Is this forum title "Traditional" divisive?

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Dave_in_Dallas

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I am beginning to wonder if this forum title as “Traditional” isn’t rather divisive. It seems that many take traditional to mean Latin Mass / EF. I didn’t think that’s what this forum was supposed to be for after reading the description.
If it is supposed to be a EF forum then it appears to be setting apart the EF as a separate rite, like EC rites in the forum above. It’s also an afront to those of us who love the OF.
There are forums for apologetics and catholic living so not sure why this forum is even needed if not cause dissent between EF and OF supporters.
 
I don’t think the forum title is divisive - just some of the postings. 😃

Seriously, “traditional catholic” seems to be a term that is understood by most here, and is certainly more than just a codeword for “extraordinary form”.
 
Dave_in_Dallas said:
I am beginning to wonder if this forum title as “Traditional” isn’t rather divisive. It seems that many take traditional to mean Latin Mass / EF. I didn’t think that’s what this forum was supposed to be for after reading the description.
If it is supposed to be a EF forum then it appears to be setting apart the EF as a separate rite, like EC rites in the forum above. It’s also an afront to those of us who love the OF.
There are forums for apologetics and catholic living so not sure why this forum is even needed if not cause dissent between EF and OF supporters.
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It sounds to me like you are being divisive. Please stop it.
 
Perhaps a better choice for a name is Catholic Tradition?
 
Dave_in_Dallas said:
Perhaps a better choice for a name is Catholic Tradition?
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Bingo. I love both the OF end EF. And traditional devotions. But don’t call me a traditionalist. That sounds divisive. I’m a Catholic. If you need to use an adjective, please use ‘Roman’.😉
 
Dave_in_Dallas said:
I am beginning to wonder if this forum title as “Traditional” isn’t rather divisive. It seems that many take traditional to mean Latin Mass / EF. I didn’t think that’s what this forum was supposed to be for after reading the description.
If it is supposed to be a EF forum then it appears to be setting apart the EF as a separate rite, like EC rites in the forum above. It’s also an afront to those of us who love the OF.
There are forums for apologetics and catholic living so not sure why this forum is even needed if not cause dissent between EF and OF supporters.
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If you take a look at the sticky on this forum regarding good threads for this forum, you will notice most of us have been starting threads that have to do with Catholic literature, the Communion of Saints, etc.

Like it or not, the traditional Latin mass is part of tradition.

I like the name as it is just fine.
 
I have no problem with EF per se and related discussions. But when EF is made to be synonymous with traditional it implies that the OF Mass is non-traditional. For many (those in their mid 40’s and younger) the only tradition is OF. Yet the OF isn’t called out for discussion in this Traditional forum. Shouldn’t EF related discussions take place in the Liturgy forum instead?
 
When I first came to Catholic Answers I thought the same thing, but never thought it was worth making a big deal about. Over the time I’ve been here I’ve come to recognize that there is no real intention on the part of the site or most posters to be divisive. Most people simply want to understand and experience the pre Vatican II elements of the faith. I can appreciate that desire, though I have trouble with the way some posters explore or express their love for those elements. Sometimes those posts are divisive, but the forum itself, I think, is not.
 
svid2 said:
Bingo. I love both the OF end EF. And traditional devotions. But don’t call me a traditionalist. That sounds divisive. I’m a Catholic. If you need to use an adjective, please use ‘Roman’.😉
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I agree.
 
I must say that I saw a thread below in which this discussion is being had… So let’s just let this one die.
 
Catholics should be, by definition, “traditional”. In every sense of the word. And it shouldn’t be just because you prefer the EF or OF or an Eastern Rite.
 
I was talking about the changing meaning of the word “Traditional” in Catholic coversations earlier today actually.

The OP has a point. In many circles “Traditional” has come to mean EF.

Those who say all Catholics should be Traditional have a point as well, because they are right.

A couple decades ago, “traditional” was much closer to what I think people would describe as “conservative” today. Adhere to the Church teachings, don’t be overwhelmed by worldly things and ideas, devotion to the Sacraments, etc.

However the old “traditional=conservative” and the new “traditional= Latin Mass” folks are not two totally different groups.

In fact, I think the usage of the term traditional has changed because a great many folks have come to the conclusion that the only way they can be conservative “traditional” is to become Latin Mass “traditional”. Specifically folks under 45 fall into this catergory, people who never experienced the TLM earlier in their life, and came to it as a conscious decision because of concerns about what was going on in the OF parishes they grew up in and society at large.

Pax and God Bless.
 
Dan_Daly said:
I was talking about the changing meaning of the word “Traditional” in Catholic coversations earlier today actually.

The OP has a point. In many circles “Traditional” has come to mean EF.

Those who say all Catholics should be Traditional have a point as well, because they are right.

A couple decades ago, “traditional” was much closer to what I think people would describe as “conservative” today. Adhere to the Church teachings, don’t be overwhelmed by worldly things and ideas, devotion to the Sacraments, etc.

However the old “traditional=conservative” and the new “traditional= Latin Mass” folks are not two totally different groups.

In fact, I think the usage of the term traditional has changed because a great many folks have come to the conclusion that the only way they can be conservative “traditional” is to become Latin Mass “traditional”. Specifically folks under 45 fall into this catergory, people who never experienced the TLM earlier in their life, and came to it as a conscious decision because of concerns about what was going on in the OF parishes they grew up in and society at large.

Pax and God Bless.
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But thats misleading. I know many conservative Catholics who exclusively go to the OF.
 
ConstantineTG said:
But thats misleading. I know many conservative Catholics who exclusively go to the OF.
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Maybe so, but I think the definition has come to be associated with those that attend the EF. Not just that, but the EF seems to be part of the definition.

I hear people differentiate by using “Orthodox” and “Traditional”.
 
TrueLight said:
Maybe so, but I think the definition has come to be associated with those that attend the EF. Not just that, but the EF seems to be part of the definition.

I hear people differentiate by using “Orthodox” and “Traditional”.
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“Orthodox” has been taken a thousand years ago 😉

Honestly, if you tell me Orthodox, the first thing that comes to mind is a beard.
 
I know many conservative Catholics who exclusively go to the OF.
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So do I. And I never said its impossible. What I did say is that many people who are conservative and were in OF parishes, saw themselves as a small minority in a sea of luke warmness and modernism. Many of them tried to do things to fix the situation- talk to the Priest, write to the Bishop, work on the Parish council, become a lector/cantor/choir member/EMHC, etc.

Then rightly or wrongly, they decided they would rather go somewhere they didn’t have to fight within their church for orthodoxy and reverance. In many cases, this decision came around the people became parents- because while they were morally prepared for the struggle within the OF community, they wanted to raise their children in someplace where the faith was clear.

This is what happened in my family. It’s also what happened to many other families I know. In fact, I know some folks who have told me they prefer the OF…but they go to the Latin Mass because they can’t find a reverant OF Mass- this in a large northern city where there are many, many churches within a short distance.

Are there coservative, traditional Catholics in OF parishes? Absolutely. I know many of them. Perhaps they’ll come to the EF as some point. Perhaps not. The fact remains, that MANY of them have come. And when a lot of folks like that are concentrated in a Latin Mass Community instead of scattered about various OF parishes, a few things happen:

-they are greatly encouraged by knowing people like them 🙂
-they can speak with a louder voice.

It does set up an interesting dynamic, where if the Church gave us “what we want” or at least what many want- the EF everywhere, say one EF Mass at each Latin Rite Church each Sunday- it would destroy what has been built. That tightly knit community that can fill a large church with EF enthusiasts because it draws on a large area would be gone. THEY would be scattered among various parishes all over the place. That’s a scary idea for a lot of people. I have faith that the same things about the EF that have shown the fruits of the Holy Ghost in the Latin Mass Community- lots of kids and many men following a vocation to the priesthood being two big ones- would manifest themselves all over the place. It would take some time, but expanding the celebration of the EF would draw more people in and grow the Church. In large part this would be because it would enhance the cooperation between “traditionals” and “traditionals”.

Pax and God Bless.
 
Dave_in_Dallas said:
For many (those in their mid 40’s and younger) the only tradition is OF. Yet the OF isn’t called out for discussion in this Traditional forum. Shouldn’t EF related discussions take place in the Liturgy forum instead?
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Would the word “heritage” be better to use than “traditional” then?
 
No matter what the title is, I think that when we read the moderator’s “sticky” about appropriate topics, we will see that the purpose of this section is clearly distinct from the other sections. I also think that it is clear from the sticky that this section is not meant to divide or “segregate” Catholics into several camps, but rather, to educate us about the Catholic Church, mainly about the history of the Church and our place in this history.

I like the term “heritage.” I’m a little afraid that some might take offense at this term, though, because of its association with politically-conservative groups. (The Heritage Foundation.)

It just seems that there is no way anyone can use any term nowadays without offending someone. 😦
 
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