RadTrads

In the Catholic faith, a derogatory word for "radical traditionalist." This generally involves the following things: 

1) Rejection of Vatican II
2) Rejection of the non-Latin mass
3) Rejection of the authority of the current bishops and pope

 One of the common arguments used in almost every discussion about the things we do as Catholics is, “That is the way it was done in the early Church.” The argument is meant to convey that things were better in the early Church, more holy, and closer to God. The problem with that argument is that we have very short memories. To some five hundred years ago was the early Church. In a Church that is two thousand years old what is considered early?

On September 11, 2001 nineteen terrorists enacted the greatest act of evil against homeland America. That, of course, was the bombing of the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington D.C. using hijacked commercial jet aircraft. Of these people, who knows more about the events that happened that day –

1: A person who was present in the towers and escaped the tragedy.

2: One of the many first responders who worked so valiantly to save lives.

3: Someone watching the events unfold from the window of their apartment nearby.

4: Anyone reading this blog entry today.

 It is obvious that we know more about the events of September 11^th today than anyone who was present when it happened. Time and distance have given us that ability. The same is true for our Church today. When an artist creates a masterpiece, whether it be a painting, a sculpture, or some other piece of art, they do not begin with the finished product and work backwards. They begin with a thought and the raw materials. They begin with an empty canvas, piece of marble, or slab of clay. Then they work forward, one small step at a time, until the visions in their minds become a reality before our eyes.

One of Michelangelo’s greatest creations is the Statue of David that he carved out of a solid block of marble over seventeen feet tall. When asked how he could create such a masterpiece he said, “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.”

The same is true about God’s masterpiece of the Church. It was not complete when Christ went back to the Father on Pentecost. In fact, the Church was barely more than a blank canvas on that day. God has been perfecting his masterpiece ever since. This will not be complete until Jesus returns to usher in the new age.

Those who wish to return to the ways things were only wish to do so in part. No one, not even the most staunch radical traditionalist, wishes to return completely to the way the early Church was. They are very much like “cafeteria Catholics” in the way they pick and choose the parts of the early Church they wish to go back to. I will offer just one example of this.

In the early Church you could go to confession only once in your life. Your sins were forgiven when you were baptized and then you got only one other opportunity to receive the healing sacrament of reconciliation. This led people, like the emperor Constantine, to wait to receive either of these Sacraments on their death beds. For some waiting meant missing the opportunity to receive the Sacraments and they died in a state of mortal sin.

In the early Church confession was not made in secret to a priest. Confession was public. You stood in front of the entire congregation and confessed your sins. Absolution came from the priest but brought severe penance with it. You were thrown out of your parish for a period sometimes lasting for years. You had to don sackcloth and ashes and sit at the steps of the Church to beg for forgiveness. Readmission to the Church was a slow and gradual process. What did this lead to? Did people leave the Church in droves over it? No, they didn’t but there were many sins that weren’t reconciled until the final moments of someone’s life.

No one I have ever talked to has expressed the desire to return to the ways of this early Church. If the argument that the early Church was more holy and closer to God shouldn’t we want to return to this form of confession as well?

God is still perfecting his masterpiece. He is doing so in the way he started to in the very creation of the Church. Jesus chose twelve men to be the leaders of his Church. He chose one to be head of the others. These were the original bishops and pope. To them he gave his authority over the entire Church. These men ordained additional men to assist them in this task. Then they ordained replacements as their days grew to an end. This is our Magisterium. God will continue to perfect his Church through them.

Each and every single member of the Mastierium throughout all time has been broken and sinful men. The perfection of the Church does not ride on them. The perfection of the Church comes through Christ alone through these men. We have Jesus’ promises that even the gates of Hell would not conquer the Church and that he will be with us always until the end of time. Broken men at the helm cannot destroy the Church. Some will say that they have tried to do so for two thousand years and yet the Church remains.

Trust in Jesus to be faithful to his promise. Fear not the direction the Church appears to be going in. Christ is still very much in charge. Treasure and enjoy this masterpiece that he is creating for all of us.