| From the Latin word, tradere, meaning "to hand | | | | "The value of any tradition depends directly on |
| over" or "to hand down", we derive the modern | | | | the value of its contents, and its centrality to the |
| word, tradition. A tradition is something society | | | | society to which it pertains... The contents of |
| finds intrinsically valuable -- that is, of value in and | | | | some traditions are so valuable...that if those |
| of itself, and at the same time, standing the test | | | | contents were to be seriously compromised, the |
| of time. | | | | survival of the societies themselves would be |
| Tradition has several elements: | | | | jeopardized. This is preeminently the case with |
| | | | regard to sacred tradition and its relation to the |
| 1. specific content such as music, dance, customs, | | | | Catholic Church." |
| laws, behaviors; | | | | Since the 1960s, the inveterate and unauthorized |
| 2. persons charged with transmitting the content | | | | tinkerers with the Sacred Liturgy and pious |
| intact such as religious, secular or other leaders; | | | | practices of the Catholic Church have caused |
| 3. recipients of tradition -- the society as a whole | | | | many of its traditions to be obscured in the minds |
| Content and Context | | | | of worshippers. Some Church authorities fall into |
| By its very nature, tradition has a social context. | | | | the category of those who have no sense of |
| If it is central to a society, without it, the society | | | | obligation towards sacred tradition even though |
| disintegrates. Another way to say it is, tradition | | | | they have been entrusted and charged, by virtue |
| provides a particular society an awareness of its | | | | of their positions, with the task of passing it on. |
| identity and the reason it exists. Tradition acts like | | | | An entire generation has now passed without a |
| a glue that holds a society together in peace, or a | | | | clear understanding of the term "sacrifice" |
| frame of reference within which to gauge | | | | regarding the Mass. In this example we have both |
| behaviors of a society or its members. | | | | trivialization and betrayal which has brought about |
| Traditions are an inheritance, and cease to exist | | | | a struggle in the Church for the restoration of |
| when they are no longer critical to the life of the | | | | tradition. Today we see many young Catholics |
| society practicing them. Sometimes traditions are | | | | married, with children, filling churches where the |
| simply abandoned to the detriment of a society's | | | | Traditional Mass has been restored or where the |
| heritage and identity and must be reclaimed in | | | | rituals of the New Mass have been brought more |
| some form to restore a lost or diminished identity. | | | | in line with tradition. Tradition is not dead in this |
| Japanese director Yamada Yoji, when directing | | | | case, nor dying, but living and continuing in modern |
| The Hidden Blade, referenced this point when he | | | | Catholic movements such as "the Reform of the |
| lamented the loss of certain gracious gestures and | | | | Reform" and the "Traditional Mass Movement" in |
| ways of thinking and acting that have disappeared | | | | spite of the best efforts of those who sought to |
| from Japanese society at large through | | | | quell it or simply abandon it. |
| technological developments and Westernization. | | | | In this example we also see that forcing the |
| Directing period films brought home the need to | | | | abandonment of tradition valued by many in a |
| preserve, at least in film, some of the ancient | | | | society results in conflict that can continue for |
| ways for the sake of the Japanese identity. | | | | many years, no matter how diligently authorities |
| Transmission of Tradition | | | | attempt to smother it. |
| Tradition is not a dead and useless thing such as a | | | | Reception of Tradition |
| bug frozen in amber, but rather is a living thing, | | | | Receivers of tradition must have a healthy |
| which can be built upon and evolve. It grows | | | | attitude towards it in order to absorb it |
| organically from within as opposed to being | | | | effectively. If the receiver does not see the |
| imposed from outside. We cannot manufacture | | | | necessity of the tradition, he will not live it, nor will |
| tradition any more than we can manufacture a | | | | he be able to pass it on with integrity. Eventually |
| star or a turtle or a tree. To attempt to | | | | the tradition dies. In the process, the society |
| transform a tradition fundamentally or massively | | | | either changes into something it was never meant |
| as, for instance President Obama said he intended | | | | to be or disappears altogether. |
| to do to America, is to kill it. We cannot turn a | | | | Today many Americans are reawakening interest |
| frog into a rabbit or a blade of grass into a | | | | in their founding documents. People in record |
| cornstalk. And to attempt continually to change | | | | numbers are rising off their couches and coming |
| tradition trivializes all of what has gone before and | | | | together in a renewed commitment to the |
| those who handed it down faithfully. | | | | American traditions of free speech, free |
| Passing on the contents of any given tradition can | | | | enterprise, and freedom of assembly through |
| be more or less successful, depending on the | | | | participation in conservative movements such as |
| knowledge and dedication of those to whom the | | | | what has been dubbed "The Tea Party |
| traditions have been entrusted. If no loyalty to | | | | Movement." History will show whether enough |
| the tradition exists in them, nor a sense of | | | | receivers of tradition exist for Americans to grow |
| serious obligation, then the failure to pass on | | | | along the trajectory handed down by the patriot |
| faithfully the tradition as given them results in a | | | | founders or whether American society will cease |
| betrayal of the society. | | | | to exist as it has been known. In either case, |
| D.Q. McInerny, Ph.D. Professor of Philosophy at | | | | knowing and applying the three elements of |
| Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary wrote in the | | | | tradition can provide a map for analysis and |
| Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter Newsletter, May, | | | | decision. |
| 1999: | | | | |