About Our Congregation
Purpose of the Congregation
The general purpose of the Congregation of St. Pius V is to promote the glory of God and the sanctification of its members. The special purpose is to perform works of charity toward the Sacred Heart of Jesus and our neighbor by various means, such as the daily Holy Hour, especially the Holy Hour on Thursday nights from eleven to midnight; the spread of devotion to the Sacred Heart; the sanctification of the faithful and the conversion of non-Catholics. The Congregation may also engage in other charitable and apostolic activities in accordance with the rules and regulations of its Constitutions.
Why a Congregation?
The reason that the Congregation of St. Pius V was established is to form and ordain holy priests who are consumed with love for God and souls, and who will offer the traditional Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and administer the traditional sacraments for the faithful.
According to the 1918 Code of Canon Law, there are essentially two ways in which a priest must live. Canon 111 of the 1918 Code states: “Every cleric must belong either to some diocese or some religious institute, and there shall be no unattached clerics.” Thus, a priest must either live under a diocesan bishop or he must live the common life in a religious institute.
This manner of life is clearly expressed in Canon Law, which describes various types of common life, such as that of religious orders, religious congregations, societies of the common life without public vows. Those living a common life pray together, work together, live together, have their meals and recreation together.
The Congregation of St. Pius V has been established according to the rules laid out in the Code of Canon Law as a society of the common life without public vows. It is an organization in which the members live a common life, and in which both superiors and subjects are governed by a written set of Constitutions. According to the mind of the Church, this is for the good of the priests who are ordained and for the good of the people they serve.
Priests
The Congregation of St. Pius V is primarily a clerical Congregation. Priests may be assigned to the seminary or to another house of the Congregation. They offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass daily and administer the Sacraments to the faithful in various chapels and missions in the United States. Among other works, they teach classes and perform other duties at the seminary.
Brothers
The Congregation also admits coadjutor brothers, whose function it is to assist the priests in the fulfillment of their duties. The brothers may thus do domestic work and other works of manual labor. They may also teach Catechism and, in certain cases, academic subjects at the seminary if they are qualified. They may even teach in schools of the Congregation or schools affiliated with the Congregation. The brothers live the common life with the priest members. All members of the Congregation, whether priests or brothers, are equally bound to observe the Constitutions, the common life and the daily schedule.