Traditions lost or discarded post-Vatican II?

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What specific pre-Vatican II traditions have fallen out of favor? I find that many “traditional” Catholics still veil, mark rogation and ember days, etc. But it seems that most Catholics don’t make the sign of the cross when passing a church or have a holy water font in the home, though these were common customs in the past. Same goes for the prayer to St. Michael at the end of Mass. Are there other traditions with which post-Vatican II Catholics are typically unfamiliar?
 
Sadly the rosary seems to be falling out of favor. So many youth don’t know how to say it anymore. They’re car/fashion accessories.
 
At one time people would have a picture of The Sacred Heart in their homes. It used to be customary for people to cross themselves and say a prayer for the holy souls when passing a cemetery. Bowing the head at the name of Jesus used to be customary. Many Catholics would wear the brown scapular but modern clothing would make that difficult. My family used to say a prayer for a safe journey when we were going out.
 
yinekka said:
At one time people would have a picture of The Sacred Heart in their homes. It used to be customary for people to cross themselves and say a prayer for the holy souls when passing a cemetery. Bowing the head at the name of Jesus used to be customary. Many Catholics would wear the brown scapular but modern clothing would make that difficult. My family used to say a prayer for a safe journey when we were going out.
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We are still supposed to bow our heads at the mention of Christ’s name, the Trinity and the Blessed Virgin Mary, though a lot of people don’t know it.
 
Shifts in the practice of certain traditions over time may vary regionally or from parish to parish. Growing up post Vatican II, I never experienced a Corpus Christi procession until I began assisting at my FSSP parish. I also never experienced a May Crowning at my parish school. I still live in the archdiocese in which I was born and see that many parish schools in my Archdiocese now honor our Lady with a May Crowing. A relative lives in a nearby parish which has an annual Corpus Christi procession.
It’s wonderful seeing some of these traditions being reclaimed and shared.
 
Just this evening I was whining to my husband about behaviors in church. It seems that sanctity has grown out of favor. No one crosses themselves with holy water upon entering and exiting the church. Hardly anyone genuflects anymore. Everyone talks and laughs like they’re waiting for a movie to start. Used to be that you knelt for as long as the tabernacle was open. No one cares now. Some don’t even kneel after receiving the Eucharist. And the Leonine Prayers should definitely make a comeback. I’m seriously considering going to one of the Traditional churches in my area. It’s getting to be too much.
 
The Octaves are no longer with us. We just jump into “Ordinary” time. Fr. Z had a great series on the Octave of Pentecost and the importance of the Octaves. I think you can still find them on his blog.

There seems to be a resurgence of the Processions. Eucharistic and Marian. The Rosary is not dead. In fact I think it is alive and well. At least where I live.
 
There was a tradition during the pre-Pope Paul Vi Latin Mass that one would strike ones chest with a closed fist and say “Lord have mercy” every time the chimes rang during the Consecration. No one seems to do this any more.
 
Traditions lost or discarded post-Vatican II?
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Are there other traditions with which post-Vatican II Catholics are typically unfamiliar?
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They don’t have to remain lost,discarded,unfamiliar forever. With some initiative,perhaps we can restore these traditions and customs. We can’t change the past,but the future is a different story.
 
I think there are a lot of traditions that were no longer taught post-Vatican II, although they were observed by those who remembered them. I think a lot of that had to do with changes in society at the time. One quote I’ve heard from those alive during the Second Vatican Council (semi-jokingly) was, “What do we believe?” “I don’t know. They’re deciding that at the Council.”
 
I would say reverence for the sacred in general has declined. If almost everyone goes to Heaven, why need of all this devotion that takes time from our daily leisure? Rosary is definitely one that has lost territory. Eucharistic adoration, too. Well, prayer in general. We lost the sense that we have to help each other to get to heaven, especially in family. I see youth in church at mass chewing gum. It’s a disaster.:banghead:
 
I was very young when Vatican II occurred so I don’t remember much. I do miss however, kneeling at the altar rail to receive Holy Communion.

Some people reminisce about reading the Gospel of St. John and re citing the St. Michael the Archangel prayer during or after Made. Correct me if I am wrong because I don’t remember.

My husband who is much younger than I always makes the Sign of the Cross when he sees an ambulance ,fire truck, or lit police car. Some folks make the Sign of the Cross when passing a Catholic Church, because they know the Real Presence is there.

As to the practice of genuflecting before The Most Blessed Sacrement, a Protestant once said, “If I believed as you Catholics believed, (In The Real Presence),
I would come in the Church on my hands and knees.”

My husband and I are also shocked by the lack of reverence, especially socialist before Mass. All we can do is set a good example and pray.
 
RCIAGraduate said:
They don’t have to remain lost,discarded,unfamiliar forever. With some initiative,perhaps we can restore these traditions and customs. We can’t change the past,but the future is a different story.
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Agreed! Hence the question. 🙂
 
Another tradition that seems to have fallen out in many places is ringing the Angelus bells and associated prayer.

To be honest I don’t thinks it’s purely a matter of VII itself, but rather the lack of teaching our children paired with the mobility of society over the past 50 years. That mobility doesn’t encourage a solid foundation for a Catholic culture to flourish. Generally the only traditions that people can draw on are those from their immediate family rather than the community at large.
 
I can’t speak for all Ordinariate and Anglican Use parishes, however, the ones I know of still have all the above traditions mentioned in the posts.

Of course, when it is a very small group or the group has no real building/church of their own, it can be very difficult to have processions and one group meets in a Catholic Churches former school room, so there is no incense used, nor the Asperges done.

However all the other traditions are what I think St. John Paul was speaking of when he said that the Anglicans would be bringing in their treasures, this is besides the music etc.

I hear so many complaints about the music and feel that the reason that many don’t like sacred music, but like the modern music, is because they were brought up with this and have no real knowledge nor appreciation for how beautiful music can bring a soul closer to God. The same goes for many of the traditions that have been lost or forgotten. There is a place for contemporary music within the Church, i.e. prayer meetings, Charismatic Masses and youth groups etc., however when worshiping our Lord I feel that we should offer Him the very best in everything possible.

Yours in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary

Bernadette
 
NeedsMercy said:
Just this evening I was whining to my husband about behaviors in church. It seems that sanctity has grown out of favor. No one crosses themselves with holy water upon entering and exiting the church. Hardly anyone genuflects anymore. Everyone talks and laughs like they’re waiting for a movie to start. Used to be that you knelt for as long as the tabernacle was open. No one cares now. Some don’t even kneel after receiving the Eucharist. And the Leonine Prayers should definitely make a comeback. I’m seriously considering going to one of the Traditional churches in my area. It’s getting to be too much.
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The one tradition that is no longer celebrated at our huge Jesuit parish is the bell ringing during the Eucharistic Prayer. As far as entering/exiting and crossing ones-self with holy water, almost everyone does it! We have holy water fonts at every door!🙂
 
I guess it depends on how this question is worded for the thread to remain open and not totally deleted.

I must be one of a very small minority who where established in the pre V days but were removed from the changes when they left or their families left the church and then tried to comeback and didnt really know what was going on.

Both words are sad, lost or discarded. But they needn’t be if you kept the traditions you grew up with.
 
gracepoole said:
What specific pre-Vatican II traditions have fallen out of favor? I find that many “traditional” Catholics still veil, mark rogation and ember days, etc. But it seems that most Catholics don’t make the sign of the cross when passing a church or have a holy water font in the home, though these were common customs in the past. Same goes for the prayer to St. Michael at the end of Mass. Are there other traditions with which post-Vatican II Catholics are typically unfamiliar?
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Happily, our bishop has encouraged the incorporation of numerous traditions into the liturgical life of the parishes, and there has been widespread improvement, with the prayer to St. Michael becoming more common, with Eucharistic adoration being offered at least once a week; the talking and laughing before mass has decreased tremendously. 

The intent of the Council was for people to become more aware of the way in which the practices expressed the fullness of faith, rather than simply to pile practice on practice without meditation or reflection; but that part was lost as liturgical hobbyists began to invent all sorts of new practices and piling them on top of each other, usually uninspired, vacuous, and heretical ones.
 
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