Stand firm then, my brothers, to the TRADITIONS that we taught you, whether by WORD OF MOUTH or by LETTER.

2 Thessalonians 2:15
Prepared by: Richard G. Pazcoguin UST-IR

Latin tradere - to hand on; to pass

the CONTENT: that which is being handed on the PROCESS: the manner by which the content is passed

TRADITION IS THE WHOLE PROCESS BY WHICH THE CHURCH PRESERVES AND HANDS ON THE FAITH THROUGH GENERATIONS

Fr. Ian Knox C.S.Sp. 1. THROUGH PREACHING 2. THROUGH TEACHING 3. THROUGH RELIGIOUS SERVICES AND CUSTOMS 4. THROUGH PERSONAL AND COMMUNAL PRAYERS AND DEVOTIONS 5. THROUGH SPECIAL DAYS OF FEAST AND REMEMBRANCE 6. THROUGH RELIGIOUS LAWS AND OBLIGATIONS 7. THROUGH SAYINGS AND CATCH PHRASES 8. THROUGH STORY TELLING

There are so many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written. John 21:25

SACRED TRADITION AND SACRED SCRIPTURES CONSTITUTE THE DEPOSIT OF DIVINE REVELATION.
Sacred Scriptures originated from Oral Tradition. Not all of Tradition had been written down, hence the Bible, authoritative as it is, does not contain the entirety of revelation. Tradition does not stop when it is written down. Rather, traditions continue in the life of the church.

Tradition (capitalized) is the living and lived faith of the church; traditions are customary ways of doing or expressing matters related to faith. If tradition cannot be rejected or lost without essential distortion of the gospel, it is part of Tradition itself. If tradition is not essential, then it is subject to change or even to elimination.
Richard McBrien CATHOLICISM, p.66

EXAMPLES:
The Holy Rosary

These are practices of the Church which are NONDOCTRINAL. These may have resulted from the needs of the church which arose at a particular time in history. Some of these traditions may have been a product of the entry of the Church into other cultures.
The MANNER of celebrating the Eucharist Easter Practices

The Pope recently added another set of mysteries: the Luminous Mysteries

Before the Second Vatican Council, the priest faced the altar and used Latin, today , the priest faces the people and uses the vernacular

In the Philippines, the Salubong is part of the Introductory Rites for the Easter Morning Mass

SCRIPTURAL TRADITIONS

SACRED TRADITION

APOSTOLOIC TRADITIONS

TEACHINGS OF THE MAGISTERIUM

EXAMPLES: Baptism

These are traditions that take their roots in the HOLY BIBLE. These practices and beliefs can be justified by quoting Sacred Scriptures.
The Authority of the Pope The Holy Mass

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit Mt. 28:19

I give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven. Whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Mt.16:19

For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes. 1 Cor 11:26

These are the teachings which the Apostles left us, not through written scripture, but through the unbroken chain of succession of Popes, bishops, priests and deacons. This unbroken chain is an assurance that the teachings of the Apostles are preserved intact.
Church teachings that are based on Apostolic Traditions are contained in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. And for us Filipinos, we also have the

Catechism for Filipino Catholics.

Lt. Magister - teacher MAGISTERIUM- the teaching authority of the Church. This is exercised by the Pope in making solemn definitions, or by Bishops in an Ecumenical Council like Vatican 2 The teachings of faith are never stagnant. As time goes by, the Churchs understanding of her own teachings deepen, leading to the definition and promulgation of new teachings.

IMMACULATE THE MARIAN CONCEPTION DOGMAS WERE DEFINED BY VIRTUE OF THE CHURCHS MAGISTERIUM DIVINE Pope Pius IX. 1854 MOTHERHOOD ASSUMPTION OF OUR LADY

These teachings are new not because they were just invented. On the contrary, they have always been part of the ancient teachings of the church, only that they were not immediately defined. Council of Ephesus, 431 Pope Pius XII, 1950

A SUMMARY OF SACRED TRADITION:

We believe in One God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation, he came down from heaven, by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary and became man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered, died, and was buried. On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures, he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son, he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look forward to the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen. Council of Nicaea, 325

Richard McBrien CATHOLICISM Winston Press, 1980 James O. McDonnel JUST THE FAQs: WHAT CATHOLICS REALLY BELIEVE Makati: Word and Life Publications, 1994 Fr. Ian Knox, C.S.Sp. THEOLOGY FOR TEACHERS Ottawa:Novalis Press, 1994