FSSP: New liturgy document 'does not directly address' former Ecclesia Dei communities

By Christine Rousselle

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 18, 2021 / 21:21 pm

One of the largest traditional societies of apostolic life responded to the latest document issued by the Congregation for Divine Worship that further outlines restrictions on the Traditional Latin Mass. 

“The recent document from the Congregation for Divine Worship released on December 18th does not directly address the former Ecclesia Dei communities such as the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter who possess their own proper law,” said a statement from the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP), published to their website on Saturday. 

“The members of the Fraternity of St. Peter promised to be faithful to our Constitutions at the time of our admittance into the Fraternity, and we remain committed to exactly that: fidelity to the Successor of Peter and the faithful observance of the ‘liturgical and disciplinary traditions’ of the Church in accordance with the provisions of the Motu Proprio Ecclesia Dei of July 2, 1988, which is at the origin of our foundation,” they said. “The superiors of the Priestly Fraternity will be studying the document more closely while maintaining our ministry to the faithful entrusted to our care.” 

After the publication of Traditionis custodes, some dioceses in the United States moved to restrict the celebration of the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. Despite this, parishes that were entrusted to the FSSP were allowed to celebrate the Extraordinary Form without making any changes. 

In the Diocese of Little Rock, for instance, Bishop Anthony Taylor stopped all diocesan Traditional Latin Masses, but permitted the two FSSP parishes in his local church to continue celebrating the traditional Mass. 

The Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, another society of apostolic life that exclusively celebrates the Traditional Latin Mass, has not yet published a statement to the Congregation for Divine Worship’s document on its website or social media platforms. 

The Society of St. Pius X (SSPX), a canonically irregular priestly society that celebrates using the 1962 Roman Missal, also has not released a statement regarding the CDW's document.

Christine Rousselle is a former DC Correspondent for Catholic News Agency. Prior to working at CNA, she was the managing web editor of Townhall.com; she has a BA in political science from Providence College.