Becoming Traditional Catholic Part II

JMJ

In my last post I discussed some of the differences between the Trad world and ... basically everything else.

But that wasn't really about 'becoming Traditional Catholic'.

For those who weren't 'born TCatholics' there seems to be a common thread.

Something happened the 'opened their eyes' to what happened or was happening. In some cases it was an intellectual realization, for others it was traumatic ... or a combination thereof.

Then there is suffering during the transition.

In the case of my family, the trauma started when one of my brothers started having an uneasy feeling about our new parish priest. He went back to our old parish and ... started asking questions.

Questions that upset the parish priest to the extent that my brother was featured (under a pseudonym) in a Sunday sermon.

My brother has that quality.

Eventually, he realized that there was something before the Novus Ordo Missae ... and found it.

This was the advent of major arguments in my otherwise quiet family.

In the end, my Dad sat down and read the Encyclopedia Britannica article on Luther and the reformation. When he finished reading the article, he looked up at my mother and said:

We've been tricked.

They had a meeting with our parish priest and the discussion culminated with them asking the priest a simple question. The priest gave the wrong answer. At that point we began Church hopping, while my brother went to the Tridentine Mass when it was offered (by Fr. Yves Normandin once every few weeks at that time ) we returned to our old parish with its very ultra-conservative priest (RIP).

Fr. Yves Normandin

My brother started to notice that there were vestiges of the Tridentine Mass hidden in plain sight throughout the Church. Candle sticks, statues, side altars etc.

Eventually, we switched to the Ukranian Rite (still Traditional at that time) and then a Sunday Tridentine Mass became available.

That was the rubicon moment.

We started to go 100% Tridentine.

This glosses over the arguments and sufferings that went along with our transition.

Not all of my family remained TCatholics, some reverted to being nTCatholics. Personally, my first day was less than stellar. However, my understanding of what was going on grew fairly quickly.

Achieving a good balanced perspective did take a number of years - but 2 years of education in St. Mary's Kansas did help!

So - what the lesson?

When the 'eye opening' moment occurs - it is a moment of grace. Seize it and profit from that moment.
Be ready for sufferings, but that is how we will merit the grace for others.

P^3

Comments

Communiqué on the Meeting between Cardinal Ladaria and Fr. Pagliarani

+ JMJ I suspect that the 'resistance' will be freaking out about this ... but as with the Archbishop, when Rome calls ... they go ... even if just to let them know (again) why they do what they do. Concerning the alleged 'sell-out' I have this to say: I should update the meme ... with 2017, 18 etc. The 'resistors' should stop and think a little: We are in the 18th year of the latest sell-out frenzy. So we're still waiting. Try and reconcile the 'resistance' positions with the Catholic Faith. If it doesn't objectively sync up - admit that you're wrong and take appropriate action. I have also attached some commentary from CFN. P^3 Courtesy of FSSPX.news Courtesy of Catholic Family News Communiqué on the Meeting between Cardinal Ladaria and Fr. Pagliarani November 24, 2018 By Eucharistic Crusade The Palace of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith i...

A Reply to Martin Blackshaw’s FLAWED Remnant article titled: FLAWED: SSPX Advice on Abortion-tainted Vaccines

+ JMJ An article has appeared in the Remnant (link to article) and I am afraid that there are a number of flaws in it that need to be addressed. The author, Martin Blackshaw, believes that both the Church and the SSPX are misapplying the principle of Moral Theology called 'Cooperation In Evil'. Unfortunately, Mr. Blackshaw rests most of his arguments on citing authors that support his position, without considering the possibility that they are wrong. This highlights a key factor in this crisis: ignorance of the faith and its application . I don't am not singling out Mr. Blackshaw for this criticism, I have observed that it applies to laity and religious, superior and subject a like. No one seems immune in this enduring crisis, myself included. I further believe that this ignorance is why so many Catholics, both traditional and non, rely on their gut feeling or "Catholic conscience" for charting their way through this crisis of the faith. While...

Unhinged Catholics ... are they on the right path? How would you know? (Updated 2x with Response to Comments)

+ JMJ (Originally Published Sept 7, 2019, Updated July 30, 2022, Updated August 13, 2022) Based on Pope Francis' latest selections for Cardinals, the Church appears to be in deep winter. Just to be clear, I don't mean a Florida winter, I mean a Canadian winter. In the last 35+ years as a Trad, I've seen my fair share of Catholics suffering from, and dying of, mental and spiritual hypothermia. When a Catholic pours themselves into the 'fight', neglects their spiritual life, doesn't deepen their understanding of the Catholic Faith, then there is a good chance that they will become embittered, frustrated, and angry. With their narrowed perspectives they risk being blindsided and smacked in the head with a metaphorical 2x4. Just look at the headlines on canon212 for some examples. Here's some others: "Diabolically Disoriented" Michael Matt Reveals His True Colors as a Pied Piper Leading "Traditionalists" (i.e., real Cat...

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

If Hell is Empty - Why does everyone seem to think that the SSPX is damned?

+ JMJ I have read that there are members of the Hierarchy who believe that Hell exists ... but it is empty and that the Church ecumenism encompasses all. Others simple deny the existence of human. Now with the Roman response to the SSPX July 1, 2026 Episcopal consecrations it appears that some do believe in Hell and don't believe that the Catholic Church ecumenism includes the SSPX. It would appear that the only people who are: Condemned to Hell as the SSPX and the faithful Catholics who seek the Unambiguous Sacraments from their priests and bishops. Excluded from the Catholic Church are likewise the SSPX. This is a little tongue in cheek (link) but it is really something that needs to be considered. P^3

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