Avoiding Self-Righteousness

[Francis_Pio]

As someone new to Traditional Catholicism, yet surrounded by people who are relatively unfamiliar with it, I find myself frequently falling into arrogance and self-righteousness. I esteem myself to be “better” than others, because I am blessed to be more familiar with Tradition than they are, and consequently end up in a nearly constant state of conceit and pride. I know this is wrong, and desire to be humble after the example of our Lord and our Blessed Mother, yet becoming more Traditional has seemed to impede this in some respects. Any advice on how to more effectively humble myself would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, and Happy Easter.

 

[collegepak]

As someone new to Traditional Catholicism, yet surrounded by people who are relatively unfamiliar with it, I find myself frequently falling into arrogance and self-righteousness. I esteem myself to be “better” than others, because I am blessed to be more familiar with Tradition than they are, and consequently end up in a nearly constant state of conceit and pride. I know this is wrong, and desire to be humble after the example of our Lord and our Blessed Mother, yet becoming more Traditional has seemed to impede this in some respects. Any advice on how to more effectively humble myself would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, and Happy Easter.

This is exactly what I am trying to tackle as well, because most people feel the same sentiment. I don’t think there is any way on earth for people to justify or rationalize convention or tradition in any way. To put it simply, the Bible is all you have. You can try to find the fundamental reasons for each doctrine in the catechism, but it was designed to get you lost an confused. Men are always wrong, including the Church.

 

[sphilomena]

IMO, there is no better way to grow in humility than to be consecrated to the Blessed Mother (via the de Montfort method) and using his book, True Devotion to Mary. It is there in your statement, when you mention being more like her. This book is one of the Church’s treasures and is life-changing when read while being docile to the Holy Spirit. I have given classes on this and ended up with groups wanting to continue reading the whole book.

I’ll even go out on a limb and say that this consecration, really lived, could change the whole Church!

 

[HOPEFUL_IN_UK]

Francis, just to be clear, are you talking about “Traditionalist” Traditional? As in, prefering the Latin Mass or older forms of devotion and piety? If so, I do know what you mean. I don’t like noticing how other people worship and feeling prideful and self-conscious about how I do things, myself. It’s a real minefield, for me.

 

[Pax_et_Caritas]

As someone new to Traditional Catholicism, yet surrounded by people who are relatively unfamiliar with it, I find myself frequently falling into arrogance and self-righteousness. I esteem myself to be “better” than others, because I am blessed to be more familiar with Tradition than they are, and consequently end up in a nearly constant state of conceit and pride. I know this is wrong, and desire to be humble after the example of our Lord and our Blessed Mother, yet becoming more Traditional has seemed to impede this in some respects. Any advice on how to more effectively humble myself would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, and Happy Easter.

Try to make a habit of this after each communion: Offer to God all of the torments and humiliations associated with the crowning of thorns in reparation for your pride; and then offer to God all the merits of our Lord’s crowning asking Him to grant you the grace of greater humility for your salvation and for His Glory.

That’s what I do, and it has worked for me. I am the most humble person you will ever meet

 

[oneGODoneCHURCH]

I Find myself I a similar position. I much prefer the Tridentine Mass and find myself drawn to the traditional observances. Since I have gone to a few TML’s and been exposed to the more traditional. When I see things at my regular parish that are norm’s for the modern church I just abut pop. For the Easter Vigil Mass I arrived about 45 minutes prior to the start we had all sorts of people running about the church and up around the alter. I realize that there were things that needed to be done but the capper was when I saw a lady carrying in her Macdonald’s coke cup drinking from it as she walked to the pew.

I just close my eyes and pray asking the Lord to remove the log from my eye and to remove the self righteousness that comes to me. I really like the Priest that we have. but pray that when the day come that he is no longer our priest that god will send us a very traditional and strong priest to correct some of these things.

 

[NoPlaceLikeRome]

Oy! You guys hit the nail right on the head. It’s that old problem–Traditional Catholics aren’t better than everything else, but traditional Catholicism really is–but I at least came to this realization gradually and can’t explain it quickly to friends and relations, who fear that I am becoming a snob.

Thanks for your recommendations, StPhilomena & Pax + Caritas! SPhilomena–Does one have to make the De Montfort consecration publicly (i.e. prepare with others, talk to a priest about it)? I read “True Devotion” the other year and found it strong medicine, but I know a good order who practice the Consecration (according to St. Kolbe) for one of their vows, along with poverty, chastity & obedience, so I am becoming more interested in it.

 

[sphilomena]

Oy! You guys hit the nail right on the head. It’s that old problem–Traditional Catholics aren’t better than everything else, but traditional Catholicism really is–but I at least came to this realization gradually and can’t explain it quickly to friends and relations, who fear that I am becoming a snob.

Thanks for your recommendations, StPhilomena & Pax + Caritas! SPhilomena–Does one have to make the De Montfort consecration publicly (i.e. prepare with others, talk to a priest about it)? I read “True Devotion” the other year and found it strong medicine, but I know a good order who practice the Consecration (according to St. Kolbe) for one of their vows, along with poverty, chastity & obedience, so I am becoming more interested in it.

The consecration does not have to be public; God honors what is in our hearts. I read St. Kolbe after my de Montfort period and found that Kolbe builds on de Montfort - at least in my spiritual journey. After reading Kolbe, I joined the Militia Immaculata, their lay group, although there is no physical group near me. So I think the two saints go together like bread and butter!

 

[IrishAm]

I find great humility in remembering how very little my Saving Lord asked of me for so many years. And any time I feel prideful of how I observe my faith now, and any time I feel judgmental of others who seem to be Cafeteria Catholics, or lapsed Catholics, or lukewarm Catholics, or happy-clappy Catholics, or whatever, I remind myself that the path God had me take to get to where I am today was not all that different.

What is the line from the silly movie, “Men in Black”? Something along the lines of “if this is what you know today, just **imagine **what you will know tomorrow.”

May we all be blessed on our journey – where ever we are along the path.

 

[Windmill]

As someone new to Traditional Catholicism, yet surrounded by people who are relatively unfamiliar with it, I find myself frequently falling into arrogance and self-righteousness. I esteem myself to be “better” than others, because I am blessed to be more familiar with Tradition than they are, and consequently end up in a nearly constant state of conceit and pride. I know this is wrong, and desire to be humble after the example of our Lord and our Blessed Mother, yet becoming more Traditional has seemed to impede this in some respects. Any advice on how to more effectively humble myself would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, and Happy Easter.

As someone new to Traditionalism, too, I found myself thinking like this. Then I heard a sermon by Fr. Chad Ripperger, FSSP that helped a lot.

sensustraditionis.org/multimedia.html

The talk is under # 2. It’s the last one: Traditionalist Problems.

Another quote that helped me was from Michael Davies. He basically said that if you get too wrapped up in the crisis in the Church, you can suffer spiritual damage. He said you should stay faithful to your private devotions, frequent the Sacraments, and get your soul to Heaven. That’s your first concern.

 

[latinmasslover]

As someone new to Traditional Catholicism, yet surrounded by people who are relatively unfamiliar with it, I find myself frequently falling into arrogance and self-righteousness. I esteem myself to be “better” than others, because I am blessed to be more familiar with Tradition than they are, and consequently end up in a nearly constant state of conceit and pride. I know this is wrong, and desire to be humble after the example of our Lord and our Blessed Mother, yet becoming more Traditional has seemed to impede this in some respects. Any advice on how to more effectively humble myself would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, and Happy Easter.

I think that feelings like this are largely due to the accusations made by those who support all but traditional Catholicism.

That being said, it’s not difficult to become prideful when blessed. Whether your blessings are spiritual, physical, financial…it’s easy to take things for granted and become cocky.

Whenever a prideful thought comes into your mind, turn it immediately into a prayer (ask your Guardian Angel to remind you to do this). Ask the Lord to make you humble, thank Him for what you perceive as a blessing and ask Him to grant you the grace to relay this to others in order to draw them to Him. “There but for the grace of God go I.” Thank Him for the gift of knowledge, and ask for the gift of humility and wisdom.

And call/e-mail monasteries asking for prayer, it helps!