Episode 2859: The Traditus Training Program: Part 3: 12-Month Course with Sharon

Hosts: Sharon (Host) and Walt (Co-Host)
Opening Prayer
Sharon: Let us begin with a prayer to Our Lady of Fatima, the guiding light for returning to the fullness of Catholic tradition:
"O Most Holy Virgin Mary, Queen of the Holy Rosary, intercede for us as we strive to restore the faith in the hearts of our young. Inspire them to love Christ, His Church, and His teachings. Amen."
Sharon: Welcome to today’s episode, where we tackle one of the most pressing challenges facing our Church: how to retrain our young Catholics to embrace the richness of our traditional Catholic faith and detach from the modern relativistic culture.
Traditus Training Program: A 12-Month Course
Objective: To help young Catholics embrace a traditional Catholic lifestyle by grounding them in faith, detaching from modern relativism, and building a solid foundation for lifelong spiritual growth.
Each month focuses on a specific aspect of the faith, gradually building up habits, knowledge, and a traditional Catholic worldview.
Month 1: Foundational Prayer Life
• Objective: Establish a consistent daily prayer routine.
• Tasks:
1. Learn and pray the Morning Offering and Evening Examen.
2. Begin a daily family Rosary (one decade if starting from scratch).
3. Memorize the Sign of the Cross, the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be.
4. Set up a prayer corner with sacred images, candles, and a crucifix.
• Saint of the Month: St. Francis de Sales (“The greatest method of praying is to pray the Rosary.”)
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Month 2: Understanding the Faith
• Objective: Learn the basics of Catholic doctrine using the Baltimore Catechism.
• Tasks:
1. Study one lesson per week from the Baltimore Catechism.
2. Create flashcards for key catechism questions and answers.
3. Discuss the importance of truth in faith during family time.
4. Memorize the Apostles' Creed.
• Saint of the Month: St. Pius X (“Restore all things in Christ.”)
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Month 3: Sacramental Life
• Objective: Foster love and reverence for the sacraments.
• Tasks:
1. Attend the Traditional Latin Mass every Sunday.
2. Go to Confession as a family. (Start monthly, then increase frequency.)
3. Teach children how to prepare for and make a good Confession.
4. Discuss the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
• Saint of the Month: St. John Vianney (“The priesthood is the love of the Heart of Jesus.”)
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Month 4: Liturgical Living
• Objective: Align family life with the liturgical calendar.
• Tasks:
1. Celebrate feast days with prayers, special meals, and traditions.
2. Learn about the liturgical colors and seasons (e.g., Advent, Lent).
3. Begin observing First Fridays and First Saturdays.
4. Incorporate a saint-of-the-day calendar into family life.
• Saint of the Month: St. Benedict (“Ora et Labora” – Pray and Work.)
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Month 5: Detachment from Secular Influences
• Objective: Replace harmful modern influences with uplifting Catholic media and activities.
• Tasks:
1. Reduce time on social media and secular entertainment.
2. Replace TV shows and music with Catholic media and traditional hymns.
3. Create a family library of Catholic books and lives of the saints.
4. Establish screen-free family time for board games or discussions.
• Saint of the Month: St. Augustine (“Our hearts are restless until they rest in You.”)
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Month 6: Modesty and Dignity
• Objective: Cultivate an understanding of modesty in dress, speech, and behavior.
• Tasks:
1. Discuss the virtue of modesty and its importance.
2. Set family guidelines for clothing that reflects Catholic values.
3. Teach proper etiquette and respect for others.
4. Study Scripture and saintly teachings on purity and humility.
• Saint of the Month: St. Maria Goretti (“I forgive Alessandro...I want him with me in heaven.”)
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Month 7: Devotion to the Saints
• Objective: Inspire children by introducing them to the lives of the saints.
• Tasks:
1. Read a saint’s biography as a family.
2. Choose a patron saint for each family member to emulate.
3. Begin a family tradition of celebrating name days.
4. Memorize prayers written by the saints (e.g., St. Francis of Assisi’s Peace Prayer).
• Saint of the Month: St. Therese of Lisieux (“My vocation is love!”)
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Month 8: Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy
• Objective: Practice charity as a family.
• Tasks:
1. Volunteer as a family at a soup kitchen or parish event.
2. Make a list of ways to perform the works of mercy and do one weekly.
3. Pray for the souls in purgatory daily.
4. Reflect on Matthew 25:31-46 about serving Christ in others.
• Saint of the Month: St. Vincent de Paul (“Charity is the cement which binds communities to God and persons to one another.”)
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Month 9: Fasting and Abstinence
• Objective: Embrace traditional penitential practices.
• Tasks:
1. Abstain from meat on Fridays.
2. Observe traditional fasts during Lent and Advent.
3. Teach children about the spiritual benefits of fasting.
4. Participate in Ember Days as a family.
• Saint of the Month: St. John the Baptist (“He must increase; I must decrease.”)
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Month 10: Family Apostolate
• Objective: Equip children to evangelize and share their faith.
• Tasks:
1. Role-play how to defend the faith charitably.
2. Help children start a Catholic club at school or church.
3. Encourage teens to invite friends to Mass or Catholic events.
4. Share Catholic books or pamphlets with others.
• Saint of the Month: St. Dominic (“One day, through the Rosary and the Scapular, Our Lady will save the world.”)
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Month 11: Deeper Marian Devotion
• Objective: Foster a personal relationship with Mary.
• Tasks:
1. Consecrate the family to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
2. Learn and pray the Angelus daily.
3. Begin wearing the Brown Scapular or Miraculous Medal.
4. Study Marian apparitions like Fatima and Lourdes.
• Saint of the Month: St. Louis de Montfort (“Totus Tuus – Totally Yours.”)
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Month 12: Pilgrimage and Retreat
• Objective: Deepen the family’s faith through pilgrimage and reflection.
• Tasks:
1. Visit a local shrine or sacred site.
2. Plan a family retreat focused on prayer and silence.
3. Reflect on the year’s growth and set spiritual goals for the next year.
4. Host a family feast to celebrate the journey.
• Saint of the Month: St. James the Greater (“Faith without works is dead.”)
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Building on the First Year
After completing the Traditus Training Program, families can deepen their commitment with additional practices, including:
• Daily Mass and frequent Confession.
• Regular spiritual reading of Church Fathers or papal encyclicals.
• Hosting Catholic study groups.
• Long-term projects, like making pilgrimages or adopting a more penitential lifestyle.
The Traditus Training Program is not just a one-year course; it’s a lifelong journey of living the Catholic faith in its fullness.
St. Pius X for the renewal of the Church.
"O Lord, renew Your wonders in this our day, as by a new Pentecost. Grant that Your Church may preach the Gospel with boldness and zeal, restoring all things in Christ. Amen."