Institute of Christ the King Now of Pontifical Right

The Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, already a Society of Apostolic Life of diocesan right, has now been granted the status of a Society of Apostolic Life of Pontifical Right. Here is an announcement from the American website of the Institute:

With deepest gratitude to the Blessed Trinity, to Christ Our King, and His Immaculate Mother, to St. Joseph, to St. Michael the Archangel, to our patron saints, to the entire court of heaven, and with filial thankfulness to our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI and his faithful collaborators, we have the joy to announce a very important event:

On the feast day of Our Lady, Queen of the Holy Rosary, the Vice-President of the Commission Ecclesia Dei, Very Reverend Monsignor Camille Perl, has read in our Seminary chapel the official decree by which, in the name of the Holy Father, the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest was erected to the status of a Society of Apostolic Life of Pontifical Right. Also our Sisters Adorers of the Royal Heart of Jesus received the status of Pontifical Right. The Decree was signed by His Eminence Dario Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos. A Solemn Te Deum followed the reading of the Decree.

Born out of a profound union with the Holy Father in Rome and the Institute's founder and members having always lived in a continuous and unwavering spirit of faithful Romanitas, the Institute was granted the Pontifical Right after the formal time of experience and interrogation which is a traditional custom for the Holy See. Various positive Apostolic Visitations conducted by the Roman Curia and a very favorable consultation of all the Most Reverend Bishops in whose Dioceses we are invited to serve have finalized this canonical process.

After this affirmative evaluation of our spirituality and our international presence and work, the Pontifical Right is an expression of the appreciation of the service of the Institute of Christ the King by the Roman Pontiff and his collaborators to whom we are deeply obliged. The Pontifical Right will make it even easier for the Institute to conduct its service for the Church according to its constitutions and gives to Monsignor the Prior General rights and duties that are in unison with our canonical lifestyle.

BENEDICTO XVI SUMMO PONTIFICI PAX, VITA ET SALUS PERPETUA!

Now images of the ceremony in which the decrees were read and a Te Deum was sung in thansgiving have been made available. Here is a selection:

Msgr. Perl, Vice-President of the Ecclesia Dei Commission, reads the decree (you can read pdf files of the decrees at the PCED website here [Institute] and here [Sisters]; thanks to a reader for the tip):


The decree is handed over to the Prior General of the Institute:



The decree concerning the Sisters Adorers is handed over:


Te Deum is sung:


Benediction:


Group pictures:



A photo-montage about the Institute:-

(images courtesy of NLM)