superior of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter, is also the President of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei. For more information, please go to www.vatican.va.

About Thomas Gordon Smith Architects

Thomas Gordon Smith is a leader in contemporary developments of classical architecture. His company, Thomas Gordon Smith Architects, believes that contemporary buildings should balance strength, function, and beauty. The first criterion involves structural and durability issues; the second requires the smooth, efficient, and accessible design of complex and varied uses. Achieving the criterion of beauty involves formal and abstract principles of design, and clear engagement with the elements of classical architecture. For more information, go to www.thomasgordonsmitharchitects.com.

About EWTN

Founded by Mother Angelica, the EWTN Global Catholic Network, now in its 28th year, is available in more than 150 million television households in more than 140 countries and erritories. EWTN is the largest religious media network in the world. For more information, go to www.ewtn.com.


A Biography for Father John Marcus Berg, FSSP

Fr. John Marcus Berg was elected the third Superior General of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter in July of 2006 succeeding Fr. Arnaud Devillers and Fr. Joseph Bisig.

Fr. Berg was born and raised in a Catholic family in Minnesota. He entered the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter immediately after graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts from Thomas Aquinas College, in Southern California. In 1993 he began with the first class of Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary in Scranton Pennsylvania. He was tonsured in Wigratzbad by Bishop Zieglebauer and did his theological studies at the Seminary of St. Peter.

Fr. Berg finished his studies at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome where he received a Licentiate Degree in Dogmatic Theology. He was ordained a priest by Bishop James C. Timlin of Scranton, Pennsylvania on September 6 1997. He then returned to Rome where he worked at the FSSP chapel there, San Gregorio dei Muratori. He taught Dogmatic Theology on the seminary staff at Our Lady of Guadalupe. He served as Pastor of St. Stephen the First Martyr Parish in Sacramento, California.

During the General Chapter in the summer of 2006, Fr. Berg was elected as the Superior General of the entire Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter. He currently lives at the Priestly Fraternity’s General House in Fribourg, Switzerland. Placed in charge of the Catholic Church’s largest religious community attached to the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, Fr. Berg oversees and coordinates the Priestly Fraternity’s apostolates worldwide. In light of this, Fr. Berg often meets with diocesan bishops throughout the world.

A Quick Glossary of Terms

The Mass – With supernatural faith, Catholics believe that the Mass is the re-presentation, in an unbloody manner, of the sacrifice of Calvary in which Jesus offered his life to atone for the sins of all humanity. Christ’s one-time death won from His Father an infinite amount of spiritual merit. At every Mass, that infinite spiritual merit is applied to humanity in space and time. At every Mass, the substance of bread and wine become the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ. The separate Consecration of the bread into the body and the wine into the blood signifies the death of Christ.

At each and every Mass, Jesus Christ is the Priest and the Victim. Christ is the Priest because since He is “always living to make intercession for us”, He offers to God the Father the Sacrifice of Calvary. The Victim is also Christ insofar as Christ is offering Himself in an unbloody manner to the Father as a propitiation for the sins of men.

Catholics believe that the Eucharist is the source and summit of the spiritual life. Christ is present in various ways in the Church but only in the Eucharist is He present Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity under the appearances of bread and wine. Catholics’ belief for this is largely based on Divine Revelation in, for example, the Gospel of John, chapter 6

Merit-Reward proper to a work accomplished.

Sacrament-An outward (visible) sign, instituted by Christ, to give Grace to men

Grace-a participation by the soul in the Divine, Trinitarian life.

Motu Proprio – A type of Papal document of legislative nature

Supreme Pontiff – The word Supreme Pontiff is taken from the Latin word “pontifex” which means bridge-builder. Catholics see that Supreme Pontiff or Pope as the Vicar of Christ on earth. The Supreme Pontiff or Pope enjoys full, supreme and universal power within the Church. The biblical basis for the Papacy is found, for example, in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 16. ...