Ignorance amongst Laity

[bkovacs]

Even though you do not say where you are, the store you mentioned, i believe gives you away on where you live (Philadelphia). If so, I stopped going to those stores when I lived in the area. If I am correct, check the Pauline Books & Media store in the area (They have stores all over the country if I am wrong). If anyone would have what you are looking for, they would.

Correct St. Judes in Willow Groove. And the lady who didn’t understand what a Tridentine Mass was. Works at the rectory at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Doylestown PA.

 

[catharina]

Correct St. Judes in Willow Groove. And the lady who didn’t understand what a Tridentine Mass was. Works at the rectory at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Doylestown PA.

Again, speaking for myself - and maybe for some others of my generation - the terms Tridentine Mass and NO Mass and even Traditional Latin Mass are not necessarily in common use among RCs who have never explored “divisions” in the Church.

All of those terms still ‘feel unusual’ to me even though I’ve used them on this site.

 

[bkovacs]

Again, speaking for myself - and maybe for some others of my generation - the terms Tridentine Mass and NO Mass and even Traditional Latin Mass are not necessarily in common use among RCs who have never explored “divisions” in the Church.

All of those terms still ‘feel unusual’ to me even though I’ve used them on this site.

Well maybe those NO priests should better educate their parishiners. Or get educated themselves!.

 

[catharina]

Well maybe those NO priests should better educate their parishiners. Or get educated themselves!.

I’m 61 y.o. and the majority of priests I’ve known reached adulthood in the days of pre Vatican II - as did I.

 

[WanderAimlessly]

Correct St. Judes in Willow Groove. And the lady who didn’t understand what a Tridentine Mass was. Works at the rectory at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Doylestown PA.

That one is the worse of the bunch.

BTW: My parish when I lived in the area was Mary, Mother of the Redeemer in North Wales.

 

[Exalt]

In one sense you are right. Those that frequent CA are probably a little more concerned about their faith, but that should be obvious.

If by “more balanced,” you mean those that don’t bother to attend any liturgy, stay away from the sacraments, wouldn’t give a dime to their priests and bishops, etc. should count as members of the Church, then I would agree with you.

Well, yes, those would count as well, I’d assume. (I mean, don’t they make up a majority of the One Billion Catholics that exist across the world?)

However, I’d say a it’s a minority percentage of practicing catholics who are as conservative as the Catholics on this forum.

 

[CB_Catholic]

Since we are talking Mass according to the Missal of John XXIII ia it really correct to call it "The Tridentine " Mass? By the time of John XXIII the Mass of Pius V had already undergone a number of revisions, slight as they might have been. I was around for quite a while before Vatican II, served Mass from 3rd Grade through College. I graduated before Vatican II and I cannot recall ever hearing it called the Tridentine Mass until fairly recently. It was just Mass before and still just Mass afterwward for most people.

As far as Catholics reading Catholic Books, my Mother had only a Bible, Extension Magazine, Our Sunday Visitor ( 5 cents after Mass just outside the Church Door) and a few pamphlets from the rack in Church. No books. At graduation from College I had a book on Intro to St. Thomas, a Sunday Missal, A text on the Virtues and Moral Theology, some class notes on Canon Law of Marriage and Sacred Scripture ( a class in which we never cracked a Bible.) and that was pretty much it till Vatican II stirred up what I probably saw as a “sleeping Church.” Now I have four or five four foot bookshelves crammed with lots of stuff and our Church has maybe half again as many in its library. Some people are reading, but most working Mothers and Fathers don’t really have the time and maybe not the inclination. I doubt if any of my six children have even a half dozen Church related books. They range in age from 32 to 46 and have some interest, but it doesn’t burn in their soul like mine seems to.

We never had Catholic books around, except booklets from the Maryknolls, Our Sunday Visitor, a Bible that nobody read, and a few pamphlets from the rack in church. Oh, we had Missals and Prayerbooks. As for a parish library–nonexistant. All I ever read in school pertaining to the Faith was the Baltimore Catechism, and the Nuns used to keep us up-to-date on the Saints. (I did not go to Catholic High School).

I am so grateful for what we have today, because now I really know my Faith, I have learned much about Church history, I understand the Sacraments much better, and also I have a love for the Bible (although my Protestant grandparents introduced me to the Bible when I was young). I also am beginning to read a little of the ECF’s. I feel much more part of the Church today than I ever did when I was younger.

I would not ever want to go back to those days. And I am a very “conservative” Catholic, raised pre-VaticanII.

 

[Joannm]

In one sense you are right. Those that frequent CA are probably a little more concerned about their faith, but that should be obvious.

If by “more balanced,” you mean those that don’t bother to attend any liturgy, stay away from the sacraments, wouldn’t give a dime to their priests and bishops, etc. should count as members of the Church, then I would agree with you.

I find your statement a bit condescending. There are many, many, many Catholics who are not as conservative as the people on these boards and YES, they are very concerned about their faith. They read, they study, they take courses, they pray (a lot), they take part in the sacraments (even confession) and they support their parishes…and yes they have a more balanced attitude than some of the people here.

I do not consider myself a conservative or traditionalist in any sense. But I am totally orthodox in my beliefs and I am totally committed to my Catholic faith…and so are many of the people I associate with. I don’t think lumping those who do not think like you into such a negative description is very Christian. My spiritual director, who is a VERY conservative priest, asked me to stay away from these forums because of the negativity expressed here. Perhaps I should listen to him.

 

[RUINATION_IPA]

I hate to let you in on a little secret; about 70 to 80% of Catholics are contracepting and there is no way you can paint all of them as liberal. They were not taught that it is intrinsicly wrong; they were taught to “follow their conscience”; and many of them are trying to do that. They were not taught the second corollary, that one has to constantly strive to conform one’s conscience to the Church. To paint them all as liberal is to define liberal as one who contracepts. I do not accept that definition.

No secret there… I left out the ‘lax’ (or lukewarm) catholic in what I had to say. Which I would think is a significant portion. Either way, the liberals are still contracepting and the orthodox are not.

It may well be that you have a lot of Latin Masses where you are; we have one in the Portland area, and it is not getting flooded.

Well, Portland being Portland I can understand that. It’s not that they’re necessarily being “flooded” but the majority I have been to are mostly younger 20-30’s Catholics with large families - on average about 4 children. Whenever I have to go somewhere I try to see if there is a Latin Mass available first before I see if there is a N.O. Although I generally attend a N.O. where I live. I can happily say the situation is the same from Texas (Houston & Austin) to AZ, (Phoenix & Tucson) to California (San Bernadino, and Ontario).

 

[BobP123]

I find your statement a bit condescending. There are many, many, many Catholics who are not as conservative as the people on these boards and YES, they are very concerned about their faith.

My purpose was not to offend any readers. I think you missed my point entirely. The majority of “Catholics” don’t go to Church, at least not on a regular basis. If you have a priest that you talk to on a regular basis, you are in a tiny minority, whether you consider yourself conservative, liberal, or traditionalist.