What is the state of traditionalists in the Catholic Church? Are they officially part of the Church or not? Please differentiate between those groups who are and those who are not. Also, what about Gerry Matatics, is he a traditionalist and still part of the Catholic Church? I'm sorry to ask this question, as I know it may cause some controversy, but I need to know.

Thanks and God bless,

-- Emily (jesusfollower7@yahoo.com), March 28, 2004

Answers

bump

-- (bump@bump.bump), March 28, 2004.

Gerry Matatics seems to now be a follower of Fr. Leonard Feeney, who was known for his teaching of absolutely no salvation outside the Church. Which is in error. So I guess one could say Gerry Matatics is in error.

In Christ,
Bill

-- Bill Nelson (bnelson45-nospam@hotmail.com), March 28, 2004.

The term traditionalist can be taken many ways.

Most of the time, the term is applied to people who believe that Vatican II overstepped it's mission and went against the existing canon law.

Under that definition traditionalists are not orthodox catholics.

Sectarian catholics are so called traditionalists who have elected to follow a splinter group (sect) who broke away from the Church.

Many people within the Church enjoy the mass celebrated in Latin or even the accepted tridentine mass celebrated with the permission of a bishop within the Church. Both are perfectly acceptable.

What is unacceptable is the splintering of the Church.

God bless.

-- john placette (jplacette@catholic.org), March 28, 2004.

Gerry Matatics is a tremendous defender of Catholicism. Is he in schism? Maybe, maybe not. He recently taught at the Fraternal Society of Saint Peter (FSSP) seminary, which is approved by the Vatican. He now makes his living from speaking engagements.

As john says, traditionalists are those who prefer the Tridentine Latin Mass to the Novus Ordo. They also follow many of the pre- Vatican II catholic traditions such as: wearing veils in church, not eating meat on Fridays, praying the family rosary, dressing more modestly etc. Traditionalists may be inside the church or outside. Those on the inside attend the FSSP mass approved by the Vatican. Those who attend the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) masses may be outside of the church.

-- Brian Crane (brian.crane@cranemills.com), March 29, 2004.

Bishops in the SSPX are considered by the Church to be in a state of schism. Recent efforts at dialogue have led to the return of some members of the SSPX, and talks continue to effect a full reconciliation.

-- Bill Nelson (bnelson45-nospam@hotmail.com), March 29, 2004.