FSSP Sets Record for Priestly Ordinations in 2026
The Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter (FSSP) has ordained 25 new priests in 2026 — its highest annual total since its founding in 1988 — marking a historic milestone in its growth.
Note: The Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) is a traditionalist Catholic society of apostolic life founded on 18 July 1988, dedicated to forming priests and serving the faithful using the 1962 Roman Missal (Latin Mass), and fully in communion with the Holy See.
The FSSP celebrated twelve priestly ordinations on May 28 at St. Cecilia Cathedral in Omaha, Nebraska, and thirteen more on June 20 in Lindenberg, Bavaria, Germany. This brings the total to 25 new priests in a single year, surpassing all previous records for the fraternity.
On May 28, 2026 Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami ordained twelve seminarians who had formed at the FSSP’s Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary in Denton, Nebraska.
On June 28, 2026 Bishop Marc Aillet of Bayonne, Lescar and Oloron Lindenberg, Bavaria (June 20) ordained thirteen seminarians from ten nationalities — France, Portugal, Czech Republic, Austria, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, Poland, and Sweden.
With these ordinations, the FSSP now has over 400 priests among its 579 members worldwide, including about 380 priests, 30 deacons, and 160 seminarians. The fraternity’s average age is 39 years, reflecting a notably youthful profile compared to many Western clergy.
This record is especially striking given the broader vocational challenges in the Catholic Church. The 2026 total equals the entire number of diocesan priestly ordinations in Germany in 2025, underscoring the FSSP’s vitality in contrast to declining vocations in many Western dioceses.
The FSSP expressed gratitude to God for these new vocations, commending all its priests to the prayers of the faithful and concluding with “Deo gratias” (“Thank God”).
In summary: 2026 has been a landmark year for the FSSP, with record ordinations in two continents, a record total of 25 new priests, and continued expansion of its international mission dedicated to the Traditional Latin Mass.
You can learn more about The Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter (FSSP) here.The Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) is a Society of Apostolic Life of Pontifical right, offering Traditional Latin Mass and sacraments in over 40 U.S. dioceses and 8 in Canada, with international headquarters in Fribourg, Switzerland