Why is it so hard to be traditional?

[Momofmyangels]

Quite simply a “traditional” person is trying to worship God in the most sacred way possible, thus giving God the adoration and worship He is deserving of. This doesn’t just mean attending the TLM, it is a whole way of living and raising your children to keep God where He should be…at the forefront of our minds, in all we do and say, so that all is offered to Him. This is how it should be, right?

Then why are traditionalists as a whole mocked, looked down upon and labeled as “holier than thou”. Their ulterior motive is to give God the adoration and worship He is deserving of. Isn’t this commendable? Why is there such strife? (oh, I know there are a few who lack charity and come across as holier than thou, but for the most this is not so).

Look at all the threads right now, CITH, TLM vs NO, sign of peace…People try to receive Communion on the tongue while kneeling and they are ridiculed. They do so, not to prove a point, but rather to show respect for Our Lord whom they are receiving. It would be MUCH easier to receive in the hand while standing and avoid the ridicule, believe me, but because they truly wish to show respect, they kneel. (please don’t read into this that those that stand and receive in the hand are being disrespectful, my point is that those that kneel and receive on the tongue are ridiculed and those that don’t are not and why is this so?)

Try to say that you prefer the TLM and wish to only attend the TLM and again you are ridiculed. I have never felt at the NO Mass what I feel at the TLM. It never ceases to move me to tears of joy at being that close to God. Again, I am not saying that people cannot feel this at the NO, but when people say they only attend the NO, no one bats an eyelash, but say that you will only attend a TLM and again, the labeling begins. Look at the SSPX, the pope has respect for them and is trying to reconcile with them, but some Catholics don’t share his sentiment and continue to say derogatory statements about them. I don’t understand this.

Everyone has their own preference for worship, but it seems to me that the traditional way of worship is not accepted by most and I have a hard time understanding why. It certainly is not the easy path taken.

 

[georgewithfaith]

Great post! Catholics misunderstand Traditional Catholics b/c they don’t fully understand the tlm. Over time this will change b/c tlm is becoming more common and wiil grow.

 

[ljubim]

It’s really sad, isn’t it? It would almost make it easier if the TLM was a different rite, like Ukranian Catholics, but of course we don’t want that

 

[Stylites]

Certainly worship where and how you feel you are the most benefited from, and don’t worry about what other people might or might not think of it. Hands to the plough and don’t look back at what might have been and the what if’s . . .

Now, there are issues when some try to claim that the Church’s Liturgy is somehow wrong, or incomplete, or lacking in grace, or disrespectful, or so terribly and always abused that it is always illicit, etc. that the detractors of the Church end up becoming protestants and schismatics. We all need to keep our focus upon the Bridegroom and not upon the linens and the flowers and the incense, and all the other external trappings such as others’ attires or postures or supposed intentions or states of grace.

 

[Oneofthewomen]

Quite simply a “traditional” person is trying to worship God in the most sacred way possible, thus giving God the adoration and worship He is deserving of. This doesn’t just mean attending the TLM, it is a whole way of living and raising your children to keep God where He should be…at the forefront of our minds, in all we do and say, so that all is offered to Him. This is how it should be, right?

Then why are traditionalists as a whole mocked, looked down upon and labeled as “holier than thou”. Their ulterior motive is to give God the adoration and worship He is deserving of. Isn’t this commendable? Why is there such strife? (oh, I know there are a few who lack charity and come across as holier than thou, but for the most this is not so).

Look at all the threads right now, CITH, TLM vs NO, sign of peace…People try to receive Communion on the tongue while kneeling and they are ridiculed. They do so, not to prove a point, but rather to show respect for Our Lord whom they are receiving. It would be MUCH easier to receive in the hand while standing and avoid the ridicule, believe me, but because they truly wish to show respect, they kneel. (please don’t read into this that those that stand and receive in the hand are being disrespectful, my point is that those that kneel and receive on the tongue are ridiculed and those that don’t are not and why is this so?)

Try to say that you prefer the TLM and wish to only attend the TLM and again you are ridiculed. I have never felt at the NO Mass what I feel at the TLM. It never ceases to move me to tears of joy at being that close to God. Again, I am not saying that people cannot feel this at the NO, but when people say they only attend the NO, no one bats an eyelash, but say that you will only attend a TLM and again, the labeling begins. Look at the SSPX, the pope has respect for them and is trying to reconcile with them, but some Catholics don’t share his sentiment and continue to say derogatory statements about them. I don’t understand this.

Everyone has their own preference for worship, but it seems to me that the traditional way of worship is not accepted by most and I have a hard time understanding why. It certainly is not the easy path taken.

I wish that I could give you concrete answers, but I cannot. What I will do is speak from my experience.

I am not what anyone here at CAF would consider “traditional”, by any stretch of the imagination!
I am also not “liberal” enough for most of my friends or the people of my diocese.

My biggest issue with the “traditional-minded” Catholics in my area, and those I have encountered in the forums and in “blogland” is the mentality of some (not ALL!), who think that anything that has happened in the Church since 1965 is evil! That no one who attends an OF Mass or receives CITH believes in the “Real Presence”, and that the only “true Mass” is the EF.

The other problem I have is with the “victim mentality” of some, (again, not ALL!) of the traditionally minded people I have encountered. Everything is a conspiracy theory, everyone is against them, and anyone who does not agree 100% with everything that they say is against them.

In your last comment, you say that everyone has their own preference of worship. I agree with you 100%. However, it is my experience that not everyone in “traditional circles” agrees with that, and some (again not ALL!), can be quite nasty and judgemental to anyone who embraces anything that is even remotely in the “spirit of VII”.

It goes both ways. There are bad apples on both sides, and as we all know, you only need one to spoil the whole barrel!

 

[floresco]

On the other hand, being traditional has brought me my heritage as a Catholic. There was a treasure of devotions and prayers that was mine and I did not know it. While I may have to deal with some unpleasantness, I have come out way ahead. I would not say it is hard to be traditional. It is a great joy.

 

[Milesius]

Ah but even the mocking is a benefit of been traditional don’t you see? Christ also was mocked, by sharing in the mockery we become even closer to Him.

Non nobis domine, sed nomini tuo da gloriam.
youtube.com/watch?v=13FrLGB_oK8

 

[Momofmyangels]

On the other hand, being traditional has brought me my heritage as a Catholic. There was a treasure of devotions and prayers that was mine and I did not know it. While I may have to deal with some unpleasantness, I have come out way ahead. I would not say it is hard to be traditional. It is a great joy.

I agree that it is a great joy, but I also feel that when you try to follow your conscience and for example try to receive Communion kneeling, it is not made easy for you. Or, try to get the TLM in your area and it is near impossible. This make it hard.

 

[JRKH]

The very short and simple answer is that ANYONE of ANY spiritual path who seriously tries to keep God both first and visible in their lives is ridiculed. This is true of Traditionalist as well as more Liberal catholics as well as noncatholic Christians etc.
About the only ones who are not ridiculed (at least not to the same degree) are those who enter religious life. I guess everyone expects them to be “holier than thou”…

Take heart in the ridicule for Christ foretold it and pronounced his blessing on such.
Mt 5:11 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.”

Peace
James

 

[crazzeto]

Quite simply a “traditional” person is trying to worship God in the most sacred way possible, thus giving God the adoration and worship He is deserving of. This doesn’t just mean attending the TLM, it is a whole way of living and raising your children to keep God where He should be…at the forefront of our minds, in all we do and say, so that all is offered to Him. This is how it should be, right?

Then why are traditionalists as a whole mocked, looked down upon and labeled as “holier than thou”. Their ulterior motive is to give God the adoration and worship He is deserving of. Isn’t this commendable? Why is there such strife? (oh, I know there are a few who lack charity and come across as holier than thou, but for the most this is not so).

Look at all the threads right now, CITH, TLM vs NO, sign of peace…People try to receive Communion on the tongue while kneeling and they are ridiculed. They do so, not to prove a point, but rather to show respect for Our Lord whom they are receiving. It would be MUCH easier to receive in the hand while standing and avoid the ridicule, believe me, but because they truly wish to show respect, they kneel. (please don’t read into this that those that stand and receive in the hand are being disrespectful, my point is that those that kneel and receive on the tongue are ridiculed and those that don’t are not and why is this so?)

Try to say that you prefer the TLM and wish to only attend the TLM and again you are ridiculed. I have never felt at the NO Mass what I feel at the TLM. It never ceases to move me to tears of joy at being that close to God. Again, I am not saying that people cannot feel this at the NO, but when people say they only attend the NO, no one bats an eyelash, but say that you will only attend a TLM and again, the labeling begins. Look at the SSPX, the pope has respect for them and is trying to reconcile with them, but some Catholics don’t share his sentiment and continue to say derogatory statements about them. I don’t understand this.

Everyone has their own preference for worship, but it seems to me that the traditional way of worship is not accepted by most and I have a hard time understanding why. It certainly is not the easy path taken.

I agree with much of you say here, particularly your preference for TLM and behaving as a traditional Catholic as we all should regardless of what Mass we attend and for what reason.

I would however like to add that I have run into a good deal of trouble with some very vocal traditionalists who have really soured the name “Catholic Traditionalist” for everyone who accepts that lable (as I would love to). For instance I’ve been told that when I do attend Novos Ordo (most of the time actually, as my only TLM oppertunity is the first Sunday of the month) that I’m only receiving bread and wine at communion because the institution is invalid. It’s this kind of thing which is unhelpful. More over I just participated in a thread where a poster was in fact very open to TLM but was fustarted with his experiences, wasn’t really getting in sync with it in his 3 experiences there, and depseratly needed help.

Rather than helping, the traditionalists here attacked him, attacked his notion that TLM could be fustrating to anyone, and accused him of being prejudice against it. I felt that this kind of response was both non-helpful and exterem. In fact I my self was also attacked when I suggested to this poster that for the time being, they switch back to Novos Ordo while they study TLM, study the 1962 Missal and get ready to go back to TLM again only more prepared. One person tried to put this suggestion on a par with suggesting Protestant converts continuing to attend protestant services while they “ease into” Catholic Mass.

So while I understand all that your saying, and I agree no group should be painted with such a broad brush and these certainly are unjust accusations, I also have to be mindful of my own behaviour as someone who prefers the most ancient tradition and my brothers who do as well. We also need to be more charitable, particularly given most people dipping their toes into TLM (like me actually) were raised after vatican 2 and as such never actually saw TLM in person. Some of us will immediatly fall in love, I sure did. Otherse of us will need more work, study and help. I feel this should be provided in the form of good helpful advice.

 

[Momofmyangels]

Ah but even the mocking is a benefit of been traditional don’t you see? Christ also was mocked, by sharing in the mockery we become even closer to Him.

Non nobis domine, sed nomini tuo da gloriam.
youtube.com/watch?v=13FrLGB_oK8

Yes, I know this. But as fellow Catholics, why is there a common lack of charity when one tries to give God the worship He is due.

 

[Milesius]

Yes, I know this. But as fellow Catholics, why is there a common lack of charity when one tries to give God the worship He is due.

You know the reason why, because of fallen human nature.

People struggle with self doubt and the idea of that someone might be better than them and so they fight to make us all to be equal in our mediocrity.

It is like that described in the parable of the crabs in a pot.

guidezone.e-guiding.com/jmstory_crabs.htm

 

[Dum_Spiro_Spero]

Just had to throw in a few lines of personal assaults again didn’t you

Certainly worship where and how you feel you are the most benefited from, and don’t worry about what other people might or might not think of it. Hands to the plough and don’t look back at what might have been and the what if’s . . .

Now, there are issues when some try to claim that the Church’s Liturgy is somehow wrong, or incomplete, or lacking in grace, or disrespectful, or so terribly and always abused that it is always illicit, etc. that the detractors of the Church end up becoming protestants and schismatics. We all need to keep our focus upon the Bridegroom and not upon the linens and the flowers and the incense, and all the other external trappings such as others’ attires or postures or supposed intentions or states of grace.

 

[Dum_Spiro_Spero]

Wonderful post by the way!! I thought it was extremely accurate and it was a pleasure to read it. Thank you

Quite simply a “traditional” person is trying to worship God in the most sacred way possible, thus giving God the adoration and worship He is deserving of. This doesn’t just mean attending the TLM, it is a whole way of living and raising your children to keep God where He should be…at the forefront of our minds, in all we do and say, so that all is offered to Him. This is how it should be, right?

Then why are traditionalists as a whole mocked, looked down upon and labeled as “holier than thou”. Their ulterior motive is to give God the adoration and worship He is deserving of. Isn’t this commendable? Why is there such strife? (oh, I know there are a few who lack charity and come across as holier than thou, but for the most this is not so).

Look at all the threads right now, CITH, TLM vs NO, sign of peace…People try to receive Communion on the tongue while kneeling and they are ridiculed. They do so, not to prove a point, but rather to show respect for Our Lord whom they are receiving. It would be MUCH easier to receive in the hand while standing and avoid the ridicule, believe me, but because they truly wish to show respect, they kneel. (please don’t read into this that those that stand and receive in the hand are being disrespectful, my point is that those that kneel and receive on the tongue are ridiculed and those that don’t are not and why is this so?)

Try to say that you prefer the TLM and wish to only attend the TLM and again you are ridiculed. I have never felt at the NO Mass what I feel at the TLM. It never ceases to move me to tears of joy at being that close to God. Again, I am not saying that people cannot feel this at the NO, but when people say they only attend the NO, no one bats an eyelash, but say that you will only attend a TLM and again, the labeling begins. Look at the SSPX, the pope has respect for them and is trying to reconcile with them, but some Catholics don’t share his sentiment and continue to say derogatory statements about them. I don’t understand this.

Everyone has their own preference for worship, but it seems to me that the traditional way of worship is not accepted by most and I have a hard time understanding why. It certainly is not the easy path taken.

 

[AndrewF1995]

Quite simply a “traditional” person is trying to worship God in the most sacred way possible, thus giving God the adoration and worship He is deserving of. This doesn’t just mean attending the TLM, it is a whole way of living and raising your children to keep God where He should be…at the forefront of our minds, in all we do and say, so that all is offered to Him. This is how it should be, right?

Then why are traditionalists as a whole mocked, looked down upon and labeled as “holier than thou”. Their ulterior motive is to give God the adoration and worship He is deserving of. Isn’t this commendable? Why is there such strife? (oh, I know there are a few who lack charity and come across as holier than thou, but for the most this is not so).

Look at all the threads right now, CITH, TLM vs NO, sign of peace…People try to receive Communion on the tongue while kneeling and they are ridiculed. They do so, not to prove a point, but rather to show respect for Our Lord whom they are receiving. It would be MUCH easier to receive in the hand while standing and avoid the ridicule, believe me, but because they truly wish to show respect, they kneel. (please don’t read into this that those that stand and receive in the hand are being disrespectful, my point is that those that kneel and receive on the tongue are ridiculed and those that don’t are not and why is this so?)

Try to say that you prefer the TLM and wish to only attend the TLM and again you are ridiculed. I have never felt at the NO Mass what I feel at the TLM. It never ceases to move me to tears of joy at being that close to God. Again, I am not saying that people cannot feel this at the NO, but when people say they only attend the NO, no one bats an eyelash, but say that you will only attend a TLM and again, the labeling begins. Look at the SSPX, the pope has respect for them and is trying to reconcile with them, but some Catholics don’t share his sentiment and continue to say derogatory statements about them. I don’t understand this.

Everyone has their own preference for worship, but it seems to me that the traditional way of worship is not accepted by most and I have a hard time understanding why. It certainly is not the easy path taken.

I agree, especially with the TLM and getting ridiculed. My own family does to me. They ask “why would you go to a mass that you can’t even understand what they are saying” and my grandma tried to convince me to stop altar serving and go back to the really modern parish near my house. My dad is the only one who understands me I guess.

 

[Momofmyangels]

I agree, especially with the TLM and getting ridiculed. My own family does to me. They ask “why would you go to a mass that you can’t even understand what they are saying” and my grandma tried to convince me to stop altar serving and go back to the really modern parish near my house. My dad is the only one who understands me I guess.

I think this is a very common misconception. The Latin Mass can be quite easy to follow. Three of my older children (ages 10,9 and 8) are picking it up quickly just by attending the TLM and having a missal in their hands.

 

[floresco]

Ah but even the mocking is a benefit of been traditional don’t you see? Christ also was mocked, by sharing in the mockery we become even closer to Him.

Yes, it is. If I can learn to bear these slight trials bravely, patiently and joyfully, perhaps some day I will, with the grace of God, be able to give my life for His sake. What a blessing it is to have this opportunity for spiritual growth.

 

[jfoges]

Look at the SSPX, the pope has respect for them and is trying to reconcile with them, but some Catholics don’t share his sentiment and continue to say derogatory statements about them. I don’t understand this.

Everyone has their own preference for worship, but it seems to me that the traditional way of worship is not accepted by most and I have a hard time understanding why. It certainly is not the easy path taken.

I can agree with everything you said until you mentioned SSPX. A lot of people have a problem with them because they have neo-nazis and right wing extremists in their ranks and leadership. Look at bishop Williamson.

 

[Lycorth]

People make it hard to be a traditional Catholic because they’ve been subtly bred to make it so, to look down at people who would rather kneel for communion or kneel when the tabernacle is open or veil themselves at Mass or so on - I could go on forever. It’s as if modernist Catholics are offended by such displays of piety because it points out to them how they fail as Catholics, but in their pride they won’t think “oh, that’s beautiful - I should change” but rather “how dare you not acknowledge that I am a walking tabernacle and that my holiness is without question and that I should do all these little things for God’s sake”.

How quickly we’ve forgotten that if we can’t be trusted with little things, we can’t be trusted with bigger ones.

I can agree with everything you said until you mentioned SSPX. A lot of people have a problem with them because they have neo-nazis and right wing extremists in their ranks and leadership. Look at bishop Williamson.

Doubting the Holocaust does not make one a neo-Nazi or a right wing extremist. That’s patently ridiculous, no matter if you levy that against a SSPX member/supporter or anyone else.

 

[floresco]

I can agree with everything you said until you mentioned SSPX. A lot of people have a problem with them because they have neo-nazis and right wing extremists in their ranks and leadership. Look at bishop Williamson.

You may find it helpful to look at the thread “negative attitudes to SSPX”. Please, at least, read the first post.