Becoming Traditional Catholic Part I

JMJ

It is a big step from the non-Traditional to Traditional Catholic World.

First of all, the Trad world is much smaller, isolated and under siege.

This leads to a number of interesting elements that a person making the transition needs to take into account.

The Trad World Is Smaller

It is a fact that in the states there are about 30,000 Traditional Catholics who support the SSPX and about 3,000 in Canada. The other Traditionalit orders (FSSP, ICK, etc), I assume, are in the same ball park if not smaller.

Let put that in perspective, in my area there are 270,000 non-Traditional Catholics.

Consequently, aside from the larger centers, a Traditional 'Parish' or Mass Centre will be 200 people or less.

This has the advantage of being like an extended family and cozy.

It has the disadvantage that any crazy 'uncles' in that family will be in plain sight.

Be forewarned that any eccentricity that would be drowned in a sea of people in a non-Traditional setting will be like mountains in a Trad environment.

So be patient.

The Trad World Is Isolated

Trads are not, by nature, isolationist. But because of the distance between the Teachings of the World and the Teachings of the Catholic Church - a normal isolation occurs.

Think about the 'popular' topics of abortion, euthanasia, contraception, gay rights, eugenics, etc.

Each of these is an important topic or 'issue', slowly creating a significant amount of emotional (irrational) thought and argumentation.

However, when one becomes a Traditional Catholic, a whole new set of 'issues' are added to the list.

The first would be Outside the Church there is no salvation (see this link for a my series on this topic). This is a Dogma - yet I have been accused by nT's of 'wanting to condemn them all to Hell'. This is closely linked with the 'anonymous christian' theory (condemned by Pius XII).

When you cross the line to tCatholicism, you are going to be faced with this one - sooner or later. Be ready by understanding what the Church teaches - false religions are just that false. They do not have any power to save. Any vestiges of the Catholic Church that they contain (Bible, sacraments etc) are just that vestiges.

Members of non-Catholic religions aren't members of the Catholic Church and therefore they are seriously hampered depending on their state of ignorance.

The second would be liberalism. Liberals have an immediate hate reaction when they come across a Catholic who actually believes what the Catholic Church Teaches. In fear a Catholic may turn from this fight and ... it is a hard one to navigate because the Liberals have an emotional response.

... the list goes on.

The Trad World is Under Siege

Because of these differences, differences that matter, there is a war between the Army of Christ and the Army of Satan.

A lot of us have been fighting since the 70's, I've been in for 35 years. The human mind likes to make complex things simple, us vs them. In general this is true, it is the Camp of Christ vs the Camp of Satan.

Years of conflict can develop automatic reactions to things that 'smell' moderns. One's perspective may narrow if they don't keep up a strong spiritual life (1st priority) and study the faith (2nd priority).

So start today working on your spiritual life and studying - but always keep the priority.

Conclusion

So what does this all mean?

It means that when a person becomes a TCatholic, a chasm will open between their beliefs and those of ntCatholics and non-Catholics alike.

Be patient.

P^3

nTC =nTCatholic = non-Traditional Catholic
TC = TCatholic = Tradication Catholic

Comments

The myth of the Hermeneutic of Continuity - Rorate Caeli

+ JMJ Interestingly the complete acceptance of the Second Vatican Council (without reservations) is required of the SSPX. Just when people are starting to wonder how it came to this! Courtesy of Rorate Caeli P^3

A Look Back: Archbishop Lefebvre’s Prophetic Address to The Remnant, 1976

+ JMJ Looking back is important to understand why we are where we are in this crisis. Courtesy of RemnantNewsPaper P^3 FOR THE FIRST TIME ONLINE: Archbishop Lefebvre’s Prophetic Address to The Remnant, 1976 Written by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre Introduction by Michael J. Matt More than forty years ago—during the disastrous reign of Pope Paul VI, the latest candidate for a Vatican-issued Halo Award, by the way—my father, Walter L. Matt, organized the first large scale public reception in the U.S. for the late Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. It was held at the Radisson South Hotel, Minneapolis, on Tuesday, May 12, 1976, and its stated purpose was to assist the Archbishop in gaining a stronger foothold for the Society of St. Pius X in the States during the unprecedented crisis Blessed Pope Paul had helped unleash on the Church. On that occasion Archbishop Lefebvre delivered ...

Canonical Mission and State of Emergency - A Response to Mr. John Salza - Part B

+ JMJ I was trying to think of a way to map out the time course I discussed in Part A of this article. Early this morning it came to me that this is more about obedience and duty than canon law. As is my wont, I mapped out my thoughts (see image) to draw linkages between the core concepts. My conclusion is that, at least subjectively, Archbishop Lefebvre had sufficient information to make good decisions concerning whether or not he was obliged to obey. I know that the Jesuits, some Sedevacantists and the priests that left over the years will not agree with my thoughts. So be it. The core pieces of information include: Attacks against the SSPX were launched because they kept the Tridentine Mass and the pre-conciliar understanding of the Truths of the Faith. The authorities in the Church were willing to go against the laws of the Church. The same authorities encouraged the various dangers to the Faith embedded in popular interpretations of ambiguo...

Of the Church and the Pope - Fr. Calmel O.P.

+ JMJ Once again, looking back to see if the 'Traditional Catholics' in the early days of this crisis of the Church had a sufficient view to realize the roots of the crisis. The root: The Pope Hence when the Pope is 'righted' the Church will be 'righted'. P^3 Courtesy of SSPXasia Fr. Roger Calmel, O.P. This essay by Fr. Roger Calmel, O.P. (1914-75) helps us in these difficult times to preserve our love of the Church. More than 30 years after its first publication, this article retains all its relevance, so much so that it even seems to have been written for our time, in which the crisis in the Church deepens at an unprecedented pace. This essay will help the reader to think clearly, keep the Faith, and maintain serenity in the troubled times we are navigating. “My country has hurt m e,”wrote a young poet in 1944 during the purge 1 when the head of state [Charles De Gaulle] implacably pursued the sinister job that had been in the wo...

Validity of new rite of episcopal consecrations - Courtesy of SSPX.org

+ JMJ In the blogosphere there are number of responses to this crisis in the Catholic Church that lead to conclusions that run counter to Catholic Doctrine and Dogmas - if taken to their logical conclusion. The validity of the New Rite of Episcopal consecrations is one such hotspot within more extreme sections of the 'traditionalist' culture. Validity of new rite of episcopal consecrations Courtesy of SSPX.org Why the new rite of episcopal consecration is valid Introduction This comprehensive study was compiled to settle a debate that has been circulating in traditional Catholic circles. Some writers have examined the new rite of episcopal consecration and concluded that it must be invalid. Since this would cause manifest problems if it were true and due to the heightened awareness of such a theory, we present a study of this question concluding that it is valid. Following the Council, in 1968 a new rite for the ordination of bishops was promulg...

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