Expert: Fr. Michael - 11/29/2006

Question
Dear Father,

          I was wondering about old catholics and traditional catholics what are the difference in this? Since this is the only true religion that Jesus Christ son of God founded. I am a Catholic but how do you know which Catholic since you said there are new order religion that often incorrectly calls itself Catholic. The church I go is very triditional we practice the full Gospel. So does that make me old catholic or traditional? Cause we do the liturgy also at night masses. An since Catholic faith has Jewish orgin even though we are of different races does that make us Jewish in a way?

Merry Christmas
Angels Blessing

Answer
Traditional Catholics maintain the contant teaching and practice of the Church for 2000 years.  Many nowadays who confusingly call themselves "Catholics" are really not that in any traditional definition of the term.  They adhere to what they call a "New Order," and are called properly called "Newchurchers"  (New Mass, New Sacraments, New Theology, New Morality).  They are essentially indistinguishable from Protestants.

"Old Catholic" is a term of a group that objected to the definition of papal infallibility expressed at Vatican I (1870).  They are valid, but schismatic.  The terms "traditional Catholic" and "Old Catholic" are NOT interchangeable.  They are two different things.

The veil of the Jewish temple was rent at the Crucifixion as the symbol that the Old Convent had ended, and the New Covenant of Our Lord Jesus Christ had begun.  For further information, consider St. Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews, which covers this point nicely.

See also the Official Traditional Catholic Directory, which has information on traditional Catholicism:  www.traditio.com/nat.htm