What is your opinion on Traditionalism?

[Emeraldlady]

Emeraldlady:

I agree. Liberal Catholics have rejected Popes teachings on many things most notably contraception and fornication.

The ready availability of oral contraceptives pre-dates Vatican II, and fornication dates far earlier (perhaps most notably in the scripture to King David).

So the claim that “liberal Catholics” (whatever or whoever that is) contraception and fornication is a rejection of Church teaching by the “modern” Church (another thing that does not exist), is unfair, uncharitable, and offensive, not to mention untrue.

I don’t really know what you are talking about?

 

[JanR]

The Catholic Church has some beautiful traditions. There are also nice aspects to some of its post-Vatican II modernizations.

I like a balance between the two.

I like that the Mass is now in English, so I can understand it.

I like that the priest now faces the congregation throughout the service.

When I was a kid in the 1950s, most of the Mass was in Latin, except for the homily given by the priest, and when he was administering communion. Throughout most of the Mass back then, he had his back toward the congregation.

We knelt at the communion rail and uniformly received the Eucharist on the tongue.

I recall when I was in Catechism class, and the Sister was preparing us to receive our first communion. She had us practice sticking out our tongues. I was very shy about it, because I had always been told it was rude to stick my tongue out. So when it came my turn, I wouldn’t open my mouth completely to extend my tongue. Sister became exasperated, and said, “I guess you’re not ready to receive Jesus!”

Part of the problem was that, at first, I didn’t understand that I was supposed to stick my tongue all the way out. I finally caught on, and received my first communion just fine.

(I wonder if Jesus had a little chuckle over that?)

The changes with these things has helped better connect the congregation with the service, and has enabled fuller participation.

Still, some of the original traditions remain, and I don’t think today’s Mass has lost any of its beauty. If anything, it offers the congregation an enhanced and more enriching experience.

 

[thrasher59]

Okay- I require my Holy Communion from a Priest, or a Deacon. My choice,and my opinion. To each his own.

 

[thrasher59]

And on the tongue.

 

[Servant31]

I’m not old enough to have the communion rail in most of the parishes I’ve been to. However I can appreciate the beauty of the older service. I agree about an engaging experience with the current format though too.

However even in the last twenty I’ve seen too many disturbing trends of laxity in many parishes in the ordinary form. If the tabernacle is off to the side, the priest is front and center, and there is no crucifix I think it’s gone too far past a reasonable and respectful reverence. In one parish there was a band in T-shirt’s playing music with a leg kick at the end of the song, where the guitar player was a little too enthusiastic about saying it was a “barenaked ladies” song. I was a bit embarrassed tbh.

The only issue I have with some of the traditional stuff is if there is self righteousness along with it. I think the focus should be on Jesus.
Outside of these though it’s whatever gets you closest to God imo.

 

[MiserereMeiDei]

I’ve taken communion from an EMHC only once, I believe, at my confirmation/1st communion because we had to line up according to the pre-planned choreography. I understand perfectly.

 

[Catholic361]

I second it. I try to get the Echarist from the priest or deacon preferably by the priest and I always try and kneel, to me not to kneel down for the body of my Lord is just not right for me (also did that when I was a Methodist) so that is what I’m used to and will continue to do so till I’m called home to be with my Lord .

 

[choose_to_love]

Looks like Dierm was trying to quote St. Purl, but pulled the quote from one of your posts by accident

 

[GiftofMercy]

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

I attend both forms of Mass each Sunday. I don’t identify as either /or. I worship God in both Masses and find beauty in them both.

I do believe we should get back to more fire and brimstone and discussing the works of the devil more so people are more aware of , and can spot and avoid troubles. Especially in this day and age where things are starting to be very open and obvious. 80 years ago much of it would never be accepted in Western society.

Division is not good, and this question speaks to the division some are starting to foment within the mystical body of the church on this issue.

 

[Lea101]

Do you identify as a Traditionalist?

Nope.

If not, why not?

There’s no major reason for it. I just find additional rules unnecessary for me. I like some aspects of it (e.g. The incense, music, how the church looks in these traditional areas), but the idea of veiling, only receiving communion from men or a priest, etc seems like additional steps that won’t benefit me. You know, why be so strict about these things when we know God doesn’t particularly care about these issues?

It think it’s perfectly fine if it’s personal preference as long as you admit it and avoid pretending that this is the right way to be a Catholic. I don’t care enough to get angry if someone cares about these stuff. We all have different ways that help us to focus on Christ better.

The problem I have regarding traditional Catholicism is that some enjoy distorting it. Whether that means adding some nonsensical non-Catholic views into it like rigid gender roles, or attributing societal ills on Vatican II.

I’m not from the west so I don’t fully understand the state of the church there. Are non traditional churches heretical? From the way popular traditional Catholics speak, it seems as if they are (hence the appeal).

 

[melonhead]

melonhead:

Sometimes I can’t resist poking folks…

Hmm. Interesting. Maybe you should start another thread with the questions you asked. Just curious,I mean, thrasher59, did say he loved the TLM.

Yeah, I don’t see that happening. My other post, while intended purely as a joke, was deleted.

 

[MagdalenaRita]

What is your opinion on Traditionalism?

The reason I like traditionalism is because it is accepting of the whole Church from it’s beginning, which IMHO is how it should be. There isn’t a rejection of the pre-counciliar Church.

 

[stpurl]

Exactly. Now I’m not saying that if one does not accept tradition in the Church that they aren’t personally accepting people; a lot of people in fact aren’t aware of Catholic traditions and if they learned about them as they are would be inclined to accept them too.

Unfortunately a lot of people over the last 50 years have been taught about Catholic teachings and traditions with so much ‘baggage’ and so much slant, misinformation, disinformation, etc., that they just do a Pavlovian slobber when they hear those hateful words like “Veils”, “TLM”, “Latin”, “May crowning”, etc. They simply cannot tear away the emotionalism that was forced upon them when they learned at their mother’s knee how she rejoiced at being freed from that hideous symbol of male authority, the headcovering, and how no real woman should EVER have that inflicted on her again. Kids learn more from the parents than one realizes, especially from body language and emotionalism. The look of disgust on mom’s face when showing family pictures with that "ugly’ Hat covering up her beautiful hair, etc. are going to set up sympathetic vibrations in the daughter hearing and seeing her. And that’s just headcoverings. So many other traditions have been sneered at, mocked, reviled, and of course retconned into “pathetic opium spectacles for the women who have been deprived of any power or say in the church anyway”. Yeesh.

I really don’t wonder why so many Catholic Churches are seeing such steep declines. There is often such an atmosphere of self-loathing, and too many of the ‘novelties’ that were brought in are either done better by the Protestants or simply are viewed as cynically by remaining Catholics. if “OUR” older traditions were so useless, why bother with these new things? See them once or twice, discard them, give us something NEW! I feel sorry for people who find something they like that is newer in the Church because odds are, it won’t stay any more than the older traditions did!!!

Well, except for 70s and 80s hymns, but music is a little different here. Music itself is emotional and there are a lot of ties to the ‘glory year’ music. Look, even I, classical music lover that I am, tap my toes when I hear “Dancing Queen” so I know that something doesn’t actually have to be Mozart to have that emotional appeal due to all sorts of factors outside the music and lyrics themselves.