You know you're a Traditional Catholic when

[JSSebastianoP]

When for college writing, every single essay you turn in has to do with Church History or Theology.

When Friends refer to you as “The Catholic Guy”

That’s pretty much me; I’ve been raised in a cafeteria Catholic family, came around, but never managed to get to an EF Mass. I must find a way…

So… You’re a traditionalist Catholic when your Japanese language teacher asks you to write a biography as a project and you choose St. Francis Xavier.

Or, when surrounded by Episcopals, on a college campus, you can’t help but feel queasy when you are forced to refer to the priestess as “chaplain”…

Or, when at the Newman Club meetings (basically “Catholic club”), you are one of the few if not the only Catholic your age in the room who vocally opposes things things like abortion and is shocked to find out that there are Mass-attending Catholics who do not believe in the perpetual virginity of Mary!

 

[Seamus_L]

You know you’re a Traditional Catholic when you confess at the nearest Catholic Church, that you accidentally ate meat on Friday, and the priest tells you in a condescending tone that you are not required to abstain from meat on Friday anymore.

 

[James224]

I’ll start:

The other day, I went to the movies. When I got into the theater, I started walking to the other side where there were more seats. When I got to the middle, I stopped and was one second away from genuflecting to the movie screen! I luckily caught myself and laughed as I sat down.

Any experiences you guys have?

I haven’t done that but I remember when I was about 7 years old and Pope John XXIII was saying Mass on TV from St. Peter’s. It was in black & white. When they got to the Elevation, Dad, my brother and I knelt down in the living room! Dad said right before we knelt down: " Shouldn’t we be kneeling down?"

 

[bayernfan]

You know you’re a Traditional Catholic when you confess at the nearest Catholic Church, that you accidentally ate meat on Friday, and the priest tells you in a condescending tone that you are not required to abstain from meat on Friday anymore.

I’ve been told that exact story.

Of course, this is from a priest who refused to purify the vessels, disobeyed the Vatican by using glass vessels, and stated that he didn’t know when the Consecration of the Sacred Species occurred.

 

[BubbaGump]

You know you’re a Traditional Catholic when you confess at the nearest Catholic Church, that you accidentally ate meat on Friday, and the priest tells you in a condescending tone that you are not required to abstain from meat on Friday anymore.

Just remember, while it is a laudable practice (I avoid meat as well, usually) it is not a sin and therefore does not need to be confessed, as long as you make another act of penance.

-B

 

[roveau]

I’ll start:

The other day, I went to the movies. When I got into the theater, I started walking to the other side where there were more seats. When I got to the middle, I stopped and was one second away from genuflecting to the movie screen! I luckily caught myself and laughed as I sat down.

Any experiences you guys have?

I’ve had a similar experience. Also I have to keep my brain in check when it comes to police officers, I have to rehearse to NOT call them father.

 

[roveau]

On Sunday when at work I heard them calling out for the ‘Communion man’. I discovered that they were were referring to me. The Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist had arrived to give Holy Communion to some of the old esidents - I usually help them by gathering together the Catholics and support them in their little service.

 

[Jane11]

You’re the only woman in the church with a veil.

 

[iona_scribe]

Your husband gets a job in a new city, and you choose where to live based on the location of the nearest FSSP parish

 

[CatholicGuy22]

You know you’re a traditional catholic when you complain about everything.

 

[MarysGirls]

You’re the only woman in the church with a veil.

I used to wear one but then people started telling me it was distracting, so I stopped.

 

[Shin]

I used to wear one but then people started telling me it was distracting, so I stopped.

Don’t stop dear!

:console:

 

[Zacdecat]

When the Mormons ride on by but never fail to wave…they know they are in a Catholic heartland in the area around the church I attend.

 

[stormy99]

**When you explain why there is a corpus on your cross…by telling them Jesus wants you to remember to be kind to people who ask questions like that…

You catch yourself saying Hail Marys at odd times.

When you know you are doing something marginal and stop.

Know the Holy Spirit speaks softly to you.

stormy

**

 

[ZDHayden]

**
You catch yourself saying Hail Marys at odd times.
**

I do that a lot, and I’m a recent convert!

I’m not certain this would count but:

… you study Latin, and that study becomes in and of itself a prayer.
… you listen to Gregorian Chant during the day
… your birthday wish (because there are no TLMs available near you, you don’t drive and are the only Catholic in your family) is to go to a TLM, the closest one is roughly five or six hours away.
… you build your own kneeler for your bedroom.
… your bedroom screams “CATHOLIC!”
… you watch a TLM online whenever you can
(and cringe when it is with a French pronunciation)

 

[archangel04]

I used to wear one but then people started telling me it was distracting, so I stopped.

Distracting to who? You don’t need to stop because some ignorant people say it’s “distracting”. They should be humble enough to accept the practice because the Church accepts and encourages it. I suggest you wear it, if you still want to.

 

[SouthpawLink]

Your husband gets a job in a new city, and you choose where to live based on the location of the nearest FSSP parish

Good to hear!

“You know you’re a traditional Catholic when you deeply study the encyclicals of the post-Tridentine Pontiffs.”

“…when you would rather hear of the rights of God than of man” (cf. Pope Leo XIII).

“…when you long for the countries of Europe, and someday America too, to sign meaningful concordats with the Vatican, proclaiming the Kingship of Christ.”

“…when you know that the only true ‘ecumenism’ involves the return of dissident Christians to the one Church of Christ.”

 

[rinnie]

Father has your number on speed dial

 

[MarysGirls]

Don’t stop dear!

Distracting to who? You don’t need to stop because some ignorant people say it’s “distracting”. They should be humble enough to accept the practice because the Church accepts and encourages it. I suggest you wear it, if you still want to.

Well, that’s what I thought too at first, but then, after a lot of thought and prayer, I decided that if something I’m doing, whether it’s encouraged or not, is distracting someone from Christ, what’s the whole point in wearing it? Everything I do should point people to Christ, not away from Him.

But thank you anyway.

 

[LilyM]

Well, that’s what I thought too at first, but then, after a lot of thought and prayer, I decided that if something I’m doing, whether it’s encouraged or not, is distracting someone from Christ, what’s the whole point in wearing it? Everything I do should point people to Christ, not away from Him.

But thank you anyway.

But most EVERYTHING a Catholic can do to publicly express their faith - be it wearing a crucifix, making the sign of the cross in public, refusing to eat meat on Good Friday, or even attending Mass at a Catholic Church - is distracting to someone who is determined to dislike the Catholic faith in its various manifestations, and all of it potentially leads that someone away from Christ.

If someone told you that the mere fact of their knowing that you go to Mass distracts them from their faith, would you stop? Of course not. Neither should you let the fact that some have expressed disapproval of your covering your head stop you from doing it if you sincerely feel called to do so.

As Paul said, ‘we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews …’. He didn’t stop preaching because of that fact, though, did he?