"scary" elements of some traditional Catholics

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Please forgive me if I sound naive and/or offensive.

But occasionally, I stumble across traditional Catholics sites that seem kind of…conspiratorial. Anti-popes, Russia and Muslims colluding, private revelations of this and that person, etc

I know the Holy Spirit guides the Church and the gates of Hades will not prevail, but reading such things mentioned above, before realizing that they may not be beneficial, still causes anxiety and fear because on the back of my mind, I ask myself, “What if they are right?”

This morning, I came across a website with the Seven Sorrows Devotion that looked like a pious website, and I clicked on a link about “Gregory XVII “Siri” The Pope in Red” and “The Coming Great Catholic Monarch”. I had no idea who he was, so I just read along…and one website led to another and another…

How does one tell apart what is authentic, orthodox, approved and traditional versus “other” traditional?

They seem to create anxiety, and it makes me wonder if belief in Divine Mercy is being presumptuous or that I should switch my diet to radishes and celeries.
 
If a website says that any of the popes was not infallible it probably is a traditional site. Most websites have a about us section which tells you if they go according to all the teachings of the Catholic Church.

Look here for more information on Traditional Catholics
matt1618.freeyellow.com/TRADIT.html

Also if the website has a seal PetersNet that does not mean it is approved by the Catholic Church. They have not been approved by any of the bishops.

ecatholic2000.com/pn/pn.html
 
How does one tell apart what is authentic, orthodox, approved and traditional versus “other” traditional?
One can’t always tell. I try to stay away from that stuff for the reasons you mention. There’s just a bottomless abyss of conspiracy theories, lists of abuses, etc., which will not build up your faith but will just make you paranoid and distrustful of Church authority.

As a general rule, stick with sites associated with canonical societies and approved organizations, and avoid those which are not. If the site belongs to an individual, try to find out their affiliations; look for links to approved groups. If you can’t tell what the affiliations are, stay away; or if it’s not a near occasion of sin for you, then try to get a sense from the content. Scandal mongering and casting doubt on the Church’s authority and/or competency or on the character of its prelates are big red flags.

The two biggest societies in good canonical standing in the Church are the FSSP and the ICRSS. There are also lay organizations whose members are in good standing with the Church, such as Una Voce and Coalition Ecclesia Dei. There will be, of course, individuals in any group which are dissident and/or fiesty, but for the most part I think you should be safe with these folks.
 
Please forgive me if I sound naive and/or offensive.

But occasionally, I stumble across traditional Catholics sites that seem kind of…conspiratorial. Anti-popes, Russia and Muslims colluding, private revelations of this and that person, etc

I know the Holy Spirit guides the Church and the gates of Hades will not prevail, but reading such things mentioned above, before realizing that they may not be beneficial, still causes anxiety and fear because on the back of my mind, I ask myself, “What if they are right?”

This morning, I came across a website with the Seven Sorrows Devotion that looked like a pious website, and I clicked on a link about “Gregory XVII “Siri” The Pope in Red” and “The Coming Great Catholic Monarch”. I had no idea who he was, so I just read along…and one website led to another and another…

How does one tell apart what is authentic, orthodox, approved and traditional versus “other” traditional?

They seem to create anxiety, and it makes me wonder if belief in Divine Mercy is being presumptuous or that I should switch my diet to radishes and celeries.
I would just stay away from such sites. Prior to the internet, all sorts of false and just plain wrong/incorrect things were said, and written, about the Church. And some were designed to sow doubt and confusion.

Peace,
Ed
 
Traditional is NOT the problem. Our faith is made up of Scripture and Traditions. What some have done with it is make it a problem with false piety and they are called Traditionalists. They go over-board for the older ways and are usually also Sedevacantists as well. Here is some straight dope on them from Wikiland:

Different types of traditionalists

Traditionalist Catholics may be divided into four broad groups.

Traditionalists in good standing with the Holy See:

Since the Second Vatican Council, several traditionalist organizations have been started with or have subsequently obtained approval from the Catholic Church. These organizations accept in principle the documents of the Second Vatican Council, and regard the changes associated with the Council (such as the revision of the Mass) as legitimate, if often prudentially unwise, but celebrate the older forms with the approval of the Holy See.
Priestly Fraternity of St Peter (FSSP)
Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest (ICRSS),
Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer
Institute of the Good Shepherd (IGS)
Servants of Jesus and Mary (Servi Jesu et Mariae, SJM)
Canons Regular of the New Jerusalem (CRNJ)
Canons Regular of Saint John Cantius (SJC)
Canons Regular of the Holy Cross
Fraternity of Saint Vincent Ferrer
Personal Apostolic Administration of Saint John Mary Vianney (PAASJV)
Miles Christi (MC)

There are also multiple monastic communities, including
Monastery of Our Lady of the Annunciation of Clear Creek
Monastery of St. Benedict in Norcia
Monks of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel

See Communities using the Tridentine Mass for a more detailed list.

In addition, many traditionalist Catholics in good standing with Rome are served by local diocesan or religious priests who are willing and able to offer the traditional rites. Many other Catholics sympathize or identify as traditionalist who are not able to attend the traditional liturgy regularly because it is not offered in their area (at least not with regular canonical standing) and so they more or less reluctantly attend the Mass of Paul VI, the current ordinary or normal[4] Roman Rite of Mass following the Second Vatican Council. There are also numerous local and international lay organizations of traditionalist Catholics, such as the youth-groups of Juventutem.

Catholics in good standing with Rome who attend the traditional liturgy have diverse worldviews and outlooks ranging from (modern concepts of) liberal to conservative.[5]

Traditionalists not in good standing with the Holy See:

Some traditionalists practise their faith outside the official structures of the Church, though they affirm their loyalty to the Church and to the papacy. The largest priestly society to fit this description is the Society of St Pius X (SSPX), which was established in 1970 by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, a founding figure of Catholic traditionalism. Members of this category view many of the post-Conciliar changes as being doctrinally and pastorally unacceptable. The fact that they recognise the official Church hierarchy while rejecting some decisions which they perceive as not consistent with traditional Catholicism, or ineffective in terms of catechesis and how the Catholic faith is passed down, draws accusations of disloyalty and disobedience from the preceding groups—whom this group in turn accuse of blind, un-Catholic obedience. Discussions between the SSPX and the Holy See have been in progress for some years, and in January 2009 the Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops remitted the excommunications which the Congregation had declared to have been incurred by the Society’s bishops in 1988. He further expressed the hope that the Society would speedily return to full communion with the Church by showing “true fidelity and true acknowledgment of the Magisterium and the authority of the pope”.

Sedevacantists

Main article: Sedevacantism

Sedevacantists hold that the post-Vatican II popes have forfeited their position through acceptance of heretical teachings connected with the Second Vatican Council and consequently there is at present no true pope. They conclude, on the basis of their rejection of the revised Mass rite and of certain aspects of postconciliar Church teaching as false, that the popes involved are false also. This is a minority position among traditionalist Catholics and a highly divisive one, so that many who hold it prefer to say nothing of their view, while other sedevacantists have accepted episcopal ordination from sources such as Archbishop Pierre Martin Ngô Đình Thục

The terms sedevacantist and sedevacantism derive from the Latin phrase sede vacante (“while the chair/see [of Saint Peter] is vacant”), a term normally applied to the period between the death or resignation of one pope and the election of his successor.

Sedevacantist groups include the Society of St. Pius V (SSPV) and the Congregation of Mary Immaculate Queen (CMRI).

Conclavists
Main article: Conclavism

Conclavism is the belief and practice of some who, claiming that Pope Benedict XVI, Pope John Paul II and other recent occupants of the papal see are not true popes, elect someone else and propose him as the true pope to whom the allegiance of Catholics is due. They are often classified as sedevacantists because they reject the official papal succession for the same reasons. Conclavist groups include the “true Catholic Church”, the Palmarian Catholic Church, and the followers of David Bawden (“Pope Michael”). The Palmarian Church has drastically altered its worship and doctrines and as such is no longer considered Catholic by other traditionalists.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditionalist_Catholics

Glenda
 
P.S. Two of the Monasteries on the first list see my money each month and my prayers every day. I love the Traditions of the Church but I don’t love heresy or heretics. I guess the best way you can get to know the right ones from the wrong ones is by asking. In conversing with them, you usually can find out pretty quickly which ones are in Communion with Rome and which aren’t. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Glenda
 
My favorite of the conspirators is “Pope Michael.” There is even a documentary you can watch on youtube. As far as I can tell, he is “pope” over himself, his mother and one other young man.
 
Bless your heart. It’s been a little over a year ago. I found this site, and I ended up questioning my church, Papal succession, all of it. Then I find it’s ONE guy, under about 7 different site names. I resolved it as follows:

The One, True, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church is alive and well. The junk that’s out there in my mind falls under "they will say, “Look! He is there, or Look, He is here. But do not be led astray”. It’s also “Woe unto those who causes even one of these little ones to go astray…”. Wouldn’t want to be in that fella’s position.

Jesus PROMISED He was with us, even unto the end of the age. If you’re praying, listening, and doing your best, you’re OK. 🙂 Yes…I was reduced to sobs at one point, and at 58 (then), it takes a LOT to put me there. As He told us I think over 100 times:

Be not afraid. Love, in Jesus and Mary, to all.

David
 
If they bring into question the infallibility of John XXIII-Francis, the legitimacy of the OF, or Vatican II, they are neither “traditional” nor “Catholic”, and you should steer shy!
 

Also here is a list of sites to avoid, which probably isn’t complete but does have many:
catholicculture.org/search/resultslist.cfm?resourcetype=2&requesttype=sitebrowserate&fidelity=red&resources=0&useability=0
Whatever criteria were behind the opinions expressed on that list, it manages to throw Jesuits, Franciscans, Dominicans, and Maryknollers - among many others - under the bus. Hardly in the same league as the anti-pope, conspiratorial sites referenced in the OP.
 

Whatever criteria were behind the opinions expressed on that list, it manages to throw Jesuits, Franciscans, Dominicans, and Maryknollers - among many others - under the bus. Hardly in the same league as the anti-pope, conspiratorial sites referenced in the OP.
That’s unfortunate that such large orders and institutes have gone so far afield, but it’s the truth. Large religious institutes have a wide spectrum of fidelity and obedience; sites such as Amerika Magazine or the Franciscan Renewal Center are advocating dissent and other things seriously contradictory to the Faith. I find Catholic Culture to be an invaluable resource when evaluating Catholic websites and organizations for their fidelity and obedience.
 
Please forgive me if I sound naive and/or offensive.

But occasionally, I stumble across traditional Catholics sites that seem kind of…conspiratorial. Anti-popes, Russia and Muslims colluding, private revelations of this and that person, etc

I know the Holy Spirit guides the Church and the gates of Hades will not prevail, but reading such things mentioned above, before realizing that they may not be beneficial, still causes anxiety and fear because on the back of my mind, I ask myself, “What if they are right?”

This morning, I came across a website with the Seven Sorrows Devotion that looked like a pious website, and I clicked on a link about “Gregory XVII “Siri” The Pope in Red” and “The Coming Great Catholic Monarch”. I had no idea who he was, so I just read along…and one website led to another and another…

How does one tell apart what is authentic, orthodox, approved and traditional versus “other” traditional?

They seem to create anxiety, and it makes me wonder if belief in Divine Mercy is being presumptuous or that I should switch my diet to radishes and celeries.
I would steer clear of all that - I’ve never cared for it myself and it’s not necessary to a true practice of the Catholic faith. A lot of it I’ve always found to be hyper-emotional and overzealous, not to mention the conspiratorial junk. I always hear from other persons who do read those about various miracles and revelations going on in third-world countries but I can’t conscientiously humor it. They give too much reason to doubt and too little reason to believe in their claims, and I honestly believe some of that was responsible for alienating my older brothers from the Church. Christ never commanded us to believe baseless hearsay and rumors so I don’t. I prefer to honor God through His gift of intellect.
 
I dislike the label “traditional.” As Holy Mother Church has established the EF and OF as equally valid, I have no problems with the OF. I was there before and after Vatican II.

And when in doubt, don’t be scared, just ask. Catholic Answers is a great place to get good answers.

Best,
Ed
 
Frankly, if a Catholic is willing to criticize Popes, calling them heretics, and is willing to criticize an Ecumenical Council of the Church, and is willing to criticize teachings thereof, that person is not in any way “Traditional” by any definition of the word. If you are more Catholic than the Pope, and your personal Magisterium is above that of the Successors to the Apostles, then do us a favor and do not apply the term “Traditional(ist)” to yourself because it is a bald-faced lie.
 
If they bring into question the infallibility of John XXIII-Francis, the legitimacy of the OF, or Vatican II, they are neither “traditional” nor “Catholic”, and you should steer shy!
Exactly. The Devil is alive and well. And he don’t always look like we suspect he ought. St. Michael, Archangel, defend us in battle.
 
The CatholicCulture site earlier referred to seems a pretty good guide. It is one of the rare sites that rules out sites that are often labelled as “liberal” as well as “conservative”. I try to avoid using those terms, as they are borrowed from the political arena and don’t apply to faith. I use the term “orthodox” as referring to those sites in union with the Magisterium. If you look at the CatholicCulture site they tell you what criteria THEY use. Those are helpful criteria you can utilize yourself.

If you are not sure about a website, or magazine, or whatever, look to see who sponsors them. That parent organization might send up red flags that were not visible before. Google the editor or their frequent writers. What groups or causes are they affiliated with. If a writer in other places is supporting Call to Action, or a sedevacantist group, I wouldn’t trust any website or magazine that includes them in their lineup. But sometimes even a reliable publication or website slips up, and a questionable writer gets published. I would give them ONE second chance, but keep an eye on them.

I think a few decades American bishops were too quick to endorse publications or causes that seemed to have good ideas, both liberal or conservative; then later turned sour. Recent endorsements by bishops are much more likely to mean this is a reliable source.
Look for a current connection to a diocese. That might mean reliability. The term “Published with Ecclesiastical Approval” means almost nothing unfortunately. It just means the publisher sometime in the last hundred years got permission to open a Catholic publication in a diocese, but that publication and its website could have drifted since then; but can still claim “approval”.

Pray!
 
Frankly, if a Catholic is willing to criticize Popes, calling them heretics, and is willing to criticize an Ecumenical Council of the Church, and is willing to criticize teachings thereof, that person is not in any way “Traditional” by any definition of the word. If you are more Catholic than the Pope, and your personal Magisterium is above that of the Successors to the Apostles, then do us a favor and do not apply the term “Traditional(ist)” to yourself because it is a bald-faced lie.
Exactly!

And, accordingly, if I choose to call myself a traditional Catholic, I am not a conspiracy theorist, I just mean I was born and raised in pre-vat ii times and remember the way we were back then. It is very confusing to one that was plucked out of the church in the late 60’s and going back into a very changed church nowadays. When I say I miss the Latin mass I get very rude stares and remarks. I simply miss what I was brought up with.
 
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