The Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X (FSSPX) experienced an intense weekend of priestly ordinations with the incorporation of ten new priests and seven new deacons among its seminaries in Zaitzkofen (Germany) and Écône (Switzerland).
The ceremonies took place on June 27 and 29, just forty-eight hours before the episcopal consecrations scheduled for July 1 at the Swiss seminary.
According to the Fraternity itself, on Saturday five priests and four deacons were ordained at the seminary of the Sacred Heart in Zaitzkofen, while this Sunday, the solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, five other deacons received the priesthood in Écône and three seminarians were ordained deacons.
Ordinations in Zaitzkofen despite the bishop’s prohibition
The ordinations celebrated in Germany took place even though the Bishop of Regensburg, Rudolf Voderholzer, had prohibited the priestly ordinations of the FSSPX within the territory of his diocese, considering that the Fraternity does not meet the canonical conditions required by the Church to legitimately celebrate these ceremonies.
The measure, announced by the diocese in May, did not ultimately prevent the ordinations from being held at the Bavarian seminary, where more than 2,000 faithful participated in the ceremony presided over by Bishop Alfonso de Galarreta.
Among the new priests are two Polish candidates, while one of the new deacons is Croatian. Priests from Germany, Australia, Belgium, Croatia, France, Poland, and the United States joined in the laying on of hands, reflecting the international character of the seminary.
Priestly holiness, the focus of the homily
During the homily, Bishop Alfonso de Galarreta explained the meaning of the sacrament of Holy Orders, recalling that ordination configures the priest with Christ and makes him share in His priesthood.
The bishop insisted that this grace requires a personal response through a life of holiness and stated that the fruitfulness of priestly ministry depends on the priest’s fidelity to the grace received.
Five new priests also in Écône
Two days later, the International Seminary of Saint Pius X in Écône hosted another ordination ceremony presided over by the Superior General of the Fraternity, Bishop Bernard Fellay.
During the celebration, five deacons received the priesthood and three other seminarians were ordained deacons.
The ceremony began with the diaconal ordinations and continued with the laying on of hands over the candidates for the priesthood, followed by the anointing of the hands with holy chrism while the Veni Creator Spiritus was sung.
The new priests also received the priestly chasuble and the manutergium, the cloth with which the newly anointed hands are traditionally bound and which, according to an ancient custom, will be buried with the priest’s mother as a sign of her son’s dedication to the service of God.