Cultural Lines in the Sand

JMJ

Cultural assumptions are the foundation upon which a culture stands (or falls).

What applies to large corporate organizations also applies to the Catholic Church. There will, of course, be sub-cultures that operate within the larger culture of the organization. Each of these sub-cultures will have some elements in common (forming the culture as a whole) as well as their own cultural assumptions.

An example of this can be found in the recent separation of some individuals from the SSPX. In this case the cultural assumption that appears to have been challenged is either or both:

Whether or not Pope Benedict XVI actually had the authority and capability to issue a legitimate command that would meet the criteria requiring obedience.
The assumption that the 'conciliar Church' refers to a movement within the Catholic Church.

The clarity and direction provided by the leadership of the SSPX has resulted in a reaffirmation of the two core assumptions and those people who hold contrary assumptions have in general separated themselves from the SSPX. A number of those people have now revealed themselves as holding a variant of sede-vacantism.

In general terms there are at present two sub-cultures vying for dominance within the Catholic Church:

Progressivists: Hold cultural assumptions that have been dominant since the council, usually described as the 'spirit of the council'.
Traditionalists: Hold cultural assumptions that were dominant prior to the council, sometimes described as crypto-lefebvrist, lefebvrist, integrist.

There is a third sub-culture that basically is acquiescing to the dominant culture of the leadership. I typically refer to this group as a hybridized Catholic/Protestant culture as its assumptions have been severely altered by the liturgy and progressivist culture dominant within the Church in the last 50 years. This cultural group is sometimes called 'conservatives' and what is going to be discovered soon is where is the line in the cultural sand beyond which they will not pass?

Obviously, the Traditionalists have already stated and stood by their various cultural lines (FSSP et al, SSPX et al), with the attendant and predictable cultural immune responses.

Courtesy of Louie Verrecchio

Which issue will be the rubicon for the conservatives?

What will the conservatives succeed in conserving in the coming Synod on the Family?

Will this be one of the defining moments in the history of this crisis?

God knows, time will reveal.

Until then ...

P^3
Prayer
Penance
Patience

Comments

Auctorem Fidei

Can the SSPX be right about the Novus Ordo? Revision: Feb 11, 2013 On another web forum, I was engaged in a rather heated discussion about the documents of Vatican II.

Morning and Evening and other sundry Prayers

+ JMJ Along the theme of P^3 (Prayer, Penance, Patience), and for my own reference ... here is a collection of Morning and Evening prayers from the Ideal Daily Missal along with some additional prayers. In this crisis of the Church, I do not think it is possible to do too much prayer, penance and have patience. P^3

Catholic Culture - The Edgar Schein Model Analysis of the Pre and Post Conciliar Culture

+ JMJ So ... I was thinking ... I've used Edgar Schein's (RIP) organizational cultural model (link ) in my research ... why not apply it in a comparison between the Catholic Organizational Culture - PRE and POST Second Vatican Culture? Of course, this will be from my own perspective, I'm certain that others will think differently. 😁 Also, apologies for a rather long article. Graphic: https://mutomorro.com/edgar-scheins-culture-model/ Below is a quick mapping of the cultural factors that I could think of. Since the Church is vast and composed of millions of Souls, it is necessarily a limited cultural map. Yet, I think it will still be useful to assess what has changed since the Second Vatican Council. Additional Reading: 5 enduring management ideas from MIT Sloan’s Edgar Schein | MIT Sloan Artifacts Artifacts are tangible and observable aspects of the culture being examined. All organizations have them. Walmart has their Walmart chant, Charismatics have their spe

Is it sinful to attend the Novus Ordo (New Mass) - Is it Sinful to Not Attend the Novus Ordo on Sunday?

+ JMJ A non-SSPX Catholic is upset over the SSPX statements on not attending the Novus Ordo Missae. Ladies and gentlemen, what the SSPX, or at least its website editor, is advocating is a mortal sin against the Third Commandment. Unless the priest deviates from the language of the Sacramentary, the consecration, and thus the rest of Mass is to be considered valid. No one may elect not to attend Mass simply because abuses are occurring therein. Might I suggest that such absenteeism is its own abuse? The Third Commandment binds under mortal sin. Father So-And-So from the SSPX has no authority whatsoever to excuse attendance at Mass, be that Mass ever so unpalatable. Source:Restore DC Catholicism Well, this is interesting. First why does the SSPX issue this statement? Because it is sinful to put your faith in danger by attending a protestant service. It is likewise dangerous to put your faith in danger by attending a protestantized mass (ie the Novus Ordo Missae

Holy Ghost vs Holy Spirit

+ JMJ Something that always and I do mean always causes me to cringe interiourly is when non-Trad Catholics use the words "Holy Spirit" instead of "Holy Ghost". First, this is a natural response because of long usage of "Holy Ghost" as soon as I hear the word "Holy" in a prayer, my brain automatically is prepped to hear "Ghost" afterwards. This creates a short period of interiour dissonance (discomfort). Now the question I would like to ponder today is whether or not there is a difference and whether or not there is a right way vs wrong way.

Tradicat

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