Sacred Tradition

Question from Sandy on 3/26/2008:

Dear Father Bob,

I am a convert of three years this past Holy Saturday. I regret to say I am so upset with the whole of the Catholic Church. I was taught in RCIA all about the Sacred Traditions of the Church, and my parish has very few of these. We dip The Eucharist which was supposed to be temporary, the Christ Child is never taken to the Nativity, nor is the Nativity ever blessed, I have never seen the candle light service on Holy Saturday, the Tabernacle was not even opened on Holy Friday etc...

I have written to our Bishop and that has proven to be of little help. I am now leaving the Church I am going to and trying to find one which has Sacred Tradition as well as Sacred Scripture. I feel very let down, and like I was lied to regarding the beliefs and the Traditions of the Church. My heart is broken, as one parish member referred to Sacred Tradition as nonsense. I am tired of fighting for it, and have chosen to move on. Please I need some advice and your prayers, as the only thing which is stopping me from going back to the Protestant Church is the Eucharist. Thank you for your time. Sandy

Answer by Fr. Robert J. Levis on 3/27/2008:
Sandy, Calm down, all is not lost yet!!!!!!Generally Sacred Tradition is much bigger than how things are executed in any particular parish church. E.g. Mary's role in the Salvation of man was first Tradition (handed down from pastor to pastor by word of mouth, it was not written down like the Sacred Scriptures. Eventually Rome acts and brings all things together in a more formal setting. Holy Week is much different than other times in the Church. E.g. The Eucharist is removed out of its regular tabernacle and placed elsewhere in the Church. Many local pastors enact the Holy Week services in their own way with plenty of abbreviated prayers and omitted things. This should not be done, but this happens, to your disappointment. Sandy, later on, look around for a priest who loves the full liturgy and wants to teach it all to the people. It takes time and many pastors are very shy of time. Relax. Fr Bob Levis