myrnam
Junior Member
100th Member
Posts: 94
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Post by myrnam on Jun 23, 2017 15:16:52 GMT -5
I love to listen or read the stories of other Trad+Catholics and how they came to Tradition.
Were you born into it?
Were you brought up in Tradition then led into the novus ordo, and back to Tradition? Like I was!
Were you brought up in the novus ordo but through the grace of God, just knew something was amiss?
Did a friend introduce you to Tradition?
Everyone has a story and it is through the Holy Ghost we are here, why not share your story; also this will give you an opportunity, if you haven't done so to put it in writing. Future generations in your family will love it!
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Post by Clotilde on Jun 23, 2017 15:33:24 GMT -5
I was baptized in the Novus Ordo. From the birth to about the age of 11, I never stepped foot into a Catholic Church. My mom had many feelings of remorse for the lapse in her faith and decided to take us back to church. I went to RCIC and was involved in my local parish until I left the Novus Ordo on the Feast of the Sacred Heart in 2001.
My grandmother had some looney ideas but she taught my cousins and myself the Baltimore Catechism and family members would lend me books. We had a family rosary group for many years, sort of like a block rosary but with nearly all of my aunts, uncles, cousins, and even the extended family beyond that. I always say that the rosary and my devotion to the Sacred Heart won me graces.
I actually had known about the sedevacantist position since I was 14. For many years, I struggled to understand it. What was happening in the Novus Ordo did not sit well with me. On the advice of some friends that I met online, I sought out a traditional mass when I was 19, having only been to the Fraternity once or twice. I went to a small chapel an hour from my home. I still don't know if the priests were validly ordained, but the beauty and the externals drew me in. It wasn't all externals, it was the ability to breathe easy and be a Catholic without the conflict that Vatican II and liberalism constantly stirred up. I didn't get my sedevacantist card until after Assisi II but I never looked back. I was attacked by everyone I knew, they even offered prayers and sympathies to my family for my "fall." I was initially upset that they would not see the truth but now, I'm just glad that I did and at peace with letting Our Lady help the rest of them.
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Post by Jayne on Jun 23, 2017 16:14:15 GMT -5
I was born and raised in a Jewish family. At 16 I became an evangelical Christian. When I became engaged to a Catholic in my early 20s, I started attending Novus Ordo Mass with him. I was drawn by a sense of the Presence of Christ in the Eucharist and became Catholic. For the next 30 or so years, I attended NO Mass, had babies, homeschooled, and took university courses (including many theology courses). I ended up with 7 children, 2 degrees, and some pretty messed up ideas about Catholicism.
When Pope Benedict issued Summorum Pontificum I got curious about the traditional Mass. I read things online and asked some questions on Angelqueen forum. An old friend saw my posts there and contacted me. (We had belonged to the same homeschooling support group at one point. The group disbanded and we lost contact but she had been faithfully praying for all its members for years.) She had a large collection of books about tradition which she lent to me to read.
All those books must have convinced me because eventually I came across a definition of traditional Catholic on the Fisheaters website and thought "hey, this is what I am!". I joined its forum and annoyed a lot of people there. After a few years I figured out that I do not know as much about Catholicism as I thought I did. I hope this made me less annoying.
I have both SSPX and diocesan TLM close to me and attend both. But not at the same time because I am not holy enough for bilocation. I am no longer on Fisheaters. But that is another story for another time.
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Post by kim on Jun 26, 2017 9:28:52 GMT -5
I grew up S Baptist mainly in the South with a few excursions to other states and to Germany because my dad was army. I was really impressed as a little child by the movie about Our Lady of Lourdes, but that enthusiasm was squelched by the anti-catholic things I heard at church about Catholicism being a cult. I got 'saved' and baptized by immersion about 5 times while growing up because I kept thinking that it didn't 'take'😜.
In college I ditched all religion (save a brief 2 month period where I became a Pentecostal tongue speaker) and lived a VERY sexually sinful life which included a few abortions. (During my first round in college I got a music degree but later went back to get a nursing degree.) On some level my abortions bothered me--but I towed the pro-choice line and defended a woman's right to choose to the hilt. I was one of 2 students who prevented a showing of the anti-abortion movie Silent Scream to our nursing class. It was a state school so the dean went along with the 2 of us cause she didn't want any trouble.
I married and after 7 yrs of contracepting had 2 well planned little boys. The unfortunate death of a 27 yr old young woman in my care at work which later turned into a big hospital lawsuit, really shook me up. I felt responsible though in hind site there was really nothing I could have done--it was primarily a tragic MD error and I was not personally sued though I went through a harrowing deposition that I still have PTSD from. So after all that I went back to church (S Baptist) as a result of my feelings of being somehow responsible for this woman's death and I tried to be a good Baptist mom and wife. My husband felt a bit betrayed because we had identified together as agnostics but he is a good guy and put up with it.
All the above took place in Georgia. Then--we moved to Montgomery, Alabama and there was a big Novus Ordo church (only 3 in the entire town) right around the corner. Our cable selection now included EWTN and I began watching. A priest named Fr Francis Mary Stone started talking about post abortion syndrome and it made me angry because I didn't think it was a real thing. So I called the post abortion hotline number they were flashing on the screen to tell them this was stupid and when the lady counselor answered the phone, I just started sobbing---very unexpectedly. I didn't even understand why I was crying but I guess that was the beginning of my contrition for my past. So then I decided I wanted to be a Catholic so Incould go to Confession. I went through a horribly liberal RCIA class at the Novus Ordo around the corner where the deacon told us that confession was just a place to celebrate the fact that you were already forgiven. One lady Helping teach the class told me she had had an abortion but didn't feel a need to confess it. So I chalked it all up to something that St Bernadette, my childhood heroine, had said--"I only fear bad Catholics." In 2004 I was guest on an EWTN show hosted by Fr. Francis Mary Stone entitled Why I Regret My Abortion where I told my story and sang a pro-life song I wrote. Fr Francis Mary Stone later left the Novus Ordo priesthood after he got a widow lady pregnant. The young conservative Novus Ordo priest that I made my first confession to (Fr. Michael Labadie, committed suicide a few years later.
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We moved around after that from St Louis to Northern Virginia to where we live now--Seattle. I always managed to find relatively conservative Novus Ordo parishes where I participated musically as a cantor , pianist/ organist. One NO parish I went to in N Va had a Tridentine Mass that I played for one time only. I thought it was long and boring and to make matters worse the priest had anger issues and yelled at me for playing something in the wrong spot. So I decided the Latin Mass wasn't for me.
Our boys grew up and went to college---one Cougar (WSU) and one Husky( U Wa) where they abandoned the faith altogether. Actually the younger one was kicked out of Confirmation class at 17 when he told the conservative NO priest that he didn't believe all the stuff the church teaches. That just broke my heart but I couldn't argue with my son's honesty. My husband has remained an agnostic all these years though he has supported bringing the children to church and is respectful during the meal blessing.
And then.......Francis happened. As a speaker for Project Rachel (the Novus Ordo's outreach to post-abortive women) I was shocked when he minimized abortion in his first interview. As I surfed the net---the only people who were speaking out against Francis were these Catholics who called themselves traditionalists. I really didn't understand what that even meant. I was working part time as a music director in a conservative NO parish and I thought it was pretty traditional---no guitars, drums, old hymns, occasional Latin, etc. The online traditionalists kept saying that Francis was the logical result of Vatican 2. I am not one to enjoy reading heavy theology stuff though I just love Saint biographies. But that set me on a path to study Vatican 2 . The CMRI website had a great comparison between Vat 2 and what the church taught before. Novus Ordo watch also became very helpful. I remember being totally shocked by Nostra Aetate. Who would die a martyr for the faith in light of that doctrine?
So I began a search--going from FSSP to SSPX and then finally to an independent chapel with a priest in the Thuc line. I don't like having to hide my views of Francis so for me a sedevacantist chapel is best. Eventually I was conditionally baptized (I always felt uncomfortable with the Novus Ordo's easy acceptance of my S Baptist symbolic only baptism) and I was conditionally confessed. This Saturday I will be conditionally confirmed by Bishop Dolan. I have managed to get my boys to attend one Latin Mass each---they didn't like it but I hang on to hope and faith for both of them and for my husband. We just packed off one son on a plane to Ft Knox for an ROTC training program for the summer. The other just graduated and is looking for a job while living at home.
My husband and I are going to France and Italy in September to celebrate our 30 th anniversary. Neither of us have ever been out of the country together (except Canada which doesn't count) so it's a really big deal. My dear agnostic husband looked up traditional Latin Masses in Paris and Rome all on his own and asked me which one I wanted to go to. I guess I'll finally get him to go to a traditional Latin Mass in Europe!🙂
La Fin
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myrnam
Junior Member
100th Member
Posts: 94
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Post by myrnam on Jun 26, 2017 10:19:10 GMT -5
WoW Kim, that is what I call a story. When I married my husband he too was an agnostic, but like you said of yours, he was a good guy and like your husband mine helped me to be a great VII Catholic. He never had an inkling to convert. If it will bring you any hope at all, not till I came BACK to the Traditional Catholic Faith, of which my agnostic husband, after getting tired of hearing me, each Sunday complain about the new mass. He is the one who found the Traditional chapel for me. After which he did become a Catholic, died a Catholic with the priest at his side after receiving the Apostolic blessing, while alert and respondent to the priest.
My slogan, that I tell others who are praying for their unconverted loved ones is this: God answers your prayers every day when you wake up and find all your loved ones still alive with the hope of them converting still.
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Post by kim on Jun 26, 2017 10:47:51 GMT -5
."
My slogan, that I tell others who are praying for their unconverted loved ones is this: God answers your prayers every day when you wake up and find all your loved ones still alive with the hope of them converting still. [/quote][
That is beautiful. Thank you. ["
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Post by Jayne on Jun 26, 2017 10:54:11 GMT -5
Kim, I've wondered for some time how you ended up coming to tradition. I had seen posts of yours on Te Deum that intrigued me, but I never had an opportunity to ask. I'm glad I finally got to learn this story.
Pope Francis had a big affect on me too. Although his election did not lead me to become sedevacantist, it did cause me to struggle. The experience left me far more sympathetic to SVs than I had been. I have no trouble understanding how people would have problems believing that he is the pope.
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Post by jen51 on Jun 26, 2017 13:51:50 GMT -5
Thankyou all for your stories. I've enjoyed hearing about you.
I grew up Lutheran, but only in name. My mom made sure we went to church and Sunday school, but once I was confirmed in 8th grade she let me decide if I wanted to keep going, and I didn't. She quit going too. I had good friends in high school, who were known as "good christians" and I often went to their Baptist church. In college I got involved in a campus ministry that was borderline charismatic but not full on holy rollers. After I graduated college, I went on staff with that campus ministry. I still cringe about my involvement with that. In college I had a Catholic friend who often challenged me and we debated and even argued a lot about religion.
After I stopped working for that campus ministry I moved to Indiana to be a park naturalist, because that's what my college degree was for. I camped alone in the woods for quite some time and spent all nights and weekends alone being a hermit. I wasn't going to church at this time. I was feeling real burnt out on it all. I wanted to understand the truth, but after experiencing and looking into nearly every Protestant denomination/non-denomination and seeing the glaring hypocrisies and contradictions, I was left with no answers and a very discouraged heart. One day I decided to leave the woods and drive into town where I got reception and call my Catholic college friend who I had not spoken to in a couple of years. It turned out that he just got back from a 3 month pilgrimage in Europe. We did what we always did, which was discuss and debate religion. I admitted I didn't have many answers, but I knew for certain I could never be Catholic because they worshipped Mary and Saints, believed in purgatory, confessed their sins to another human being and thought you could get to heaven by good deeds. Boy was I ignorant. He challenged me to say 3 Hail Mary's every day for a month, so I said ok. What could it hurt? During that month I continually felt an urge to stop by the Catholic Church in town. I drove by it several times before realizing there was a little side chapel that was open 24 hours a day. One night at about 11 pm I found myself entering the little chapel to pray. It was the most peaceful place I had ever been and I continued to go nearly every day. Not until months later did I learn that it was an adoration chapel, and I was praying before Our Lord. Finally I decided that I needed to go to Mass, so I did and I left very angry. I called up my friend and scolded him for telling me all about the Catholic Church- the saints, the miracles, the Eucharist. He made it all seem so grand and perfect, and the Mass was the pinnacle of it all. I felt lied to. My friend informed me that I went to the wrong Mass. I needed to go to a traditional Latin Mass, but I would have to travel an hour to get there. So I did. I will always remember it, and when I was walking back to my car after Mass I was sincerely starting to panic that I might have to become Catholic. Intense reading and study followed and i was almost sold. I was having a very hard time with Mary, though. Seriously, she was the mediatrix of all graces? My friend convinced me to pray the Rosary. The first Hail Mary of the Rosary I prayed brought me to tears, uncontrollable ones. It took me 2 1/2 hours to get through the Rosary for all of the tears. I knew Our Lady after that, and I understood that she was my mother.
The rest is pretty much history. I was confirmed, conditionally baptized, etc. Later on I ended up marrying my college friends best friend. He was the best man at our wedding.
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Post by kim on Jun 26, 2017 14:42:07 GMT -5
Hi Jen. My husband was a park naturalist in the Georgia Okeefenokee Swamp when we first met. And we were married in the Lutheran church (ELCA) just because I had gig there playing organ on Sundays and I liked the pastor.
Was the college friend you bantered with a traditional or Novus Ordo catholic? I think God sometimes uses Novus Ordo as a kindergarten stepping stone to tradition---a means to an end. I probably would have run like crazy if my first brush with things Catholic had been a traditional chapel. I was just too far gone.
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Post by Clotilde on Jun 26, 2017 14:46:19 GMT -5
Hi Jen. My husband was a park naturalist in the Georgia Okeefenokee Swamp when we first met. Was the college friend you bantered with a traditional or Novus Ordo catholic? I think God sometimes uses Novus Ordo as a kindergarten stepping stone to tradition---a means to an end. I probably would have run like crazy if my first brush with things Catholic had been a traditional chapel. I was just too far gone. One of my early brushes with someone who was sort of a traditionalist (a Dimondite, actually) involved him demanding that I marry him. I didn't even know him.
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Post by kim on Jun 26, 2017 14:53:51 GMT -5
Hi Jen. My husband was a park naturalist in the Georgia Okeefenokee Swamp when we first met. Was the college friend you bantered with a traditional or Novus Ordo catholic? I think God sometimes uses Novus Ordo as a kindergarten stepping stone to tradition---a means to an end. I probably would have run like crazy if my first brush with things Catholic had been a traditional chapel. I was just too far gone. One of my early brushes with someone who was sort of a traditionalist (a Dimondite, actually) involved him demanding that I marry him. I didn't even know him. 😲😲😲!!! The Dimonds dig up some very good stuff---I am impressed with them though of course I reject them overall because of their denial of baptism of blood and desire.
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Post by jen51 on Jun 26, 2017 15:38:19 GMT -5
Hi Jen. My husband was a park naturalist in the Georgia Okeefenokee Swamp when we first met. And we were married in the Lutheran church (ELCA) just because I had gig there playing organ on Sundays and I liked the pastor. Was the college friend you bantered with a traditional or Novus Ordo catholic? I think God sometimes uses Novus Ordo as a kindergarten stepping stone to tradition---a means to an end. I probably would have run like crazy if my first brush with things Catholic had been a traditional chapel. I was just too far gone. He is trad. When he was telling me about all things Catholic, he didn't want to tell me about the crises, in fear that it would scare me off. I'm not sure when he was planning on telling me that, but the issue was forced when I began demanding explanations, lol. I think if I would have told him I was going to go to Mass, he would have warned me at that time. We have lots in common, Kim. I studied music in college as well. Vocal and piano performance.
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Post by jen51 on Jun 26, 2017 15:46:02 GMT -5
Hi Jen. My husband was a park naturalist in the Georgia Okeefenokee Swamp when we first met. Was the college friend you bantered with a traditional or Novus Ordo catholic? I think God sometimes uses Novus Ordo as a kindergarten stepping stone to tradition---a means to an end. I probably would have run like crazy if my first brush with things Catholic had been a traditional chapel. I was just too far gone. One of my early brushes with someone who was sort of a traditionalist (a Dimondite, actually) involved him demanding that I marry him. I didn't even know him. Lol. Whoa. I once had a trad tell me I had a wicked, contraceptive mindset because I killed a relationship with him before it even had a chance to begin. Not sure what type of trad he was.
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Post by kim on Jun 27, 2017 2:04:39 GMT -5
One of my early brushes with someone who was sort of a traditionalist (a Dimondite, actually) involved him demanding that I marry him. I didn't even know him. Lol. Whoa. I once had a trad tell me I had a wicked, contraceptive mindset because I killed a relationship with him before it even had a chance to begin. Not sure what type of trad he was. Hahaha--your refusal to date him was a form of contraception?! Hahahaha.
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Post by Voxxkowalski on Jun 27, 2017 4:52:29 GMT -5
One of my early brushes with someone who was sort of a traditionalist (a Dimondite, actually) involved him demanding that I marry him. I didn't even know him. 😲😲😲!!! The Dimonds dig up some very good stuff---I am impressed with them though of course I reject them overall because of their denial of baptism of blood and desire. You shouldnt be impressed with them as they are the westboro baptist church of the trad groups. Usurpers and madmen. They dont dig up anything that cant be found elsewhere from more reputable people. They are cruel judgmental and persecute good Catholics. Oh and frauds.
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