Msgr. Pope on Traditions in Our Lives

"When I was a young man, a teenager really, I did the usual crazy stuff of the early '70s: had long hair, wore bell bottoms, wide ties, and crazy plaids, kept at least the top three buttons of my shirt open, and, of course, listened to rock-n-roll.

"But through it all I had this love for older things. I think it had something to do with my grandmother, Nana, whom I loved with great affection. Often she lamented the loss of the old things and the old ways. She missed the Latin Mass; she missed when manners were better, when people remembered how to dress well, when things were more certain, when (as Archie and Edith sang at the beginning of All in the Family) 'girls were girls and men were men.' She also missed when things were built to last and plastic was all but unknown."

In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on the role of tradition in our lives and on how they are established and endure for a reason. He also reflected on how forgetfulness leads to a lack of understanding, which then leads to a lack of appreciation and a dismissal of these traditions.

To access Msgr. Pope’s complete post, please visit:

Msgr. Charles Pope: Without Our Traditions, Our Life Would be as Shaky as a Fiddler on the Roof! (1 JAN 15)