Myths about Traditionalists

[keepitreal]

You are too rich…no! I was saying that when people sort of whisper and look at you with a concerned expression, sometimes you have unknowingly had something embarrassing happen to you, and they’re trying to decide if it is nice to say something or not. You know, like toilet paper dragging from your shoe, or spinach in your teeth, or when a woman rubs her eye, smears her makeup, and then looks like the make-up department did a bad job of approximating a black eye. I’m sorry I didn’t realize you were a guy. I was putting myself in your place, that’s all.

I’m just saying that the sisters’ expression might have nothing to do with the TLM.

Anyway, the best thing you can do is to be your normal, loving, Christian self. If they have the wrong idea about “what kind of person” is edified by the TLM, why, they just haven’t spent enough time with you!!

If you’d like to see the return of the wimple, though, I’d keep that under your hat.

O.K. thanks for clearing that up Your opinion is valid. I thought that initially, until, I started getting those “concerned” looks from other Conservatives, and when I found out that the Mother Superior (do they still call it that?) is a notorious Traditional Mass hater, if my information is correct. The head of the orders ideas usually rubs off on the members .

 

[EasterJoy]

O.K. thanks for clearing that up Your opinion is valid. I thought that initially, until, I started getting those “concerned” looks from other Conservatives, and when I found out that the Mother Superior (do they still call it that?) is a notorious Traditional Mass hater, if my information is correct. The head of the orders ideas usually rubs off on the members .

Well, there is nothing better for false impressions than a big helping of the right ones… love 'em to pieces, and that will keep it real, for certain!

(Although I do remember this one Protestant lady who referred to a certain acquaintance as “a really good Christian, even though she’s Catholic”… )

 

[EasterJoy]

O.K. thanks for clearing that up Your opinion is valid. I thought that initially, until, I started getting those “concerned” looks from other Conservatives, and when I found out that the Mother Superior (do they still call it that?) is a notorious Traditional Mass hater, if my information is correct. The head of the orders ideas usually rubs off on the members .

By the way, be careful about believing characterizations of the Mother Superior as “a notorious Traditional Mass hater”. When you encounter gossip about others, it is better to ignore it. It is preferable to refuse to put anything but the best interpretation on that limited knowledge which you learned first-hand, and unless you are in a position of authority that requires action, putting little or no weight on “bad press” that comes to you from farther out. If she has a problem with the TLM, it isn’t your business, right? Nothing good will come from trying to make it your business. Better to treat all as if they had reason to love the TLM as much as you do.

After all, what if one of the sisters were to take something you wrote here the wrong way, and tell the other sisters that you had concluded that their order disliked you because you attended the TLM? It would not be charitable to spread that kind of rumor about you, even if it were true.

One would hope that forums like this allow a person to turn these kinds of ideas over in their mind and get opinions about how to look at it, without casting a bad light on anyone. Otherwise, we should close up shop, too. (I know, I know, sometimes easier said than done. I’m as human as anyone on that account!! )

 

[keepitreal]

By the way, be careful about believing characterizations of the Mother Superior as “a notorious Traditional Mass hater”. When you encounter gossip about others, it is better to ignore it. It is preferable to refuse to put anything but the best interpretation on that limited knowledge which you learned first-hand, and unless you are in a position of authority that requires action, putting little or no weight on “bad press” that comes to you from farther out. If she has a problem with the TLM, it isn’t your business, right? Nothing good will come from trying to make it your business. Better to treat all as if they had reason to love the TLM as much as you do.

After all, what if one of the sisters were to take something you wrote here the wrong way, and tell the other sisters that you had concluded that their order disliked you because you attended the TLM? It would not be charitable to spread that kind of rumor about you, even if it were true.

One would hope that forums like this allow a person to turn these kinds of ideas over in their mind and get opinions about how to look at it, without casting a bad light on anyone. Otherwise, we should close up shop, too. (I know, I know, sometimes easier said than done. I’m as human as anyone on that account!! )

I realize that you are trying to be charitable, and we should all appreciate that. You are saying that we shouldn’t assume things and then spread possible false assumptions around. I mean that is a very good thing–a very good Christian thing to do.
My point, here, was to relate how, as a new Traditionalist, I discovered, in such a rather unsettling way, who the adversaries of tradition were in a shocking fashion. It is not new or a secret that “Neo-Conservatives” view Traditionalists in a bad light:blush:

 

[Island_Oak]

I remember after the first Traditional Mass I went to, I was talking to some nuns from the Daughters of St. Paul about how it incredible it was. As I was walking away, I saw the nuns huddled together whispering about me, “concerned” about something. This was the first time that discovered that something was “wrong” for feeling the way I was feeling about the Traditional Mass. And what made it worse----these nuns were “Conservative”.
This was also the first time I realized that Traditonalists had more than the Progressives as enemies—we had the “Conservatives” too. I wonder what “myth” they were entertaining? Was it perhaps that because I loved the Traditional Mass, I was a “schismatic”?

What a terribly odd, unfortunate and uncharitable assumption upon which to base a thread. Why in the world would you ASSUME these nuns were gossiping about you or “concerned” in any way whatsoever about traditionalists as “schismatics”?! How is it you allowed your baseless paranoia to blossom into the conclusion that these women, who have devoted their lives to the service of God and the Church, were your “ememies?” It’s highly concerning to see such a leap entertained seriously as the basis for antagonism between Traditionalists and non-traditionalists. Please be more careful and discerning before you cause even more damage to your credibility.

 

[keepitreal]

What a terribly odd, unfortunate and uncharitable assumption upon which to base a thread. Why in the world would you ASSUME these nuns were gossiping about you or “concerned” in any way whatsoever about traditionalists as “schismatics”?! How is it you allowed your baseless paranoia to blossom into the conclusion that these women, who have devoted their lives to the service of God and the Church, were your “ememies?” It’s highly concerning to see such a leap entertained seriously as the basis for antagonism between Traditionalists and non-traditionalists. Please be more careful and discerning before you cause even more damage to your credibility.

If you don’t think that Traditionalist have enemies in the Church and that some of these are Conservatives, you are living in a different planet that any resonable person. Yes, nuns, can be uncharitable and disobedient. Is that a secret? Oh, I’m sorry, “these women, who have devoted their lives to the service of God and the Church,” are beyond reproach. Give me a break.

 

[Island_Oak]

If you don’t think that Traditionalist have enemies in the Church and that some of these are Conservatives, you are living in a different planet that any resonable person. Yes, nuns, can be uncharitable and disobedient. Is that a secret? Oh, I’m sorry, “these women, who have devoted their lives to the service of God and the Church,” are beyond reproach. Give me a break.

Who ever suggested there are no opponents to Traditionalism or that nuns are beyond reproach?

MY POINT was that there was NOTHING in what you reported and observed that would justify your level of paranoia. You weren’t a party to their conversation–admitted you had no idea what or whom they were discussing, yet felt justified in concluding YOU were the focus of their conversation, that they were finding fault with YOU and therefore must be YOUR enemies. If you can’t see that for the self-absorbed paranoia it is I don’t know what planet YOU are living on. I do know I would be far more inclined to give the benefit of the doubt to a group of nuns that to someone giving far to much credence to his own persecution complex.

 

[keepitreal]

Who ever suggested there are no opponents to Traditionalism or that nuns are beyond reproach?

MY POINT was that there was NOTHING in what you reported and observed that would justify your level of paranoia. You weren’t a party to their conversation–admitted you had no idea what or whom they were discussing, yet felt justified in concluding YOU were the focus of their conversation, that they were finding fault with YOU and therefore must be YOUR enemies. If you can’t see that for the self-absorbed paranoia it is I don’t know what planet YOU are living on. I do know I would be far more inclined to give the benefit of the doubt to a group of nuns that to someone giving far to much credence to his own persecution complex.

Your charitable tone is quite inspiring. Let me see if I can explain this to you in a way that you can understand. They huddled together, looked at me. pointed at me, whispered about me with concerned looks on their faces. It was only after I had the same repeated experiences with other Conservatives that I put two and together. Can you? Thanks. From me,paranoid persecution complex.

 

[EasterJoy]

Your charitable tone is quite inspiring. Let me see if I can explain this to you in a way that you can understand. They huddled together, looked at me. pointed at me, whispered about me with concerned looks on their faces. It was only after I had the same repeated experiences with other Conservatives that I put two and together. Can you? Thanks. From me,paranoid persecution complex.

It isn’t polite to treat other people that way, but you will still never go wrong by refusing to say a bad word about anybody. My mother’s sister was like this. As it turns out, the absolute worst gossip anyone could pass on in her town was this: “I asked Aggie about her, and Aggie didn’t have anything to say.” If Aggie couldn’t think of something both true and good to say about you, you were some piece of work!

The next time that someone looks at you and points, though, feel free to go up and ask them, “You’re looking in my direction with a really concerned look on your face. Is something wrong?” Either your fears will be put to rest or they will realize that they need to mind their "p"s and "q"s.

And again…put the shoe on the other foot. How many times have you heard about the “traditionalist” who “has a sour look” for anyone “that they don’t think is dressed right” or “isn’t pious enough for them” or whatnot? What is your opinion of that kind of so-called mind-reading?

I will say this for you: I will never know who the sisters are that you are talking about. Still, admit that you can’t read minds, any more than anyone else can, OK? If you assume the best about them, you will have a much easier time treating them as you should…perfectly, as Our Father does, who rains on both the just and the unjust, right? After all, what would the evil one like better, than to sow seeds like this, yielding a crop of bitterness and mutual suspicion? You may not be able to kill those weeks, but you have the power to nip the seed head off.

And hey…if your fears are correct, you will have heaped burning coals on them, by returning such kindness. That’s the kind of fire the Christian fights with!

 

[Island_Oak]

Your charitable tone is quite inspiring…

As is your ability to own up to your role in converting this likely misunderstanding into an attack on you, much less all Traditionalists…