican Republic for a ten-day mission trip. Banica is situated along the Haitian border, about a five-hour drive from the capital, Santo Domingo. Many people in this region live in abject poverty. Though the parish was established in the early 16th century by Spanish missionaries, for most of its history it has not had a resident priest. Approximately 20 years ago, the diocese of Arlington, VA began sending priests to care for the Catholic population of about 8,000 souls in the parish of San Francisco in Banica and in the neighboring parish of San Jose.

Like other groups that make similar trips, the Saint Francis Xavier Mission Trip sought to serve Christ in the poor, and, through this encounter, sanctify those who participated in the trip. To this end, the group built two outhouses in the small town of Cercadillo, which is situated about 15 miles outside of Banica but takes close to an hour to reach by truck due to the poor condition of the roads. This simple amenity represents a tremendous asset to these people who have no running water and no electricity. The young people also built a simple fence around the village’s cemetery to add to its dignity and to keep out the animals.

The goals of this trip, however, were not limited to the corporal works of mercy. Along with dirtying their hands with difficult manual labor under the intense summer sun, the FSSP also provided training in the Traditional Latin Mass to the pastor of the mission, Fr. Keith O’Hare, of the diocese of Arlington, VA. Seminarians likewise provided training in serving the Traditional Mass to the altar boys of the parish. During the group’s stay, three sung Masses and one Solemn High Mass were offered in Banica (certainly the first Solemn Mass in a long time and perhaps even the first ever considering the scarcity of clergy in the region) and a second Solemn High Mass was offered at the end of the trip in the church of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in the historic colonial zone of Santo Domingo.

Just as the evidence of the impact of the work in the village of Cercadillo could be seen in the new structures that were built and the friendships made with the local residents, so too were the spiritual results evident as curious residents found their way to the back of the church during the group’s Masses and holy hours and followed the group’s example in receiving at the altar rail, going to confession, and even wearing chapel veils, as the altar boys gained a new appreciation for the richness of the church’s tradition, and as Fr. O’Hare began making plans to regularly celebrate the extraordinary form.

A trip such as this certainly leaves participants with a renewed fervor for their faith, wonderful new friendships, and a countless store of anecdotes. One such story that beautifully encapsulates the blending of the spiritual and corporal works of mercy occurred during the final day working in Cercadillo. While digging post holes for the cemetery fence, a man came up and asked to speak to a priest. A man on the other side of the village, he related, was dying and wanted help from the Church. What he was requesting at first, however, was help finishing the latrine that the dying man had begun. He saw that the group of Americans had been building outhouses for other villagers and, since the man had taken ill and was unable to finish the one he had begun, his family was hoping they could receive similar assistance. Hearing that the man was dying, the priest was alerted and he and one of the seminarians immediately went to see him. This man who had sought material help was about to receive something much greater, for this man had been away from the Church for years and on account of that had not even thought it possible to request the sacraments. The dying man’s daughter, who had just arrived from the capital the previous day, greeted the Americans with tears in her eyes. She explained how she had prayed and wept through the night beseeching God to look after her father who had been away from the sacraments for some time. She extolled the mercy of God for the fact that that very day a priest had ridden into this remote village – something that is not an ordinary occurrence. When the visit was concluded, the two clerics returned to the rest of the group to find the fence nearly completed. Father was then able to consecrate the cemetery, hallowing the ground in which the body of that newly sanctified man would perhaps soon be interred.

If you would like more information about the Saint Francis Xavier Mission Trip or would like to contribute to future projects, please contact SFXMission@gmail.com.

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

The Church of St. Rose of Lima, a historic landmark in Quincy, IL, re-opened and became the home of the Fraternity of Saint Peter in the fall of 2008. Before the church was re-opened, 3 marble altars, a matching altar rail, and a pulpit were installed. On June 10, 2012 the Bishop of the Diocese of Springfield IL, His Excellency Thomas J. Paprocki, consecrated and dedicated these altars before celebrating a Pontifical Mass. Earlier in the month, St. Rose of Lima proudly celebrated the Centennial of the Dedication of the church on Sunday, June 2.

During the Mass, Bishop Paprocki conferred the sacrament of Confirmation on two members of the community, and then offered an outdoor procession of the Blessed Sacrament after Mass to celebrate the Solemnity of Corpus Christi. Congratulations to Fr. Arnaud Devillers F.S.S.P., pastor of St. Rose and former Fraternity District Superior.  We wish to thank both Bishop Thomas Paprocki and his predecessor, Bishop Emeritus George Lucas, for their wonderful support of the Fraternity of St. Peter and the Latin Mass in the Diocese of Springfield, Illinois.

In Sæcula Sæculórum is a new collection of Gregorian chant and polyphony recorded by the seminarians at Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary in Denton, Nebraska.

Selections are drawn from the entire liturgical year, and display the sacred glory and beauty of sacred music. Existing for almost 1,500 years, Gregorian chant emerged under Pope Saint Gregory the Great, for whom the style of music is named. His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI calls Gregorian chant a “supreme model of sacred music.”

Each morning our seminarians place themselves in the Presence of God asking Him for assistance (Track 1, Deus in adiutórium) and the day ends with a hymn of Mary, the Mother of God, praising her and begging for her maternal protection (Track 22, Salve Regína). Throughout the day, the seminary community sings several times, using the ancient Latin chants for the Divine Office and for Holy Mass. Whether in the classroom or in the chapel, Gregorian chant plays an essential role in the traditional formation of future priests at Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary.  In Saecula Saeculorum is currently available in the seminary’s Amazon bookstore, on iTunes, or purchase In Sæcula Sæculórum  from Fraternity Publications.

Morning

1. Deus in adiutórium (0:54) [audio:https://fssp.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/01-deus-in-adiutorium.mp3|titles=01 Deus in adiutorium]

Advent

2. Roráte cæli (3:57) [audio:https://fssp.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/02-rorate-caeli.mp3|titles=02 Rorate Caeli]

3. Ave María (2:17) [audio:https://fssp.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/03-ave-maria.mp3|titles=03 Ave Maria]

Christmas

4. Dóminus dixit ad me (2:24) [audio:https://fssp.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/04-dominus-dixit-ad-me.mp3|titles=04 Dominus Dixit Ad Me]

5. Puer natus est (3:34) [audio:https://fssp.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/05-puer-natus-est.mp3|titles=05 Puer Natus Est]

6. Tribus miráculis (1:31)  [audio:https://fssp.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/06-tribus-miraculis.mp3|titles=06 Tribus Miraculis]

Lent

7. Média vita (3:09) [audio:https://fssp.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/07-media-vita.mp3|titles=07-Media vita]

8. Parce Dómine (2:48) [audio:https://fssp.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/08-parce-domine.mp3|titles=08 Parce Domine]

9. Christus factus est (2:44) [audio:https://fssp.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/09-christus-factus-est.mp3|titles=09 Christus factus est]

10. Crux fidélis (3:07) [audio:https://fssp.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/10-crux-fidelis.mp3|titles=10 Crux fidelis]

Eastertide

11. Regína cæli (0:44) [audio:https://fssp.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/11-regina-caeli.mp3|titles=11 Regina Caeli]

12. Víctimæ Pascháli (1:53) [audio:https://fssp.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/12-victimae-paschali.mp3|titles=12 Victimae Paschali]

13. Hæc dies (1:38) [audio:https://fssp.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/13-haec-dies.mp3|titles=13 Haec Dies]

14. Ascéndit Deus (1:40) [audio:https://fssp.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/14-ascendit-deus.mp3|titles=14 Ascendit Deus]

15. O Rex glóriæ (1:08) [audio:https://fssp.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/15-o-rex-gloriae.mp3|titles=15 O Rex Gloriae]

16. Spíritus Dómini (3:53) [audio:https://fssp.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/16-spiritus-domini.mp3|titles=16 Spiritus Domini]

17. Allelúia: Veni Sancte Spíritus (2:55) [audio:https://fssp.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/17-alleluia-veni-sancte-spiritus.mp3|titles=17 Alleluia Veni Sancte Spiritus]

18. Te lucis ante términum (1:28) [audio:https://fssp.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/18-te-lucis-ante-terminum.mp3|titles=18 Te lucis ante terminum]

Throughout the Year

19. Allelúia: Assúmpta est (2:31) [audio:https://fssp.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/19-alleluia-assumpta-est.mp3|titles=19 Alleluia Assumpta Est]

20. Refúlsit sol (0:46) [audio:https://fssp.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/20-refulsit-sol.mp3|titles=20 Refulsit Sol]

21. Orémus pro Pontífice (1:44) [audio:https://fssp.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/21-oremus-pro-pontifice.mp3|titles=21 Oremus Pro Pontifice]

22. Salve Regína (4:06) [audio:https://fssp.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/22-salve-regina.mp3|titles=22 Salve Regina]

Polyphony

23. Alma Redemptóris Mater (Palestrina) (2:56) [audio:https://fssp.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/23-alma-redemptoris-mater-palestrina.mp3|titles=23 Alma Redemptoris Mater (Palestrina)]

24. Iesu Rex Admirábilis (Palestrina) (2:06) [audio:https://fssp.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/24-iesu-rex-admirabilis-palestrina.mp3|titles=24 Iesu Rex Admirabilis (Palestrina)]

25. Adorámus Te (Palestrina) (2:22) [audio:https://fssp.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/25-adoramus-te-palestrina.mp3|titles=25 Adoramus Te (Palestrina)]

26. Ave María (Arcadelt) (2:30) [audio:https://fssp.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/26-ave-maria-arcadelt.mp3|titles=26 Ave Maria (Jacob Arcadelt)]

27. Laudáte nomen Dómini (Tye) (1:38) [audio:https://fssp.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/27-laudate-nomen-domini-christopher-tye.mp3|titles=27 Laudate Nomen Domini (Christopher Tye)]

Total Disc Time: 62:23