What can we do???

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JMJ

So for those with eyes to see the Catholic Church is in a crisis of Faith and it began at the top (Paul VI???) and will end at the top (Pope ?????? the ??).

The question is what can / should we do?  I am of course thinking primarily of the Laity, but my thinking also applies to the professed.

What I see as a high probability is that Rome will finally drop the mantra sometime in the next 3 to 5 years.

Whether it is under Pope Francis the Last or some other Pontiff doesn't really matter.



I see it as inevitable as God is Just, that eventually the conditions will be ripe for the heresy to burn itself out and the rebuilding to begin.

The question that we need to think about now, as Traditional Catholics, is how to receive the refugees from the Church (I'm optimistic that we will see Trad Mass centres swell by 10-15%) and minimize the trauma and cultural influence that they will have on the established communities.

This is not a simple thing.

Culturally, those Catholics who will seek refuge in the SSPX and other Traditionalist communities, will have a mix of cultural elements, some aligned with Traditionalism, some that are not.

It is unavoidable that a Modern Catholic will have absorbed a number of the protestant factors that permeate the atmosphere within the 'mainstream' Church.

It is also unavoidable that some Traditional Catholics will have acquired habits and biases that are a result of having been persecuted for 40+ years.

When these two cultures are thrown together there is going to be a reaction.

For example ...

Most Modern Catholics will find the Traditional Mass, Communion on the Tongue and Kneeling, long periods of silence, uncomfortably different.

Traditional Catholics, especially the veterans, will be uncomfortable with the manner of dress of the refugees, their hair, ... basically any externals.

These are called Artifacts.

Artifact express values and values underlying assumptions.  As mentioned earlier, if an assumption is transgressed, as it is an element of the subconscious, the it will evoke an emotional response. The more firmly established an assumption, generally the stronger an emotional response.

As a result of years of persecution, in my experience, Traditionalist Catholics generally have a stronger set of assumptions than Modern Catholics.  Hence the burden will rest upon the Trads to practice patience and forbearance.

It will take time for the newcomers to adjust, in some cases it will take as long as a year for the Traditional Catholic environment to help them to adjust.

What can we do?

First, be a friend and help them understand why some things are the way they are - and if you don't know find out.

The first thing will be the modes of dress and this is more stunning for the ladies than the men.

I believe the second will be norms of behaviour during Mass etc.

Lastly, be truly charitable, grateful for what you've received and generous in sharing it.

P^3