As a cradle catholic, I donโt trust tradcaths tbh. I donโt trust that they care about Catholicism and Jesus more than they care about being performative with the religion. Catholic aesthetic is awesome donโt get me wrong. But it feels like these people are all about the aesthetics and showing off how knowledgeable and โgoodโ they are. Which is the exact opposite of Catholicism imo.
The way I grew up, real Catholic culture is keeping quiet and forever lowkey feeling guilty youโre not good and not doing enough, because itโs true. And we donโt judge other people because weโre aware we are not perfect either. So It is what it is and weโre all sinners anyway but we do what we can. Weโre not concerned with whatโs going on in the Vatican. We just show up to do good works in our community without fanfare because itโs what youโre supposed to be doing anyway. You can accept attention and compliments from others but never draw it to yourself.
Religious ephemera isnโt something you buy and show off as collectible trinkets to put on your aesthetic blog. Theyโre gifted, passed down, collected from life events like baptisms and funerals. Theyโre sacred yet ordinary. Kept in the privacy of your car or at the home altar. Not posted in public for people to praise.
I donโt doubt these tradcaths pray more regularly, act chaste, and know more about the Vatican rules and the Bible than me. But being Catholic isnโt all about these things. Following the church is only one part of it. Itโs moreso the spirit by which you live. One of humility, service, grace, generosity. And above all, love. All these things lead back to love.
