What is your opinion on Traditionalism?

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Bill6

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I hear many Catholic writers/theologians/apologists/clergy say different things. Do you identify as a Traditionalist? If so, why? If not, why not? What is your opinion on Traditionalism?
Thank you and God Bless you
 
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The can of worms is opened,lol. Get ready for the onslaught. All I will say is that I LOVE the TLM.
 
I identify as more “traditional-leaning”, particularly in my liturgical tastes. I generally like attending the Ordinary Form, with chanted Mass parts and all the smells and bells. And some Latin too. But I wouldn’t consider myself a “traditionalist.”

It’s a wide spectrum. There’s traditional-leaning people who like the Ordinary Form done… well… traditionally. There’s people who prefer the EF, there’s SSPXer’s, then there’s crazy sedevecantists. And all kinds of people in between.
 
No, I do not identify as Traditionalist. I do attend a tradition-minded parish, and I have a deep appreciation for history and traditional Catholic practice.

I think traditionalists are a great asset to the church, but they are but one expression of the faith. One of the things I love most about Catholicism is the great variety of religious expression and spirituality within the church.
 
Bill6 said:
Do you identify as a Traditionalist? If so, why? If not, why not?
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i identify as a Catholic. The Church does not segregate people into such categories and labels, therefore I do not believe it is productive to label myself in those sorts of terms.
Bill6 said:
What is your opinion on Traditionalism?
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There is nothing wrong with a person preferring certain traditions over others. There is nothing wrong with someone having an affinity for a certain liturgy, music, devotional practice, vestment style, etc.

There is something VERY wrong with criticizing those who don’t share a person’s affinity for those things. There is something VERY wrong with the belief that these preferences are more legitimate than others, or that those in authority in the Church cannot or should not make changes.
 
I am a traditionalist and would attend only the TLM if that were possible. I attend the OF because of my circumstances (very traditional OF parish) and can only get to the TLM a few times a year, out of town. I strongly lean towards pre-Vatican II Catholic books (catechisms, devotional works, etc.) and retain traditional practices such as the scapular and Friday abstinence throughout the year. I do welcome the loosening of certain disciplines — sometimes Friday abstinence isn’t practical for me (dietary needs, elder care, etc.), and the option to substitute another penitential practice is a good thing.

As a rule I attend only authorized celebrations of the TLM (diocesan, FSSP, etc.), will attend the SSPX if need be or if the occasion arises, and avoid sedevacantist and other independent Masses.
 
Unfortunately, the word "Traditionalism’ like its twin “Progressivism” is defined in so many different ways that it’s almost impossible to use.

What I believe is encompassed in "traditionalism’ in Catholism might have some common points with what another person thinks, but it will probably also have some differences, and often enough differences to make our two definitions practically polar opposites.

Furthermore, it has become a loaded term whereby some will automatically assume that the user of the term has ‘an agenda’; some will eagerly agree with the supposed agenda, others will be rabidly ‘against’ it.

People get tired of having to dot every i and cross every t and pretty much write a novella to explain ‘their’ concept of ‘traditionalism’ and also tired of having to write another novella to respond to people saying, “No you don’t REALLY believe what you said. . .and if you do you are wrong because blah blah blah blah 17 other charges now prove me wrong you can’t ha ha ha” screeds.

Seriously. People get sick and tired of constant disrespect. It’s to the point now where all you have to do is say, “I like candles. . .or that you like the pictures of old Cathedrals. . .or you admire your old granny’s holy card collection. . .” and out of the woodwork come the screams of ‘Rad trad", “Vatican 2 changed all that”, ‘You hate Pope Francis too don’t you", "People like you just want to pray, pay and obey’, "Come out of the Dark Ages’, “I’m just so glad they say a Mass I can understand”, “Why would anybody want to go back to those awful times”. . . and often all the above and more in ONE post, while you’re left open mouthed and stunned at the vitriol and, “But I just thought something was pretty or interesting”. . .

Nope, it’s not allowed to be pretty, or interesting, or worthy of even a “hey, you like it, cool, now let’s talk about something else”. . .not if it’s traditional!

Good luck on this thread. . .you will need it.
 
mrsdizzyd said:
the great variety of religious expression and spirituality within the church.
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1ke said:
There is nothing wrong with a person preferring certain traditions over others. There is nothing wrong with someone having an affinity for a certain liturgy, music, devotional practice, vestment style, etc.
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I agree with the statements above. I think the Chirch is wide and contains multitudes…

What upsets me about a certain type of Traditionalist is that they focus on the rightness of their way in the superficial–how Mass is performed, etc., while ignoring the tradition of what they claim to embrace.

They didn’t bring out the amazing parts of our Faith that were lost track of in the tumult of the aftermath of V2, they just criticized those who disagreed.
 
I think that it has a lot to do with age, and I’m 60. My local TLM is 24 miles away, so I can’t always make it there. When I attend my local parish, I stress about which section to sit in, because I’ll only accept Holy Communion from the Priest, and on the tongue- Even if I have to jump to another section. Attack me, if you will.
 
I do not know exactly what being a traditionalist means. I’d rather hear an organ at church than a guitar if that’s what it means. I don’t want dogma to change, because that would mean my entire faith has been arbitrary. I also don’t know any of the acronyms being used in this thread, so hard to say much more I guess.
 
But, again, I will say- I WON’T take the Holy Eucharist from anyone other than The Priest, and only on the tongue.
 
As long as it is preference. Remember how Paul cautioned those that were insistent on circumcision after the Church had deemed it unnecessary.
 
thrasher59 said:
I think that it has a lot to do with age, and I’m 60. My local TLM is 24 miles away, so I can’t always make it there. When I attend my local parish, I stress about which section to sit in, because I’ll only accept Holy Communion from the Priest, and on the tongue- Even if I have to jump to another section. Attack me, if you will.
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I’m 59. My nearest authorized TLM is two hours away. I attend a parish where EMHCs are used only for the cup (which I do not receive), and on the rare occasion they have an EMHC helping the priest with the host, it is easy to get in the priest’s line, the way the church is configured. At a parish I formerly attended, the priest would deliberately randomize which line he served (there were several), and would occasionally switch in the middle of communion — one reason I left, I rarely received communion for this reason. I do not receive from EMHCs. No attack here.
 
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