Pope Emeritus Benedict recently wrote letter of encouragement to Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP)

The Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP), which offers the preconciliar Latin liturgy in full communion with the Pope, issued a statement mourning the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. The FSSP was founded in 1988 following the excommunication of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, the founder of the Society of Saint Pius X.

“As Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, [the future Pope Benedict] was instrumental in the founding of the Fraternity,” the Fraternity recalled. “A few months ago, from his place of retirement at the Mater Ecclesiae monastery in the Vatican, he sent a private letter of encouragement to the Superior of the Fraternity of Saint Peter following the Motu Proprio Traditionis Custodes.” (The document, issued by Pope Francis in July 2021, restricted the celebration of the preconciliar Latin liturgy.)