questions

[CATLADY1979]

I have been a Catholic for ten years now and always willing to learn new things.
One of my friends mothers said she is a traditionist Catholic and explained to me what that was and that she didnt agree with the new Catholics. I didnt know there was more than one kind of Catholic but reading on here i read theres Eastern theres different orders Theres SSPX I dont know all the definitions. But my friends mom said there wasnt a good pope for awhile and all the stuff and i told my friend and my friend said you cant make every one happy. i was protestant before I went through RCIA. I never went to Latin mass yet though ive heard of it. I know theres little differences Is it like a different denomination? I am into learning new things I liked hearing my friends moms opinions but Id never heard different opinions within the Catholic church before didnt know about it. But I guess people have different opinions everywhere. I really like the mass where I go to Church I understand it and they accept my autism. I dont know why People who like the Latin mass have a problem with the way the new masses are if people like me can understand them. I hope im asking the right questions.
I know as a person I will always come into contact with different people and not sure the definitions of different things. I learned a lot in RCIA. Like different denominations theres different Catholics too? Im very interested in learning. Always learning new things.

 

[ahs]

I have been a Catholic for ten years now and always willing to learn new things.
One of my friends mothers said she is a traditionist Catholic and explained to me what that was and that she didnt agree with the new Catholics.

She should have clarified that there are no “new Catholics” [in regards to what you are describing]. The Catholic Church changed the liturgy from Latin to the vernacular (common language of whichever country you happen to be in), as a norm.

Some people prefer the more traditional Latin Mass (a.k.a. Tridentine).

Within the Catholic Church, there are many Rites. Latin (which is what most American Catholics are), Byzantine, Melkite, Maronite, Ruthenian, etc… (about 23 of them). These Rites are all united as One Church with ONE set of beliefs/doctrines, yet express their faith in their own unique ways according to their customs/cultures. We are united in doctrine, and thus One Church.
This is VERY different from Protestantism, which is divided in doctrine (some believe in faith alone, some don’t; some believe in baptizing babies, some don’t; some can drink alcohol, some say it’s a sin…).

The SSPX you mentioned are in an irregular status with the Church, bordering on schism (but not all). Some of them believe that no Pope since so-n-so (it depends on who you talk to) has been valid. Some of them accept the Pope, but detest the new liturgy of the Mass. Some think that new liturgy is invalid.

 

[CATLADY1979]

Ok I understand. I think the Rite we are at is called a Diocese. Is that a rite or is that something else?

 

[ahs]

Ok I understand. I think the Rite we are at is called a Diocese. Is that a rite or is that something else?

A Diocese is just a geographical term for an area, over which a specific Bishop presides.
The "Diocese of Beaumont "or the “Diocese of Austin”, for example, are large areas. They are typically associated with the Latin Rite (which is sometimes called the Roman Rite).

If you live in the U.S., I would bet just about anything that you are in the Latin Rite attending a Novus Ordo Mass. (“Novus Ordo”, meaning the “new ordinary form of the Mass” which, for the United States, means “a Mass said in English”.) There is a Bishop over your Diocese who is under the Bishop of Rome (the Pope).

 

[Wesrock]

Ok I understand. I think the Rite we are at is called a Diocese. Is that a rite or is that something else?

Dioceses are not rites. As an American, I think of it like towns and states. Multiple towns belong to one state.

A parish is kind of like a “town”. A diocese is like a state. So, a number of parishes, each led by a priest, are part of a diocese, led by a bishop.

A Catholic rite reflects a different historical tradition in how the liturgy is celebrated and in church governance. It sounds like you belong to the Roman Rite. Other rites have some independence in church government, but all regard the Pope as the lead bishop.

 

[CATLADY1979]

Yes I live In California and go to a church in the Diocese of Orange. Thanks for answers.

 

[USMC_Convert]

Not to offend, but I have to offer something from St. John Bosco. His rule was to never deal with people who spoke poorly about the Pope.

Remember the Pope is not choosen strictly by men, the Church is guided by the Holy Spirit and the selection of the Pope is guided by the Holy Spirit.

Have Popes made mistakes, yes, should we as the members talk poorly about them or condone those that do, well, that is God’s choosen representative, I sure wouldn’t…

 

[CATLADY1979]

I know I dont like when people talk poorly I have aspergers and am learning so I just wanted to ask questions cause what my friends mom said. And had questions about different Rites and diocese, but I understand now. I got a Catholic youth Bible and Im 37 I understand at a high school level . Im always learning things.

 

[Brassring]

I’ve only been Catholic for about fifteen months. I’ve become wary of anyone who refers to themselves as “traditionalist”.

Mind you, not all traditionalists are that bad. Some aren’t bad at all. It seems to me that there is a spectrum of traditionalists. Some are just expressing their preference for certain aspects of the Tridentine Mass, or for the Tridentine Mass itself.

Then, at the other end of the spectrum are the Sedevacantists, who assert that the Church Hierarchy as currently constituted is invalid, and there hasn’t been a valid Pope since So-and-So (once again, it differs depending on who you’re talking to).

Somewhere in the middle, you’ll get the ones who think that Pope Benedict XVI was just the bees knees and Pope Francis is a puppet of Satan. There are also those who believe that the Church should be a religious expression of their conservative political beliefs, instead of vice versa (these, to me, are the most annoying, and I’m pretty conservative).

No matter what the form of traditionalist you encounter, there seems to me to be one common thread: a lack of willingness to submit to the Church leaders that the Holy Spirity has given us. For that reason, I try to avoid ALL who identify themselves as traditionalist.

 

[joeybaggz]

Im very interested in learning. Always learning new things.

CatLady: Kudos for your willingness to learn new things. Unfortunately, I think there are far too many Catholics who believe one thing regardless, and are not open to change.

I offer you this. Always remember, regardless of what you hear, the Holy Spirit guides this church as Christ promised. The spirit of God has held Christ’s church firmly in control even when the people running things wandered off the reservation.

Enjoy the Mass, receive the Eucharist with joy, avail yourself of the Sacraments, and treat all with the kindness Jesus offered us all.

The best definition of the Catholic Church I have ever heard is, “it is a place where beggars help other beggars, find bread.”

Shalom

 

[peter26]

One thing I will say about the Latin Mass is, every Catholic should attend it at least once, if only to understand the way things used to be done. You might like it, you might not. But you should go at least once.

 

[Erikaspirit16]

I’ve become wary of anyone who refers to themselves as “traditionalist”. …

It seems to me that there is a spectrum of traditionalists. Some are just expressing their preference for certain aspects of the Tridentine Mass, or for the Tridentine Mass itself.

Then, at the other end of the spectrum are the Sedevacantists, who assert that the Church Hierarchy as currently constituted is invalid, and there hasn’t been a valid Pope since So-and-So (once again, it differs depending on who you’re talking to).

Somewhere in the middle, you’ll get the ones who think that Pope Benedict XVI was just the bees knees and Pope Francis is a puppet of Satan. …

No matter what the form of traditionalist you encounter, there seems to me to be one common thread: a lack of willingness to submit to the Church leaders that the Holy Spirity has given us. For that reason, I try to avoid ALL who identify themselves as traditionalist.

Interesting! I would identify myself as a traditionalist, but actually ALL Catholics by definition are traditionalists. Doesn’t 2,000 years of tradition count as “traditiionalist”?

For the most part, I think you’ve got it right. There are a variety of views on a variety of subjects within the Church. And a person might be “traditionalist” on one subject and “liberal” (or whatever you want to call it) on another subject. For example, I am very “traditional” when it comes to liturgy. I am very “liberal” when it comes to interpretation of the Bible. Some people have commented that “only atheists believe that” to some of my comments. Of course that’s not true, but that’s their opinion–but my point is that on some issues I am the opposite of “traditionalist.”

Where I think you’ve got it wrong is the matter of the Pope and submission to Church leaders. There are extremists out there. But almost by definition, if you are a “traditionalist” you must accept the current Pope and Church leaders. That doesn’t mean you might not prefer Benedict over Francis (I do…) or that you can’t think that a certain group of bishops is mistaken (the “liberal” wing in the recent Synod on the Family controversy, for example, or a certain bishop’s position on the pedophilia issue). Bishops are not infallible, nor is the Pope except for extraordinary circumstances. They express their opinions, which should be listened to attentively, but not necessary blindly obeyed.

This is really just a side comment, so I won’t enter into a discussion. But the original poster should be aware there are a variety of opinions on all sorts of subjects, but we are all Catholics who believe in a set of core doctrines. When we cease believing in one of the core doctrines, we cease being Catholics, for all practical purposes.

 

[pianistclare]

She should have clarified that there are no “new Catholics” [in regards to what you are describing]. The Catholic Church changed the liturgy from Latin to the vernacular (common language of whichever country you happen to be in), as a norm.

Some people prefer the more traditional Latin Mass (a.k.a. Tridentine).

Within the Catholic Church, there are many Rites. Latin (which is what most American Catholics are), Byzantine, Melkite, Maronite, Ruthenian, etc… (about 23 of them). These Rites are all united as One Church with ONE set of beliefs/doctrines, yet express their faith in their own unique ways according to their customs/cultures. We are united in doctrine, and thus One Church.
This is VERY different from Protestantism, which is divided in doctrine (some believe in faith alone, some don’t; some believe in baptizing babies, some don’t; some can drink alcohol, some say it’s a sin…).

The SSPX you mentioned are in an irregular status with the Church, bordering on schism (but not all). Some of them believe that no Pope since so-n-so (it depends on who you talk to) has been valid. Some of them accept the Pope, but detest the new liturgy of the Mass. Some think that new liturgy is invalid.

Yup. Beware of “helpful” people who want to lead you to THEIR preferences.

God bless you welcome home!