The Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter (FSSP) has issued a statement regarding the private audience of the Superior General, Father John Berg, and Leo XIV on the morning of this Monday, January 19, at the Vatican. Father Josef Bisig, one of the founders of the Fraternity, former Superior General and current rector of the seminary of Our Lady of Guadalupe, in Denton (United States), was also present at the meeting.
According to the FSSP, the meeting—which lasted about half an hour—took place in a “cordial” atmosphere and allowed for a more detailed presentation to the Holy Father of the history and identity of the Fraternity, as well as the various apostolates it has been offering to the faithful for nearly 38 years. The Fraternity also recalled its “proper law” and the charism that guides the spiritual life and sanctification of its members.
The note highlights a particularly significant point: the audience also served to address “misunderstandings” and “obstacles” that the FSSP claims to encounter in certain places, and to respond to questions posed by the Pontiff. In an ecclesial context marked in recent years by tensions and restrictions regarding traditional liturgical life, the Fraternity presents this meeting as an opportunity to directly expose to the Pope its concrete reality and the difficulties it faces in some dioceses.
At the end of the audience, Leo XIV imparted his blessing, which he extended to all members of the Fraternity. The FSSP expresses its gratitude to the Holy Father for granting this meeting and encourages the faithful to persevere in prayer during the thirty-day novena of preparation for the renewal of their consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, scheduled for February 11.