Following the priestly ordinations in America last month, four deacons of their European seminary will be ordained to the priesthood in Germany on Saturday, by H.E. Wolfgang Haas, Archbishop of Vaduz (Liechtenstein): the Rev. Deacons Loïc Courtois de Lourmel, Bernward van der Linden, Arnaud Moura, and Francesco Riegger.
The General Chapter of the Fraternity of Saint Peter for this 6-year period will take place in their North American seminary in July. The Superior General, Father John Berg, sent the following letter on the General Chapter to the members of the Confraternity of Saint Peter, who offer prayers and sacrifices for the Fraternity (see our sidebar):
Dear Members of the Confraternity of St. Peter,
Many of you are no doubt already aware that the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter will celebrate its fifth General Chapter from July 3-18, this summer.
Every six years the General Chapter marks the most important event in the life and government of our Fraternity. During these days the essential decisions which will guide the next 6 years will take place. The Capitulants will vote for the members who will govern our Fraternity until the following Chapter. Particular laws, which are the proper domain of the General Chapter, such as directories will also be discussed and promulgated. Finally, the delegates of the Chapter will outline a course to be followed for the development – both spiritual and material – over the next six years.
One example of the fruits of the meeting of the General Chapter is the Confraternity of St. Peter itself. Six years ago it was suggested by a number of priests that a group be established for the laity which would allow them to concretely attach themselves spiritually to the work of our Society of Apostolic Life. The Chapter quickly approved the idea, and shortly after the prayer and engagements demanded by the Confraternity were approved.
Having had a chance to work with all of our priests in many varying situations over these last six years, I believe I am well qualified to attest the many graces which have been the fruit of your prayers. We have of course enjoyed unprecedented support from the Holy Father, Benedict XVI, and in particular, following Summorum Pontificum, we have seen a great demand on the part of dioceses for our Fraternity.
More importantly, we have had the Year for Priests (June 2009 - June 2010) which was a reminder for all of us of the central place of the sacrifice of the Mass in the life of the priest and his corresponding need to translate this sacrifice into every aspect of his day. Thanks in part to the prayers and sacrifices of the members of the Confraternity we have been able to train over one hundred diocesan and religious priests to offer Mass in the extraordinary form. And finally, we will not know until the next life how often the prayers of the Confraternity were an aid to each of us as priests of the Fraternity. We are each in need at different moments for the grace of patience, perseverance, wisdom, and the other virtues that we might be ‘sanctified in the truth’ and that we might receive ‘the Spirit which was given to the apostles, to make us in all things, like unto Christ.’
Because of this powerful intercession on the part of the member of the Confraternity, I turn to you now on behalf of all of my confreres to ask for your particular prayers and sacrifices in the weeks leading up to the Chapter and while it meets. Being well aware of the need to be led by the Holy Ghost in the important decisions which will guide our Fraternity over the course of the next six years, the Chapter will begin with a day of recollection preached by Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz and Mgr. Guido Pozzo of Ecclesia Dei. We will also be asking a number of religious convents to keep us particularly in their intentions during these weeks. But we will be counting especially on the prayers of our own Confraternity. We thank you in advance for your generosity. May our common patron, St. Peter, intercede for us!
Sub Petro,Very Rev. John Berg
Superior General FSSP [Source]
