12 Lost Catholic Traditions That Need To Be Found

At a time when our world seems to spiraling out of control, returning to these lost traditions can be a wonderful source of help to increase the flow of God's grace into our souls and into the world.

The most important Tradition in the Catholic Faith is active participation in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass at the very least on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation. The following twelve traditions flow from and lead to the Mass and, therefore, will help to build up our Faith, Hope and Love in such a way that our experience of the Mass will be deepened and become more fruitful. F.Y.I. These traditions are NOT listed in order of importance. 

1. WEARING A SCAPULAR

"Wearing a scapular is a reminder that we are under Mary's mantle, under her protection and of our devotion to her. As a physical sign of our consecration to Mary, it reminds and and inspires us to live a holy life; to make good choices" (A Catholic Gentleman).

Legend holds that on July 16, 1251, the Blessed Mother appeared in a vision to Saint Simon Stock, gave him the brown scapular and said:

“Receive most beloved son, the scapular of thy Order, a sign of my confraternity, a privilege both to thee and to all Carmelites, in which he that dieth shall not suffer eternal fire; behold the sign of salvation, a safeguard in danger, the covenant of peace and everlasting alliance" (more information here)

Although there are different versions of this legend, and some Church scholars have cast doubt on its authenticity, there is little doubt as to the sincerity of Catholics who devotedly wear the brown scapular, which on one end has these words stitched on it: “Whosoever dies wearing this scapular will not suffer eternal fire.” On the other end: “Behold the Sign of Salvation.”

The conditions under which a layperson may wear the brown scapular vary:

• an individual may join a formal association of the Carmelite order, such as a secular third order,
• or they may be ceremoniously enrolled in the order of the brown scapular without joining a formal group.
• Also, anyone may wear the brown scapular if it is blessed by a priest or deacon.

Whether or not formally committed to the order, those who wear the scapular are considered part of the Carmelite order.

When wearing the brown scapular we are expected to follow certain norms identified by the Carmelite order (using its Catechesis and Ritual manual) and as published by the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, which, among other commitments, obliges the brown scapular wearer

• to imitate the praying Virgin who kept the word of God in her heart (see Lk 2:19,51),
• setting aside some time to meet God in prayer,
• meditating on the mysteries of salvation,
• taking part in faith in the liturgy of the Church (attending Mass), especially the Eucharist,
• reciting every day some liturgical hour or some psalms or the Rosary.

(See the doctrinal statement on the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Nov. 29, 1996.)

Thus, by dedication to these guiding principles, the scapular becomes the expression of our devotion to Mary, as we, along with millions of other faithful souls, seek her favor with full knowledge and belief that she is the Gate of Heaven. Mary, who knew both great joy and excruciating sorrow in life, will pray and intercede on our behalf before our Lord Jesus Christ.

It is not a lucky charm. Devoutly wearing the brown scapular, wearing it next to our heart, prompts us to follow the commandments of God, to live a life of heroic virtue in the manner of the saints, and it is a constant reminder of our commitment to the virtues of the Blessed Mother.

Learn more about the scapular here. 

2. FRIDAY ABSTINENCE

Many Catholics wonder...Are meatless Fridays still a thing? Does it matter?

Contrary to common misconception, abstinence from meat on Fridays throughout the year has never been abolished from Roman law. It was not abolished by Vatican II, by Pope Paul VI or Pope St. John Paul II. It was not abolished by the 1983 Code of Canon Law. It remains the universal law of the Latin Church — even if not everyone has to obey it. 

Per the 1983 Code of Canon Law:

Can. 1249 The divine law binds all the Christian faithful to do penance each in his or her own way. In order for all to be united among themselves by some common observance of penance, however, penitential days are prescribed on which the Christian faithful devote themselves in a special way to prayer, perform works of piety and charity, and deny themselves by fulfilling their own obligations more faithfully and especially by observing fast and abstinence, according to the norm of the following canons.

Can. 1250 The penitential days and times in the universal Church are every Friday of the whole year and the season of Lent.

Can. 1251 Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday. Abstinence and fasting are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

Note that penance is not man's idea, but God's. God says that we must do penance. It is a divine law. But the exact form of penance is is not specifically mandated by God. This is where the Church comes in with its power to bind and loose (Matthew 18:18).

Why Friday?

"Every Sunday is like a mini-Easter season, and every Friday is like a mini-Lent in preparation for Sunday. That describes how it’s been throughout Church history, and that’s the way it still is in the universal law of the Latin Church — not to mention the laws of the Eastern Churches, both Catholic and Orthodox, which continue to observe abstinence on Fridays. (Their abstinence also includes Wednesdays, as ours once did…and their abstinence is sterner than ours, excluding fish, dairy, and other animal products)."

Although Friday abstinence remains the law of the Latin Church, many national bishops’ conferences — including the U.S. bishops — make exceptions in their jurisdictions, permitting Catholics to choose another form of penance instead although the primacy belongs to abstaining from flesh meat. 

Among the works of voluntary self-denial and personal penance which we especially commend to our people for the future observance of Friday, even though we hereby terminate the traditional law of abstinence binding under pain of sin, as the sole prescribed means of observing Friday, we give first place to abstinence from flesh meat. We do so in the hope that the Catholic community will ordinarily continue to abstain from meat by free choice as formerly we did in obedience to Church law.

The most important thing is that Friday is a day of penance. Don’t live it like any other day. Whether or not you choose to abstain from meat — and I heartily recommend that you do — do something. Consider going the extra mile and doing more than abstaining: consider fasting every Friday. Or perhaps do without your evening beer or glass of wine. If you’re a vegan and a teetotaler, that still doesn’t get you off the hook! Find something. It could be something positive: Pray the Liturgy of the Hours or the rosary if you don’t already do it every day, or do some extra spiritual reading.

Whatever you do, do it in a prayerful, penitential, Christian spirit. Do it to honor God, to remember Christ’s crucifixion, in reparation for your sins, to discipline your appetites, to obey the Church, to express solidarity with your fellow Christians living and dead, and to prepare for Sunday Mass.

We have traveled a long way away from the fasting and abstinence that was originally practiced in the Church and even that which was practiced right before the 2nd Vatican Council. I don't believe that has been the least bit beneficial for us. We need to be stretched in our ability to deny ourselves.  I have heard priests teach that serious problems with moral issues in the Church can be traced back to when the fasting and abstinence laws began to be lightened (learn more here). At a time when self-indulgence is the norm, practicing Friday abstinence could be a wonderful way to grow in virtue by increasing our capacity to practice self-denial. 

Learn more here.

3. DAILY DEVOTIONS

The most important devotion is anything connected to Jesus in the Eucharist because this entails spending time in, not only the spiritual presence of Jesus Christ, but also His physical presence - His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. Some examples are participating in Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration, 40 Hours Devotion, a Eucharistic Procession, or simply making a daily visit to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament - in the tabernacle. There are at least three purposes for this: "(1) to acknowledge Christ’s marvelous presence in the sacrament; (2) to lead us to a fuller participation in the celebration of the Eucharist, culminating in Holy Communion; and (3) to foster the worship which is due to Christ in spirit and in truth" (Pope Saint John Paul II). In a time when faith in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist is very weak, these devotions are more important than possibly ever. 

All other devotions are meant to lead us into a deeper relationship with Jesus. Whether it is gaining Indulgences for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, the rosary, a novena, the Angelus. the Liturgy of the Hours, or using your sacrifice beads to help your loved ones, these daily devotions, united with Jesus Christ, can help to make your whole day into an offering of love for God and others. These prayers and prayerful actions elevate our lives to a supernatural level and help to increase the flow of grace into our souls and into the world. 

4. OFFER IT UP!

Along the same lines as daily devotions, offering up our daily actions to God united with Jesus' perfect sacrifice, especially our suffering and difficulties, is a powerful way to be transformed and to increase the flow of grace into the world. Our Lady of Fatima and the Angel of Peace left us with a powerful message about the incredible value living this way can bring to bear on our lives and for the salvation of souls.  

Learn more:

• Six Reasons We Have to Carry our Crosses
• Understanding Redemptive Suffering
• Wonderful Rosary Meditations on The Cross in Our Lives

5. PRAYING FOR THE HOLY SOULS IN PURGATORY

Praying for the Holy Souls in Purgatory is an ancient practice of the Church that is almost nonexistent today in many Catholic parishes. That is rather unfortunate for our deceased loved ones and friends. It is very important to learn what the Church actually teaches about purgatory so that we can live up to our Christian duty to help the souls there. Praying for the dead is listed as one of the 7 spiritual works of mercy. 

But how do we know if our friends or loved ones are in Purgatory?

The Church teaches that unless a person has a “ST.” (as in Saint) in front of their name (i.e. St. Juan Diego, St. Jose Maria Escriva, etc.) - that is, unless they have been officially canonized by the Church - we should not assume that they are already enjoying the Beatific Vision in Heaven and because of that we should continue to offer our assistance to them to aid them in their journey to full union with God. In other words, we should assume that they are in purgatory. 

Learn about 5 ways we can help them here. 

6. GREGORIAN MASSES

One profound and efficacaious way to pray for the souls in purgatory is to have a series of Gregorian Masses offered for them. 

What are Gregorian Masses?

Gregorian Masses are a series of Holy Masses traditionally offered on 30 consecutive days as soon as possible after a person’s death. They are offered for one individual soul.

The custom of offering Gregorian Masses for a particular soul recognizes that few people are immediately ready for heaven after death, and that, through the infinite intercessory power of Christ’s sacrifice, made present in Holy Mass, a soul can be continually perfected in grace and enabled to enter finally into the union with the Most Holy Trinity – our God, Who is Love Itself.

History of Gregorian Masses

Gregorian Masses take their name from Saint Gregory the Great, who was sovereign Pontiff from 590 to 604. St. Gregory the Great contributed to the spread of the pious practice of having these Masses celebrated for the deliverance of the souls from purgatory. In his Dialogues, he tells us that he had Masses on thirty consecutive days offered for the repose of the soul of Justus, a monk who had died in the convent of St. Andrew in Rome. At the end of the thirtieth Mass, the deceased appeared to one of his fellow monks and announced that he had been delivered from the flames of Purgatory.

Learn more here.

7. SACRAMENTALS

Blessed oil, water, salt, statues, medals or images of saints, Our Lord and Our Lady (and so much more) can all be powerful means of communicating divine grace. 

While they are similar in name, sacraments and sacramentals have a unique and distinct role in the life of the Catholic Church. Sacraments are outward signs that give grace to those who receive them in a worthy manner.

Sacramentals, on the other hand, “are sacred signs which bear a resemblance to the sacraments. They signify effects, particularly of a spiritual nature, which are obtained through the intercession of the Church. By them, men are disposed to receive the chief effect of the sacraments, and various occasions in life are rendered holy” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 1667).

Learn more here.

8. THE NATIVITY OF SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST

Celebrated on June 24.

I am well aware of the benefits of consecrating myself and all of the work I do to build up the Church to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus but this Advent I learned how important it is to invite Saint John the Baptist to be a part of this as well. As a matter of fact, it seems to be necessary because God, Himself, has set it up this way.

St. John the Baptist is often called the “Precursor,” recalling his role in “preparing the way for the Lord.”

While he certainly did exactly that during his lifetime, he continues to help prepare the hearts of all to come to know Christ more intimately.

I learned about this from a meditation from the Magnificat Magazine on Thursday, December 19. I have included it below (see To Prepare A People Fit for the Lord). After the meditation, I have included three prayers for you to choose from to pray for yourself, your family and/or your ministry in the Church. As for myself, from this point on, in addition to Jesus and Mary I will ask for the intercession of Saint John the Baptist also for everything that I do to build up the Church in myself and in others.

Learn more here. 

9. EMBER DAYS

“Ember Days are three days (Wednesday, Friday and Saturday) set apart in each of the four seasons for fasting, abstinence and prayer. Tied to the seasonal cycles of farming and harvesting, the purpose of Ember Days is to render thanks to God for the gifts of Creation and to ask His help in using them well. Since 1966, the fasting and abstinence are no longer prescribed but still encouraged.”

One of the most spiritually potent times of the Catholic liturgical year, they were nearly forgotten after the 1960s. 

If this is your first time hearing about the Church’s seasonal three days of fasting and almsgiving, that’s par for the course. We all grew up in the post-Vatican II Church and, in the post-Vatican II Church, Ember Days don’t exist.

Liturgical debates aside, the Church offers us an amazing opportunity to reconnect with a beautiful—and very meaningful—ancestral tradition smack dab in the middle of each of the four seasons of the year.

Learn more here.

10. THE FIVE FIRST SATURDAYS DEVOTION

“To whoever embraces this devotion, I promise salvation.”

Our world faces an unprecedented political, economic, social, moral, and spiritual crisis for which there is no human solution. God loves us and foresaw these times. In 1917, He sent the Blessed Virgin Mary to three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal with Heaven’s solution. On December 10, 1925, She appeared to Lucia in Pontevedra, Spain. By Her side, elevated on a luminous cloud, was the Child Jesus. The Most Holy Virgin rested Her hand on Lucia’s shoulder and showed her a heart encircled by thorns, which She held in Her other hand. Our Lady said: 

“Look My daughter, at My Heart, surrounded with thorns with which ungrateful men pierce Me at every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. You at least try to console Me and announce in My name that I promise to assist at the moment of death, with all the graces necessary for salvation, all those who, on the First Saturday of five consecutive months, shall confess, receive Holy Communion, recite five decades of the Rosary, and keep Me company for fifteen minutes while meditating on the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary, with the intention of making Reparation to Me.”

Learn more here. 

11. NINE FIRST FRIDAYS DEVOTION

Make Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus In the Nine First Fridays Devotion

“Behold this Heart which has so loved men that it has spared nothing, even to exhausting and consuming itself in order to testify to its love! And in return, I receive from the greater part only ingratitude, by their irreverence and sacrilege, and by the coldness and contempt they have for Me in this Sacrament of Love.  …

“I feel this more than all that I suffered during My Passion. If only they would make Me some return for My Love, I should think but little of all I have done for them and would wish, were it possible, to suffer still more. But the sole return they make for all My eagerness to do them good is to reject Me and treat Me with coldness. Do you at least console Me by supplying for their ingratitude, as far as you are able.”

(Revelations of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque)

Our Lord longs to find special expressions of our love for Him on the First Friday of each month. Your fervent Holy Communion, as a special act of reparation and love to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, will greatly console Our Lord for the ingratitude and outrages that He endures for our sake in the Blessed Sacrament!

Learn about Our Lord's 12 promises here to those who honor His Sacred Heart in this way here.

 12. DAILY MENTAL PRAYER

By example and word, Christ taught the necessity of prayer. 

Prayer in itself is as necessary for our spiritual life as breathing is necessary for our bodily life. Not to pray daily will have the same results for the life of the soul as not to breathe would for the life of the body, which is sickness and death.

The saints tell us that without the regular practice of a certain type of prayer - mental prayer (Christian Meditation) - we will not be saved. This is because we need to be able to discern God's will for our lives and receive the strength to do it. It is through mental prayer that we are enabled to do that.

What is Mental Prayer?

The majority of people like to speak to God but very few speak with God. To speak with God implies that we also listen, not only speak. How can we listen to God? Besides vocal prayer we also need mental prayer - meditation - which is a very simple process that involves your mind, your heart (emotions and affections), and your will. Anyone can do it. While meditation is not the only way to pray, thanks to teachings and experience of many saints, it is a simple method which seems to be particularly effective in helping people get started and be transformed.

Learn a method of mental prayer - Christian Meditation here.