Pope Francis has held a meeting with leading representatives of the largest grouping of traditionalist priests in the Catholic Church during which he reaffirmed his support for their charism.
Speaking on behalf of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter (FSSP), Fr Andrzej Komorowski, Abbé Benoît Paul-Joseph, and Abbé Vincent Ribeton were received by the Pope in a “very understanding” manner in the Vatican on 29 February 2024.
The meeting followed a request lodged by the Fraternity itself. It was able to go ahead despite the Pope’s ill health of late, which caused the cancellation of his entire schedule on the previous Saturday, and is seen by some as marking a significant moment in the ongoing debate around the old rite.
