50th anniversary of the founding of the Society of St. Pius X
Decree of erection for the Priestly Society of St. Pius X (1st November 1970)
Given the encouragements expressed by the Second Vatican Council, in the decree Optatum Totius, concerning international seminaries and the distribution of the clergy;
Given the urgent necessity for the formation of zealous and generous priests conforming to the directives of the cited decree;
Confirming that the Statutes of the Priestly Society correspond to its goals:
We, Francois Charriere, Bishop of Lausanne, Geneva and Fribourg, in the Holy Name of God invoked and all canonical prescriptions observed, decree what follows:
- The “International Priestly Society of Saint Pius X” is erected in our diocese as a “Pia unio.”
- The seat of the Society is fixed as the Maison St. Pie X (St. Pius X House), 50, rue de la Vignettaz in our episcopal city of Fribourg.
- We approve and confirm the Statutes, here joined, of the Society for a period of six years ad experimentum, which will be able to be renewed for a similar period by tacit approval; after which, the Society can be erected definitively in our diocese by the competent Roman congregation.
We implore divine blessings on this Priestly Society that it may attain its principal goal which the formation of holy priests.
Given at Fribourg, at our episcopal residence.
November 1, 1970, on the Feast of All Saints,
[signed] + Francois Charriere,
Bishop of Lausanne, Geneva and Fribourg
