Pope Francis grants private audience to head of FSSP

The Holy Father granted a private audience to the superior general and two other priests of the FSSP on February 29th 2024. During the meeting, the Fraternity’s continued use of the 1962 liturgical books and rites were reaffirmed by the Pope. As a result, the Holy Father’s 2022 decree to the FSSP following Traditiones Custodes is widely considered to remain in effect for the future.

The FSSP has issued an official public statement statement about this audience.

The meeting was an opportunity for them to express their deep gratitude to the Holy Father for the decree of February 11, 2022, by which the Pope confirmed the liturgical specificity of the Fraternity of St. Peter, but also to share with him the difficulties encountered in its application. The Pope was very understanding and invited the Fraternity of St. Peter to continue to build up ecclesial communion ever more fully through its own proper charism.