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Servants of the Holy Family

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

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. Servants of the Holy Family (SHF) was the first traditional Latin Mass religious community for men begun in the United States.[1] The introduction of the Mass of Paul VI was a catalyst for such foundations in the Church.[2] SHF's website states that it is faithful to the traditional Latin Mass and Catholic doctrine and morals[3] and claims to be endorsed by Catholic Bishops worldwide who support the traditional Latin Mass.[4]

Foundation and Purpose

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SHF 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.[5] The church’s adherence to Catholic orthodoxy has drawn many devout Catholics looking for a more traditional service; many congregants moved to Black Forest, in part, to attend, former members said.[6]

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.[7] They allow the public to attend many of their liturgical ceremonies.[8]

Apostolic Works

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Traditional Latin Mass - The Elevation

According to their website, the liturgical life of Servants of the Holy Family is based on the traditional Latin Mass, which is offered exclusively at the SHF chapel.[9] SHF also offers Masses and Gregorian Masses, using the traditional Latin Mass, for the faithful who request them.[10]

Serving at the Altar

For the perpetuating of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and for serving at the Holy Altar, SHF 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.[11]

The imparting of traditional Catholic doctrine and morals is accomplished mainly through sermons. SHF has a sermon program which began in the 1970s. Recordings of sermons were first distributed using cassette tapes and then compact discs, but are now available on their website since 2002. SHF makes additional sources of doctrine and morals available on their website, such as live stream of Masses and ceremonies in the chapel, daily saints' biographies, social media videos, seasonal sermons, unpublished sermons from their archives, spiritual booklets,[12] online classes, and links to saint's videos, through an annual membership. Their spiritual messages highlight features according to the liturgical days, and prayer intentions can also be sent.[13]

To further assist in explaining the truths of the Church, SHF has been active in catechetical work using the Internet to reach people domestically and internationally. SHF popularized the use of the Fr. Connell edition of the Baltimore Catechism #3 and created the Kindle version of it.[14] They have produced an online series of talks about the Catholic Faith which is based on the Baltimore Catechism.[15]

SHF publishes a Liturgical Calendar which gives the accurate daily schedule of the Church’s worship throughout the year and includes devotional art and a mini-catechism section with prayers.[16]

SHF recorded a compact disc of inspirational Gregorian chant and polyphonic music intended to enhance appreciation of the Sacred Liturgy in the Church.[17]

History

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

In 1983, SHF was contacted by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre,[18] superior of the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX), and Father Clarence Kelly, who had recently been separated from the SSPX with eight other priests. Lefebvre was seeking help because of this division and other internal problems in the SSPX. Kelly was looking for mediation between his group and the SSPX. SHF assisted both during these negotiations.[19]

SHF met In 1989 at the Vatican with Augustin Cardinal Mayer, first president of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei. Subsequently, Cardinal Mayer appointed then-Archbishop (later Cardinal) J. Francis Stafford of Denver as his representative to visit SHF, have meetings with them and report back to the Commission. In 2008, Cardinal Darío Castrillón Hoyos, then president of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, appointed Bishop James D. Conley as the Commission's Special Delegate to SHF from the Vatican. [20]

Bishop and the confirmed after Confirmation ceremony

SHF received new priest members when its seminarians were ordained by a visiting Catholic bishop in 1995. In 2013, Bishop Michael John Sheridan, the Bishop of Colorado Springs where the community is based, issued a document declaring that the SHF community was, "...not in good standing with the diocesan or universal Catholic Church". In this declaration, Sheridan cited canon law to illustrate that the community could not validly or licitly celebrate certain sacraments.[21] In the following years, anonymous Catholic bishops who visited the community confirmed people who attended Mass at the SHF chapel. In 2018, another unnamed bishop gave tonsure and full minor orders, and in 2020, another unnamed bishop performed confirmations and ordination to the Holy Priesthood. In 2024, the founding Father, Anthony Ward was consecrated as a bishop by an anonymous retired archbishop. [22] Some people guess that Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano is the retired archbishop who consecrated Ward as a bishop.

Notes and references

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  1. ^ About Us
  2. ^ "A Short Critical Study of the New Order of Mass", September 25, 1969 by Cardinal Ottaviani and Cardinal Bacci -- Eternal Word Television Network website
  3. ^ Welcome to Servi.org
  4. ^ Our Bishops
  5. ^ About Us-Servants of the Holy Family
  6. ^ Asay, Paul (2004-11-14). "Rogue Parish". The Gazette. Colorado Springs, Colorado. pp. A1, A8.
  7. ^ About Us-Servants of the Holy Family
  8. ^ Traditional Latin Mass Schedule-Servants of the Holy Family and What People Are Commenting-Tradition in Action
  9. ^ Traditional Latin Mass
  10. ^ Gregorian Masses offered by Servants of the Holy Family
  11. ^ Priesthood - Vocations
  12. ^ What People Are Commenting-Tradition in Action; mention of Examination of Conscience leaflet published by SHF and available at Sisters of Carmel
  13. ^ Their website
  14. ^ Baltimore Catechism #3
  15. ^ Talks on the Catholic Faith Series
  16. ^ Liturgical Calendar
  17. ^ In Paradisum - CD
  18. ^ Lefebvre, Marcel (28 April 1983). Conference at St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary. p. 4.4.
  19. ^ Kelly, Clarence (June 1983). Kelly, Clarence (ed.). "Thoughts On My Ten Years As A Priest". The Bulletin. Oyster Bay, New York: Society of St. Pius V: 1–2.
  20. ^ Paci, Stefano M. (June 1989). Moynihan, Ph.D., Robert (ed.). "Obstacle Course For His Eminence". 30 Days: 47.
  21. ^ Sheridan, Michael J. "Bishop Sheridan Decree on Servants of the Holy Family" (PDF). Diocese of Colorado Springs. Diocese of Colorado Springs. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  22. ^ Our Bishops (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 of Rome.")
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