How Long Have You Considered Yourself a Traditional Catholic?

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Asperges_Me

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I’m interested for those who consider themselves a Traditional Catholic, how long has it been since you started thinking of yourself in those kinds of terms. In other words, when did you come to the opinion that the Church was operating more in a spirit of discontinuity and rupture than in a spirit of continuity and tradition. And in your narrative, please describe any major event that made you change your mind, such as new pastor, moving to new parish, church closing, etc.
 
Let’s see…I made my First Communion in 1958 and was Confirmed in 1963. I submitted to the magesterium of HMC as did my parents. It took me 15 years to find my reverent cathedral parish after 1968.

I’ve never stopped being a traditonal Catholic. I went to Catholic school from primer to 12th grade. I sang in the cathedral choir for 18 + years. That’s not boasting on my part but rather an indication of just how serious I take being a traditonal Catholic.

We have one SSPX chapel in my diocese and one “indult” parish which only offers “Low Mass”. Our bishop merely “acknowledged” the Motu Proprio.

I watched ETWN’s “Mass of the Holy Cross” a few weeks ago. I haven’t attended a TLM since the mid -70s. I had no problem following along and was able to respond.

I’m a Baby Boomer. For every one of those of my generation who embraced the guitars and the folk songs of 1968, there were every bit as many of us who were content with Gregorian Chant.

We submitted to the magesterium. Good Catholics all.

My conscience was formed before Vatican II. I have many brothers and sisters who are still alive.
 
1st Holy Communion '58 & Confirmed '64…altarboy '59…

james
 
Since that day in 1st Grade back in 1975 when I was scolded for not doing the hand gestures to Kum Ba Yah for some school pageant. I didn’t know what was going on, but I DID KNOW it was stupid. 😛

Suzanne with www.priestsincrisis.com
 
Asperges_Me said:
I’m interested for those who consider themselves a Traditional Catholic, how long has it been since you started thinking of yourself in those kinds of terms. In other words, when did you come to the opinion that the Church was operating more in a spirit of discontinuity and rupture than in a spirit of continuity and tradition. And in your narrative, please describe any major event that made you change your mind, such as new pastor, moving to new parish, church closing, etc.
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I consider myself a Traditional Catholic, but I’m not one according to your description. I voted 0-3 yrs, because I didn’t attend Mass or practice the Faith from around 72 till late '06.

I never changed my mind. I came to this forum and at first, was confused. I never knew what all the fuss was about, since I had been away so long. I was nearly convinced that the Church had strayed too far from Tradition, but after taking time to get to know all I could about Pope BXVI, and following his words and actions, I have found comfort in knowing that he is indeed a man of tremendous Faith. That, coupled with the fact that he is Pope because the Cardinals elected him, has lead me to have confidence in the Hierarchy. The gloom and negativity I’ve seen on the internet by the laity who deem themselves authorized to criticize the men who have given their lives to the service of HMC is more unsettling to me than the few issues that do trouble me. Those who are not in full communion with Rome do have some valid concerns, but far too many have given up on Rome, a mindset I can’t embrace.

I feel one can be a traditional catholic without standing in judgment of Rome. No matter how error ridden a sermon I hear may be, or how liberal an individual priest may be, it can’t shake my faith. I’ll still continue to build my faith by reading the ascetical works of St Alphonsus, praying the Rosary, and trusting in my devotions of choice. Although a great sermon is great food for the soul, I don’t go to Mass to see what the priest has to say.

These days I lean toward prayer of reparation for what I deem error, and even then, I first ask our Father’s forgiveness in case it is I who is in error per my concerns.
 
I was baptized in 1950, received Holy Communion in 1957 and was confirmed in 1959. In the mid-60’s, after Vatican II is when my problems started with the church. I think we had some very liberal people at the council and to me, the church is hardly recognizible today. I am SO frustrated with the whole mess that I seldom go to church. I realize this is a grave sin but when I do go, I leave in such a snit that I consider that a double sin! Does anyone have any answers for me?:confused:
 
BORN CATHOLIC… LIVED LIKE A HEATHEN… BECAME PROTESTANT… READ A KARL KEATING BOOK… CAME HOME… SAW NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PROTESTANT SERVICE AND CATHOLIC MASS. Then…

After receiving communion in the hand from a 12 year old kid wearing blue jeans at my parish, I decided to visit a Latin Mass about two months ago. Immediately after I walked in to the church, I saw people doing something I haven’t seen for thirty years… they were praying the rosary before Mass!!! That was my first clue that something was seriously wrong at my parish.

It was obvious that I found what had been missing… REVERENCE! I have been reading up on the Latin Mass and traditional catholicism. I’m just now finding out about the crisis in the church and how the Mass has been virtually destroyed by protestant influence.

So how long have I considered myself Traditional? About two months and I’m not going back! 👍
 
I put about 4 years. I was out of the church most of my life ( I’m 39) but always Catholic (in other words I would not attend any other church when I did go to church). I came back to the Church about a year before I lost my DD (funny how God works:thumbsup: ).

While visiting my parents in Richmond, I attended their indult parish. WOW. I walked out feeling frustrated, moved, and determined to find out what else I didn’t know about my faith.

I was not able to attend a Latin Mass for a couple of years after that, but now where I live we have a great latin Mass with a priest who is young, devout and challenges us to devote ourselves more fully to the God and the church. I am still learning (everything) about the faith and am working on increasing my faith. I love my tradition community because they are so welcoming and helpful. I would consider myself extremely lucky at this point.
 
By definition, can one consider to be “a Traditional Catholic” if he has never attended a Latin mass?
 
Well, I’d have to say 0-3 years because I converted only two years ago.

My RCIA was headed by a brilliant woman named Lois, who is a very traditional Catholic. I was lucky. Our “Breaking Open the Word” lessons started with a lecture on the rosary every Sunday. We were enrolled in the Scapular. She praised the Latin Mass every chance she got. She refused to read the part of Our Lord in a skit because she was a woman. She gave us handouts on having a good Lent. Every Sunday in advent we lit a candle and she told us about it’s history. If she didn’t speak Latin, Hebrew, and Greek she sure made it seem like she did.

That really influenced me, so I realized really quickly that some things are just not Catholic, plain and simple. I found a Latin Mass about an hour away and went one Sunday. It was amazing. So reverent, so obviously directed to God and in line with all teachings. The sermon was on dressing apropriately for Mass, in our hearts and on our skin.

I’ve been protestant. I don’t want to be protestant. I want to be Catholic.
 
Asperges_Me said:
I’m And in your narrative, please describe any major event that made you change your mind, such as new pastor, moving to new parish, church closing, etc.
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We joined the Church over 4 years ago.
At the time of beginning to join I thought all Catholics and Catholic churches were what I’ve learned is considered Traditional.
I thought of it as “Catholic” but Catholics thought of it as “Traditional.”
So that was my major event…ignorance. 🙂

I joined in a NO parish that until the Mass started in English one would have expected the Priest to speak in Latin.
Ended with the Leonine prayers and everything.
Same silence, modesty, revernece, etc., etc., as the Latin Mass.
Only after some visits to other NO parishes did I realize that all the other (meaning all) NO parishes seemed basically like my friends Protestant services.
It was an interesting awakening :o
Then I heard that there was an occasional Latin Mass, that the NO mass was different, and so on and so forth
 
I have been a “traditional” Catholic for either a year or almost a year now. I am only 16, and have always been a faithful and orthodox Catholic with “conservative” sympathies. Always loved the faith, since I was a child. 3-4 years ago my excellent religion teacher did a great job in preparing me for Confirmation and got me on the road to “rigid” orthodoxy. When the motu proprio came out, I didn’t even know as my dad died(rest in peace) a week before it came out. Around this time last year, I finally got internet, and after googling various sites due to my archbishop handing Our Lord in the Eucharist to men in sacrilegious drag, I encountered traditional Catholic sites. I also sing in a non-religious choir, and most of the members are atheist(what do you expect, its San Francisco), but most of the songs we sing were Latin Masses from the Baroque period. The first images I ever saw of a Latin Mass was the Fulton Sheen one from the 40s on youtube. It was so beautiful and mysterious to me. My grandma would just tell me that back in the day it was in Latin and the priest had his “back to the people.” I thought that was the only difference, and I was wrong. If the EF was done in English, it would not resemble the OF. Anyways, I also thought of how all of these beautiful pieces were written by Mozart, Schubert, and others. This kind of music could not be written for the regular mass I go to. I then became submerged in traditional Catholicism, and fell in love with the Old Mass. I envied those who had access to the EF or a solemn OF. My very first Latin Mass was on March 7, 2008, after the Abp. finally “approved” one. I was kinda lost, but since then got a good missal and can easily follow the mass. I have been to less than 10 Latin Masses, because they are so far away and because my mother is not a traditionalist. But I know how to pray in latin and other traditional forms of piety and prayer. I also learned how all of the hurt and neglect led some into radicalism and eventually heresy and schism. I was tempted, but realized I must be in full union with the Rock on which Our Lord established HMC. It has only been a year, wow. Who knows, maybe I’ll join the FSSP, and, God willing, become a priest. Thank God for Our Pope and may God grant him many years.
 
Asperges_Me said:
I’m interested for those who consider themselves a Traditional Catholic, how long has it been since you started thinking of yourself in those kinds of terms. In other words, when did you come to the opinion that the Church was operating more in a spirit of discontinuity and rupture than in a spirit of continuity and tradition. And in your narrative, please describe any major event that made you change your mind, such as new pastor, moving to new parish, church closing, etc.
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Since I was baptized at the age of 8 weeks old. A true, TRADITIONAL Catholic is one who is in full communion with Rome.
 
i started to mark 4-20 yrs because i was not always well-catechized… I don’t consider that i was catechized at all for the first part of my life… but yet and still… when i was “lost” in the world… for many yrs… there was always this very Catholic sense of right and wrong in all (well, most of) my decisions… so i believe i have always been orthodox and traditional Catholic…

Once i studied Cathlicism, I really became totally traditional…

(& very excited… to find Catholic teachings [Purgatory, etc.] in the Bible… where my Protesant friends always said they could never be found :eek: )… 🙂
 
Wow. I just took a new look at the poll. Not too many of my generation who were alive before Vatican II. But I applaud those of you who are younger than me. I’m beginning to feel like a dinosaur.😃
 
brotherhrolf said:
Wow. I just took a new look at the poll. Not too many of my generation who were alive before Vatican II. But I applaud those of you who are younger than me. I’m beginning to feel like a dinosaur.😃
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I’ve told bits & pieces of my story before…but here goes:
I was born in 1941 to Catholic parents who sent me, of course, to Catholic schools. It was there that I learned the beautiful Tridentine Mass. 20 some years later, I was told that the Mass would be said in English & changed a “little”. I had no worries about the change…the Church had given me a wonderful Mass during my early years…I was sure that the changes would be small & the new Mass would be more reverent & sacred than the old one.

I remember the first Novus Ordo Mass that I attended. I was disappointed a bit…the Roman Canon was just not there, MANY prayers were omitted, but I thought well it’s new & I’m just not used to it. As time went by, our Church was gutted, the confessional was gone as was the Communion Rail, the Stations & the Mass was becoming a place to experiment with “creativity”.
We were told that we didn’t need to go to confession any more, as our sins were forgiven during Mass. (A few years later, we were told that we DID need to go to Confession & a “reconciliation room” was built right next to the “gathering space”. I believe that it was at this point that my Catholicity reared it’s head & I became so discouraged. That was about 20 years ago. I felt abandoned & helpless to change anything. I started missing Mass more than I should have…or would have when it was still said in the Tridentine form.

Still I hung on…When Pope John Paul gave us the indult Mass, I felt like someone had thrown me a lifeline. However, it did not go over well with the Bishop in my diocese. There was one Latin Mass in my large diocese & it was a 120 mile journey to attend. And then came the word fron Pope Benedict & I’m once again attending a Mass that is, I believe, pleasing to me & to God.
 
CradleCath, I’m 10 years younger than you but I know your sentiments. (13 years of Catholic education). I saw my parents marginalized at my home parish eventually ending up at the vigil Mass on Saturday because it was the most “orthodox”.

I am blessed and thankful to have found my orthodox cathedral parish in '83. It’s a 25 mile drive one way. Ours was one of the first cathedrals to be renovated (1967). It is amazing that in 1992 we installed a new pipe organ and restored the choir loft. (Both ripped out during the renovation starting in 1965) Many of the statues and ornaments from the high altar which were ripped out during the renovation have reappeared. They were given to parishoners back in the 60’s and they are being returned.

I sang in the cathedral choir for some 18 years. Our rector was ordained in the 50s. I will sing in a schola or I am willing to serve once I brush up on the rubrics. I’ve not forgotten the Latin these long 40 years. There is hope.
 
When I was in college, my reading on these forums alerted me to the fact that, contrary to what I had been led to believe, the liturgical difference from before and after Vatican II was more than the language. I started reading up on the traditional Mass, realized just how different it was, and decided to attend one. My first TLM (other than one celebrated for my parish’s 125th anniversary when I was in grade school), was in 2004, and I immediately knew that this was home. The funny thing was that it wasn’t something “new” or exotic, but the priest who had trained me to serve the NO as a boy had taught us such a reverence and love for the liturgy that my first (adult) TLM seemed like the natural conclusion of all that training. While I still don’t attend exclusively, either due to travel or my difficulty getting up for 7:45 Mass, I knew from the very first TLM (before I was even married) that this was the rite I would raise my children in if at all possible.
 
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