Servants of the Holy Family

Servants of the Holy Family (S.S.F. from Latin: Servi Sanctae Familiae) is a semi-contemplative, traditional Catholic religious community of men located in Colorado Springs, Colorado (USA). Membership includes priests, seminarians and brothers. SSF's website states that it is faithful to the traditional Latin Mass and Catholic doctrine and morals.[1]

Servants of the Holy Family
(Servi Sanctae Familiae)
AbbreviationS.S.F.
FormationFeast of the Holy Family (January 9, 1977)
TypePrivate religious institute for men
PurposeSanctification through the traditional Latin Mass
Location
Websitewww.servi.org

Foundation and Purpose

SSF was founded in 1977 on the feast of the Holy Family and was placed under the patronage of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. The community has been located in Colorado since February 1977. The motherhouse with its chapel is situated on ten acres of land south of the Black Forest near the city of Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Their stated purpose is "to aspire after and achieve by the grace of God the sanctification of its members and the salvation of souls through their prayers, sacrifices and apostolate". It intends to accomplish this chiefly by attachment to the Holy Sacrifice of the traditional Latin Mass and to the Roman Breviary. Other important devotions observed by all the members are Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, the frequent reception of the sacrament of Penance, keeping days of recollection on a regular basis, and praying the Holy Rosary with one of the approved litanies daily. Also, frequent visits to the Blessed Sacrament as well as mental prayer and spiritual reading are considered most important for all of the members, who are to regard holiness of life as their primary objective. According to their website, their apostolate is the salvation of souls through the Mass, the Catholic Liturgy, the dispensing of the Sacraments, traditional Catholic sermons, morality, the spiritual life, and teaching of the Baltimore catechism.[2] They allow the public to attend many of their liturgical ceremonies.[3]

Apostolic Works
Traditional Latin Mass - The Elevation

According to their website, the traditional Latin Mass is the center of the spiritual life for SSF. The Mass is offered at the SSF chapel, including Gregorian Masses.[4]

Serving at the Altar

For the perpetuating of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and for serving at the Holy Altar, SSF has, since its inception, prepared men for the priesthood. The traditional program combines the minor seminary and major seminary curriculum and encompasses high school courses, philosophy and theology.[5]

The imparting of traditional Catholic doctrine and morals is accomplished mainly through sermons. SSF has a sermon program which began in the 1970s. Recordings of sermons are distributed using readily available technology like cassette tapes, compact discs and the Internet.[6]

To further assist in explaining the truths of the Church, SSF has been active in catechetical work. SSF uses the Fr. Connell edition of the Baltimore Catechism #3 and created the Kindle version of it.[7] They have produced an online series of talks about the Catholic Faith which is based on the Baltimore Catechism.[8]

SSF publishes the Liturgical Calendar which gives the daily schedule of the Church’s worship throughout the year.[9]

SSF recorded a compact disc of inspirational Gregorian chant and polyphonic music.[10]

History

Besides its internal life as a religious community and its apostolic work, SSF has been involved with other Church issues.

Starting In 1989, Augustin Cardinal Mayer, first president of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, worked with SSF on its use of the traditional Latin Mass and appointed then-Archbishop (later Cardinal) J. Francis Stafford as mediator between SSF and the local bishop.[11]

Bishop and the confirmed after Confirmation ceremony

SSF received new priest members when its seminarians were ordained by an unnamed visiting Catholic bishop in 1995. In the following years, other unnamed visiting Catholic bishops confirmed people who attended Mass at the SSF chapel.[12]

In 2004, Michael John Sheridan, Bishop of Colorado Springs, decreed that SSF was not authentically Catholic.[13] Cardinal Darío Castrillón Hoyos, then president of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, appointed Bishop James D. Conley as the Commission's Special Delegate in 2008 to try to reach a resolution between the two parties. For several years, he worked with Sheridan and SSF. In 2013, Sheridan stated in a response to a letter from the community that the SSF priests "are not in good standing with the Diocesan or the Universal Catholic Church."[14]

Later in 2013, another unnamed visiting Catholic bishop confirmed at the SSF chapel, and in 2018 yet another unnamed bishop gave tonsure and full minor orders.[15]

Notes and references
  1. Welcome to Servi.org -- from their website
  2. About Us-Servants of the Holy Family -- from their website
  3. Traditional Latin Mass Schedule-Servants of the Holy Family
  4. Traditional Latin Mass -- from their website
  5. Priesthood - Vocations -- from their website
  6. Sermon Program -- from their website
  7. Baltimore Catechism #3 -- from their website
  8. Talks on the Catholic Faith Series -- from their website
  9. Liturgical Calendar -- from their website
  10. In Paradisum - CD -- from their website
  11. Paci, Stefano M. (June 1989). Moynihan, Ph.D., Robert (ed.). "Obstacle Course For His Eminence". 30 Days: 47.
  12. Our Bishops -- from their website (Per this web page, "All of the bishops who have helped us throughout the years are listed in the Annuario Pontificio (Pontifical Annual) which is the official directory from the Holy See.")
  13. Asay, Paul (2004-11-14). "Rogue Parish". The Gazette. Colorado Springs, Colorado. pp. A1, A8.
  14. Bishop Sheridan's July 31, 2013 response to SHF letter of June 6, 2013
  15. Our Bishops -- from their website (Per this web page, "All of the bishops who have helped us throughout the years are listed in the Annuario Pontificio (Pontifical Annual) which is the official directory from the Holy See.")
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