A guide to guerilla-traditionalism in the Novus Ordo parish

Is it possible, and to what degree, to practice orthodox, Traditional Catholicism as a Novus Ordo parishioner?

In my country South Africa, there are no parishes that legitimately offer the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM), and orthodox traditional Catholics have no choice but to attend Novus Ordo parishes where, as elsewhere, the lunacy runs rife.

In a country covering 1,221,037 square kilometers (471,445 square miles), there are only four SSPX parishes nationwide, and of course, we are “not allowed” to attend them. (I don’t want to start a debate here about the SSPX but I would like to say the following. It is grimly ironic, bordering on crazy, that the SSPX follows Tradition, teaches the Catholic Magisterium, is super reverent in every aspect, and offers the Mass of the Ages but… we are not allowed to attend. No, rather we should attend the parishes of the New Synodal Church “they” are creating where you have to participate in a liturgy butchered by Protestants and have to be poisoned by pro-Woke,  Jesuit, new age heresy week after week.)

A few well-meaning Catholics want to hold fast to the true Catholic faith, but because they are the children of the post-conciliar church, they hardly have any notion left of what that means. Yes, they might still believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist (a seeming minority), pray the Rosary, and go to confession, but that is usually the extent of their Catholicism, and in their defense, by no fault of their own. As I said to someone recently, we have sadly become nothing more than “Protestants with benefits”.

Most parishes are almost Catholic only in name. Priests are either heterodox, heretical hirelings or spineless, man-pleasers who refuse to confront their congregants with difficult issues such as sin, holiness, and orthodoxy, and good priests are few and far between. Furthermore, you would be hard-pressed to tell the difference between your run-of-the-mill Novus Ordo parish and Pastor Bob’s DIY Prot “church” down the road, both cosmetically and liturgically. (Music has become one of the many especially sore points, achieving exactly the opposite of its purpose and often resembling 80’s margarine advert jingles or hippy-ish kumbaya nonsense. I yearn for some glorious sacred music, even a recording of Gregorian chant would be better than the distracting cacophony, or at the very least some beautiful reverent silence. But silence in a Novus Ordo parish has also become a rare commodity.).

That being said, I have noticed that there is a real hunger with at least a few (and mostly young) Catholics in my small sphere of influence, who desire some solid Catholic sustenance.

This raised the question, is it possible, and to what degree, to practice orthodox, Traditional Catholicism as a Novus Ordo parishioner?

What follows are a few humble suggestions of what I have come to term guerilla-traditionalism. Hopefully, these will help set you on a journey back to the heart of Catholicism, or at the very least serve as some kind of push-back against the sad state of Modernist Catholicism in your own parish:

·       Pray the Traditional devotions

Incorporate traditional devotions into your daily routine, such as the Rosary, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and the Angelus. Many Traditional Catholics also pray the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary or the St. Michael Chaplet. There are countless devotions that have been observed and practiced over the centuries and which will serve you well in your Traditional orthodox formation.

·       Study and follow the Traditional liturgical calendar

Familiarise yourself with the Traditional liturgical calendar, which includes the celebration of feasts, fasts, and saints’ days in the pre-Vatican II order. Observing traditional fast days (e.g., Ember Days, Rogation Days) can deepen your connection to the Church's liturgical heritage.

·       Embrace Latin in your prayer life

Learn and incorporate traditional prayers in Latin, such as the “Pater Noster” (Our Father), “Ave Maria” (Hail Mary), and “Gloria Patri” (Glory Be). Even if your parish Mass is in the vernacular, praying in Latin privately can keep you grounded in tradition. I have recently (with great difficulty but also with great satisfaction) started to teach myself a few of the staple Catholic prayers in Latin, and it has brought a noticeable “solidness” to my prayer life.

·       Dress modestly and reverently

Emulate traditional Catholic standards of modesty in your dress, especially at Mass. This can include wearing a veil (chapel veil or mantilla) for women and dressing in a way that reflects respect for the sacredness of the liturgy.

·       Participate in Eucharistic Adoration

Adoration is a central part of traditional Catholic spirituality. Spend time in Eucharistic Adoration, whether at your parish or another nearby church that offers it. Use this time for quiet, contemplative prayer and traditional devotions.

·       Study Pre-Vatican II Church teachings and documents

Familiarise yourself with traditional Church documents, such as encyclicals from Pope Pius X, Pope Leo XIII, or the Council of Trent. Reading traditional catechisms, like the Baltimore Catechism or the Catechism of St. Pius X, can help deepen your understanding of Traditional teachings.

·       Receive Communion on the tongue and, If possible, kneeling

While Communion in the hand has become the norm in many Novus Ordo parishes, you can still choose to receive on the tongue. And do educate yourself on what the Church has always taught on these issues.

·       Connect with Traditional Catholic communities and online resources

Even if you attend a Novus Ordo parish, you can still connect with other traditional Catholics through online forums, blogs, or local groups. Websites, podcasts, and books by Traditional Catholic authors can offer additional spiritual nourishment and support. In this day and age we are fortunate and privileged to have a vast supply of resources available at the click of a button, and ignorance is no longer an excuse.

·       Foster devotion to Traditional Saints and spiritual practices

Focus on the lives and teachings of saints who are particularly revered in Traditional circles, such as St. Thomas Aquinas, St. John Vianney, and St. Therese of Lisieux. You might also want to incorporate traditional spiritual practices, like making pilgrimages, fasting, or practicing corporal works of mercy in a traditional way.

·       Engage in reading Traditional Catholic works

Read spiritual classics from Traditional Catholic authors like St. Francis de Sales, St. Teresa of Ávila, and Thomas à Kempis. Classic works such as The Imitation of Christ, Introduction to the Devout Life, and The Interior Castle can deepen your spiritual life and connect you with the wisdom of the saints. The list here is endless and many of these works are legitimately available freely on the internet.

·       Promote and participate in Marian Consecration

Many traditional Catholics practice Marian consecration, particularly through the method of St. Louis de Montfort. You can promote this devotion within your parish or participate in a group consecration. The 33-day preparation and consecration itself can help you grow closer to Mary in a deeply traditional way.

·       Incorporate Traditional music into your worship

Listen to and learn traditional Catholic hymns, Gregorian chant, and polyphony. While modern parishes may not always feature these in the liturgy, you can play and sing them privately, or suggest their inclusion in parish events or prayer groups. Music like Salve Regina, Pange Lingua, and Ave Verum Corpus connects you to the Church’s musical heritage.

·       Promote Traditional family devotions at home

Bring traditional Catholic practices into your home by creating a family altar, praying the Rosary as a family, and celebrating saints’ feast days with special prayers or meals. Observing the “domestic church” at home helps reinforce traditional values and practices for yourself and your family.

·       Volunteer for liturgical roles

Get involved in liturgical roles that allow you to bring a traditional reverence to the Novus Ordo Mass. Serving as an altar server or sacristan might allow you to influence the tone of the liturgy with a spirit of tradition and respect for the sacred.

·       Confront and educate

Do not keep silent in the face of heterodoxy and heresy. If it is practiced or preached in your parish, or if you hear it taught in catechism, RCIA, or confirmation classes, speak up. Say something. Always do it in a spirit of charity but do not become complicit in the destruction of Mother Church by your cowardice and silence. On the same note, contact your bishop if there is a persistence in false teaching within your parish, eventually, he might listen and act. 

These are just a few basic suggestions. Once you start resisting the Modernist rubbish that poses as Catholicism and you start to educate yourself, the Holy Ghost is sure to lead you back to the Truth and to an ever-deepening authentic Catholicism, as our Lord intended it with His Church.

Some might criticise me for these observations, especially since I am a convert to Catholicism, but in my defense (and that of other converts who feel the same), I want to quote a recent post that Dr. Peter Kwasniewski made on his Facebook page. (The statements of the Anglican convert he is referring to, are in italics) :

Kwasniewski writes “Some thoughts shared with me by a Catholic convert from Anglicanism.

“People might well ask, “Who are you to make any criticisms of the modern Catholic Church? As an ex-Anglican who has only been a Catholic for a little over ten years, should you not still be absorbing the basics, rather than worrying about the direction of the Church?” 

Well, the first answer is that many of the issues that confront the Catholic Church also confront the Anglican Church, and the recent convert may have decades of experience grappling intellectually with them. 

The second answer is that as an ex-Anglican I feel a bit like a Catholic who went to sleep in 1530 and woke up in 1970, or maybe 2013. Of course there is much to catch up on. But at the same time, where uncatholic ideas have made their way into the Catholic Church, the cradle Catholic may not notice them because all his life he has been told that everything that the Catholic Church believes and does is authentically Catholic. To someone from 1530, however, who has just woken up and views things with a fresh eye, these uncatholic elements stand out straightaway.”

“He is exactly right. It is often Protestant converts who are most acutely aware of how Protestantized modern Catholicism is, because they have usually read their way into the Church with the Fathers, Doctors, old catechisms, old encyclicals, etc., and then suddenly they realize with a shock that this isn't how things are taught or how worship goes at the local parish. In fact, it wouldn't be a stretch to say that the Catholicism you get from pre-Vatican II books seems at times to be describing a different religion.

“In any case, it is ridiculous for anyone to attack an adult convert for having strong convictions. He has typically thought more, struggled more, and prayed more to get where he is than most cradle Catholics, and he is in a position to notice things from the outside that insiders don't (just like when St. Benedict says a visiting monk might have been sent by God in order to point out something amiss in the community)”. 

In conclusion, I would like to leave you with this reminder.

Orthodoxy is of utmost importance but means nothing without holiness and joy…

ALSO READ:

Radical Roundup: Bring back the Inquisition, all is forgiven

Tell me you are destroying the Catholic Church, without telling me you are destroying the Catholic Church…