Leo XIV Grants Apostolic Blessing to FSSPX Chapel in Charlotte

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Leo XIV Grants Apostolic Blessing to FSSPX Chapel in Charlotte

gloria.tv | December 8, 2025

Pope Leo XIV granted an Apostolic Blessing to Fr John Bourbeau FSSPX and the faithful of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X (FSSPX) at Saint Anthony of Padua Chapel in Mount Holly, North Carolina.

The blessing commemorates the 25th anniversary of the chapel’s founding. The Vatican document is dated November 18 and signed by Cardinal Konrad Krajewski.

The chapel is in the Charlotte area. Many Catholics gather there for Mass because Bishop Michael Martin of Charlotte curtailed most celebrations of the Mass in the Roman [Latin] rite in diocesan parishes. He now permits the Roman rite only in a single diocesan chapel with capacity for approximately 350 people.

St. Anthony’s community was formed in the early 1980s and spent 19 years worshipping in various temporary locations, including a private residence, a rented floor of a bank building, and facilities of the Junior League of Charlotte.

In 2000, community members identified a church building for sale. The first Mass in the new chapel took place on August 22, 2000.

Due to continued growth, the FSSPX leadership recently authorized a search for new property on which to build a larger church.

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Archbishop Lefebvre on favors from an unconverted Rome:

“For fifteen years we dialogued to try to put the tradition back in its place of honour, in that place in the Church which it has by right. We ran up against a continual refusal. What Rome grants in favour of this tradition at present is nothing but a purely political gesture, a piece of diplomacy so as to force people into compromise. But it is not a conviction of the benefits of Tradition.” (Fideliter No. 79, January-February 1991)

“When they say they [Dom Gerard and the Fraternity of St. Peter] don’t have to give anything up, that’s false. They have given up the ability to oppose Rome. They cannot say anything anymore. They must remain silent given the favours that have been granted them. It is now impossible for them to expose the errors of the Conciliar Church. Softly, softly they adhere, even be it only by their Profession of Faith that is requested by Cardinal Ratzinger. I think Dom Gérard is about to publish a small book written by one of his monks on Religious Liberty and which will try to justify it. From the point of view of ideas, they begin to slide ever so slowly and end up by admitting the false ideas of the Council, because Rome has granted them some favours of Tradition. It’s a very dangerous situation” (Fideliter No. 79, January-February 1991)