What makes somebody a "Traditional" Catholic

[Jegudiel]

You are portraying the “Catholics without adjectives” as the true Catholics who are superior to all the others. This makes them into just the kind of group you disapprove of.

Not at all.

Consider what type of person even uses the label “Traditional Catholic.” They are trying to set themselves apart from Catholics where no distinction exists. Their standards or what they choose to follow are based on their own egos and not the Church. They pick and choose what they like.

 

[Jegudiel]

I love the Church very much. I respect and obey the Magisterium of the Church. I have never denied that the OF is a valid, Catholic Mass. But I have concerns about it. I speak of the concerns respectfully, but I am not silent about them. I think this is consistent with accepting the authority of the Church.

What do you mean “concerns?” Who are you to question what the Church has rendered and approved? You prefer the EF. Fine, no problem. But why do you feel a need to talk about your OF concerns? That’s where the ego comes into play – you obviously feel you know more than the Church at least on this matte.

 

[floresco]

Consider what type of person even uses the label “Traditional Catholic.” They are trying to set themselves apart from Catholics where no distinction exists. Their standards or what they choose to follow are based on their own egos and not the Church. They pick and choose what they like.

Presumably I am the type of person who uses the label “traditional Catholic” since I do use that label. I am not trying to set myself apart. I experience a difference between myself and other Catholics and so I seek language to capture my experience. I follow Church teaching to the best of my ability and pray to do better.

Admittedly I do not always succeed, but I often do things I do not like and accept things that I would rather not accept out of obedience to the Church. For example, I go to the OF if it is necessary in order to fulfill my Sunday obligation, even though it is difficult for me to attend.

I do not think I am much like the person you describe.

 

[floresco]

What do you mean “concerns?” Who are you to question what the Church has rendered and approved? You prefer the EF. Fine, no problem. But why do you feel a need to talk about your OF concerns? That’s where the ego comes into play – you obviously feel you know more than the Church at least on this matte.

I am an insignificant layperson. But bishops, cardinals and even our current pope have expressed concerns about the OF. These men are the teachers of our faith and I take their words to heart and think about them.

 

[Oneofthewomen]

I am an insignificant layperson. But bishops, cardinals and even our current pope have expressed concerns about the OF. These men are the teachers of our faith and I take their words to heart and think about them.

Concerns about the rite itself, or concerns on how the rite is sometimes carried out?
Big difference, IMHO.

 

[floresco]

Concerns about the rite itself, or concerns on how the rite is sometimes carried out?
Big difference, IMHO.

I have concerns about the rite itself as well as with how it is sometimes carried out. I am not sure how much I am allowed to say about my concerns here. I have written to the moderator requesting permission to post about this.

 

[TrueLight]

Not at all.

Consider what type of person even uses the label “Traditional Catholic.” They are trying to set themselves apart from Catholics where no distinction exists. Their standards or what they choose to follow are based on their own egos and not the Church. They pick and choose what they like.

There are lots of people who pick and choose what they want. Is it better to choose the traditions of the church or modernism?

I am not sure how much I am allowed to say about my concerns here. I have written to the moderator requesting permission to post about this.

Smart move.

 

[Oneofthewomen]

I have concerns about the rite itself as well as with how it is sometimes carried out. I am not sure how much I am allowed to say about my concerns here. I have written to the moderator requesting permission to post about this.

I will say no more here, as not to derail,
but if that thread is allowed, please let me know.
I am interested in your thoughts.

 

[Ohana]

Actually, I thought I was a traditional Catholic until I started reading this site! What is in an identity???

 

[Diana_Catherine]

I snipped this because it is a point I want to address directly.
I agree with you that the things of the past need to be preserved, but, alas, time does not stop.
That is the problem I most often experience with the “traditional catholics” I run into. Most of them want time stopped in some “golden age”, and as we all know there never was a “golden age”, every time had it’s own problems & issues.

The things from the past are important, but how we explain and use them may need to be updated,
so that people who know nothing about them can fit them into their lives now in the present time.

I totally agree with you that we do need to be updating the way we explain and evangelize the truth but it is the truths that don’t change and that is what I see happening a lot in the church today. People want the truths to change. The Church needs to remain constant in it’s truth and teachings. All you have to do is go through an older catechism book and see how much is not practiced or taught anymore. And because those things aren’t taught, people, many, many Catholics don’t know or understand their own faith.

The culture is asking for the Church to become more relevant with the times and we shouldn’t be joining them in that request but many in the church do. One thing that is comforting and encouraging for us when we see the way the world is going today is that God’s Church or God’s ways don’t change. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. Maybe the ways of spreading the Gospel changes but the Gospel doesn’t change.

I don’t feel traditional Catholics are asking for a “golden age”, they just don’t want to lose what was so richly given them through the ages and they want to experience that richness and no doubt the reason the Mass is such an important topic is because it is the greatest of all those treasures. Also, I believe Catholics who want to hold on to these treasures, want to be able to pass them on to their children, as God has instructed us to do.

Plus looking at the way things are going today with the attacks against the Catholic church, this is a time when the Church needs to be steady and “stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter …” 2 Thessalonians 2:15.

I hope and pray that as Catholics we can stand strong and say this is what the Catholic church is, this is what we believe and we aren’t changing for the culture. No matter how much time moves on.