The Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter was founded in 1988 with the aim to protect and promote, within the catholic Church, the spiritual, liturgical and disciplinary traditions expressed by Pope John Paul II in the Protocol of May 5th 1988, signed by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, and in the Motu Proprio Ecclesia Dei of July 2nd 1988.

The Holy Father John Paul II established and canonically erected the Fraternity on October 18th, 1988 as a Clerical Society of Apostolic Life of Pontifical Right (Prot. no. 234/88), ratifying, at the same time, its constitutions. These documents form the basis of the nature and charisma of the Fraternity, which, taking into account the age old practices of the Church as well as the directives of the Council Vatican II, aim for: a) the sanctification of priests through a communal life, the faithful observance of its constitutions and in particular, the celebration of the Mass according to the liturgical books in force in 1962; b) the care and support of priestly and religious vocations; c) the education of young candidates to the priesthood; d) the sanctification of the faithful by preaching, the celebration of the sacraments, and the observance of the liturgical and disciplinary traditions which give life to the Church of Christ.

Its charisma and its finality were reconfirmed by the promulgation of the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum dated July 7th 2007, together with the letter to the bishops which accompanied it, and by the erection of a personal Parish in Rome, the Most Holy Trinity of the Pilgrims which was done in accord with the express will of the current Holy Father.

In celebrating its twenty years of existence, at the service of the Church and its souls on October 18,  2008, the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter gives thanks to God for the prolific apostolic development since its creation.  It is now present in more than fifty countries.  It counts over 200 ordained priests serving the Church and two international seminaries where there are currently over 130 seminarians of various nationalities in formation for the priesthood.  It also renders thanks for the numerous parishes, schools, colleges and various groups that are the fruits of its pastoral work (www.fssp.org)