Tinker, Tailor, Liberal, Traditionalist, Orthodox, Modernist?

Big Ears was a Traditionalist

It seems that people, understandably, do not like labels.

But the word 'Catholic' is a label and, back in the early 60s it was enough to establish your spiritual lineage.

Now it is not.

So, we have become fragmented and divided; we are no longer one holy Catholic and apostolic Church.

We are modernists, CINOs, uber conservatives, right wingers, liberals and so on.

And the labels are often inaccurate; I really do not know how I would describe myself.

I am right wing politically, but does that apply also to my Faith?

I believe the core of the problem lies in the fact that our secular acts are working in opposition to our spiritual ones.

We like to stand and receive the Host in our hand, therefore, we are liberal.

We prefer to kneel and receive by mouth, therefore, we are......what?

When I first entered the education sector back in 1989 one of my first duties was to send a group of lecturers to our local Ferryside post graduate teacher training base. I forget the nature of the course, it has no relevance.

When they returned I asked how the day had been received and I was told this story:-

" They put us into two groups with the College X staff in one and us in the other. And then they called us Group A and Group B.
Well, College X did not like to be referred to as 'Group B as they felt that was second rate so the instructors deliberated for ten minutes and then re-classified us as Group 1 and Group 2.

We were now Group 2 and we felt that we had been relegated to second place so we objected.

The instructors thought again and came up with the idea of Black Group and White Group but College X felt that to be dubbed 'Black' was insulting (but not in a racial context, of course).

We then had the mid morning break while various other ideas were put to us and all were rejected.

At about 11.15am, the instructors came back in and offered us the titles of Pixie Group and Fairy Group and these were found to be acceptable to both teams".

So that's it then.


History was made on that day in October 1989 - the link to Catholic identity was outlined for the very first time.

So, I propose that this innovative lead is adopted at once and, from now on we shall be known by the following nomenclature:-

Liberals - Fairies

Modernists - Goblins

Traditionalists - Dwarves

Orthodox - Elves

Charismatics - Pixies

Job done!