Cardinal Sarah urges Church to embrace young traditionalists

[_Abyssinia]

'They are neither nostalgic nor embittered nor encumbered by the ecclesiastical battles of recent decades'
Cardinal Robert Sarah has praised young Catholics who prefer the older form of the Roman Rite, saying he can “personally testify to the sincerity and devotion of these young men and women”.

In a speech to the Fifth Roman Colloquium on Summorum Pontificum, held at the Pontifical University of St Thomas (Angelicum), the cardinal added that other Catholics should “open your hearts and minds” to these young people and the “good they do”.

http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/new...rges-church-to-embrace-young-traditionalists/

 

[tseleehw]

It is good to see Cardinal Sarah given encouragement to young, traditionalist Catholics, rather than speak of them with disdain and contempt as Pope Francis does.

 

[JimG]

From the article:

“The cardinal also reiterated his defence of Mass ad orientem, saying: “This venerable practice is permitted, is perfectly appropriate and, I would insist, is pastorally advantageous in celebrations of the usus recentior—the more modern form of the Roman rite.””

 

[Vadne]

Yes, very good indeed to see the Cardinal defend such Catholic youth, rather than read another instance of the Pope criticizing with broad brush strokes an entire movement as “rigid.”

 

[pnewton]

Cardinal Sarah is really amazing. It is good to see him take the initiative with young people. There is no “right” type of spirituality (though plenty of wrong ones). When he sees the fruit of traditionalist (if I may use that word) practice in young people, he jumps in to encourage and shield them.

 

[PluniaZ]

Young people should embrace their elders in the church, and not presume to know better than them.

 

[Vadne]

Catholics are more than permitted to question their leaders. That includes the youth. Those rights are enshrined in Canon Law. Clergy are not above question or reproach.

 

[JimG]

Young people should embrace their elders in the church, and not presume to know better than them.

A good thought, provided their elders are well-formed orthodox Catholics. However, I know several generations of Catholics who were ill-served by their elders, at least in the sense that they grew up entirely un-catechized in the Faith, thanks to poor or absent religious formation, despite attending nominally Catholic schools.

 

[stpurl]

Oh good, then since Cardinal Sarah is an elder statesman of the Church, a senior prelate, you’re encouraging all of us ‘younger ones’ to embrace his teaching.

 

[Mark121359]

Young people should embrace their elders in the church, and not presume to know better than them.

Right. They should listen to their elders in the church like Cardinal Sarah, and continue to enjoy the TLM without the “Rigid” stigma hanging over their head.

 

[Duesenberg]

‘They are neither nostalgic nor embittered nor encumbered by the ecclesiastical battles of recent decades’
Cardinal Robert Sarah has praised young Catholics who prefer the older form of the Roman Rite, saying he can “personally testify to the sincerity and devotion of these young men and women”.

Just exactly where does he think these young Catholics spring from? Typically households were liturgical bitterness and the results of ecclesiastical battles are routinely discussed. I have never met a Catholic “traditionalist” that wasn’t fairly negative, fairly judgemental when it came to the liturgy. I can understand the reason they act the way they do – they are ignored, their concerns are discounted, so they become reactionaries. What I cannot understand are Cardinal Sarah’s views.

 

[rmichaelj]

I have never met a Catholic “traditionalist” that wasn’t fairly negative, fairly judgemental when it came to the liturgy.

Ah, the “toxic” or “bitter” trad. There are quite a few, but they tend to be over-represented on the internet.

If your part of a traditionalist community you’ll also find many who feel more of a sense of pity for those who don’t have or can’t understand what was lost.

Of course even the best of us can have the occasional moment of bitterness. Best to be above that as it can lead to despair.

 

[Bon_Croix]

I prefer tradition and I’m still somewhat young. I don’t care for folk style guitar choirs; I prefer Latin and Greek.

 

[Usige]

That might be your experience, but I know plenty of people who attend the EF who don’t meet your stereotype.

I guess it depends on how you classify someone as being ‘judgemental’ about the liturgy. I’ve actually heard more negative ‘judegemental’ comments about the EF than I have from those who love it. Saying “I don’t like the music at the local parish” or “I miss the beauty of the Latin prayers” aren’t judgemental in my book, but stating a preference.

Personally I think the EF and OF appeal to people for different reasons the same way one might chose Franciscan Spirituality over say Benedictine. Most people I know that prefer the EF do so because they find it more contemplative.

Should we really discourage people who encounter God more easily in older practices and forms simply because those practices don’t work for us?

 

[Duesenberg]

That might be your experience, but I know plenty of people who attend the EF who don’t meet your stereotype.

I guess it depends on how you classify someone as being ‘judgemental’ about the liturgy. I’ve actually heard more negative ‘judegemental’ comments about the EF than I have from those who love it. Saying “I don’t like the music at the local parish” or “I miss the beauty of the Latin prayers” aren’t judgemental in my book, but stating a preference.

Personally I think the EF and OF appeal to people for different reasons the same way one might chose Franciscan Spirituality over say Benedictine. Most people I know that prefer the EF do so because they find it more contemplative.

Should we really discourage people who encounter God more easily in older practices and forms simply because those practices don’t work for us?

You’re doing it right there…

 

[Usige]

Usige:

I’ve actually heard more negative ‘judegemental’ comments about the EF than I have from those who love it.

You’re doing it right there…

Uh… where? My comment says zero about either form of the liturgy, but is rather about the ratio of ‘judgemental comments’.

For every one person I’ve heard say the ordinary form is defective, I’ve heard dozens say that they hate the TLM because of Latin, the priest “turning their back”, no women readers, et cetera. All of those are just as negative and judgemental as the first.

 

[billy15]

The full address can be found here.

Also, we’re painting with a pretty broad brush if we think all “traditionalists” are fairly negative or judgemental. But like cardinal Sarah said, it’s time to stop calling them traditionalists. I’ve never called myself that, despite preferring the EF Mass over the OF, and most Sundays I’m usually attending an OF Mass. I’m curious to know what is hard to understand about Cardinal Sarah’s views, and which specific views we’re thinking of when saying that.

 

[yankeesouth]

This guy stared down dictators. If some thought he would go quietly into the night they were wrong.

 

[Debbie_Kono]

Thank you Cardinal Sarah. It is disheartening to see our pope calling those who truly love Tradition as rigid.

I’m wondering if those here who put down the Traditionalists as negative and judgmental even know the difference in the two Masses? The prayers that are lost in the NO? Or that St. Mother Teresa said one of the worst crisis in the Church was Communion in the hand?

 

[pnewton]

Thank you Cardinal Sarah. It is disheartening to see our pope calling those who truly love Tradition as rigid.

Then do not be disheartened. Pope Francis did not call those who truly love Tradition rigid. He said sometimes he is confronted by someone who is rigid. Do not believe every headline you read, especially in blogs, news papers and television with an agenda to trash the Church.

Someone pointed out that we must not stereotype traditionalists. Generalization is almost always faulty. It is also faulty when generalization is reversed, saying that criticism of some is criticism of all.