Traditional Catholic Reflections and Reports
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Traditional Catholic Reflections and Reports, (http://www.tcrnews2.com) , edited by Stephen Hand [1], and otherwise known as TCRNews.com, or simply TCR, is a traditional Roman Catholic and ecumenical lay project and web journal / archive which has been operating online since 1999. It is also a lay project which is dedicated to provide "news, opinion and information" to a postmodern world.
Being Traditional in doctrinal scope, TCR advocates union with the successor of Peter, as the only principle of Catholic unity, and the living magisterium [2] as alone competent, by virtue of Christ's promises to the Apostles, to guide the Church to the end of time. Tradition also accepts the Creed and ancient monuments of the Church "in the same sense and meaning" as has always been believed by the fathers.
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[edit] Beliefs
[edit] Dedicated to orthodoxy (right belief) and orthopraxis (right acting / deeds)
Catholics believe the Creeds of the Church "in the same sense and meaning" as in all ages since the Christ Event. The Church both conserves the whole doctrinal tradition of the Catholic Faith and organically develops it according to the exigencies of the times without changing its meaning. An orthodox Catholic is one who is baptized into the one holy Catholic and apostolic Church, one who has received Jesus Christ as his or her Lord and Savior (Jn 1:12), unto good works (Matt 5-7) in imitation of the healing Christ, against all contrary powers and philosophies, who strives for peace with all (Heb 12:14) and who, always in union with the successor or Peter (Mt 16:18f), believes the creeds and the living magisterium's constant interpretation of them, in sacramental communion with the whole Catholic Tradition unto the end of time.
[edit] Truth Wherever It is Found
John Paul II wrote: "... the Spirit who "blows where he wills" (cf. Jn 3:8) is the source of inspiration for all that is true, good and beautiful, according to the magnificent phrase of an unknown author from the time of Pope Damasus (366-384) which states that: "Every truth, no matter who says it, comes from the Holy Spirit" [2] . St. Thomas repeated this text several times in his writings and commented upon it in this way in his Summa: "Every truth, no matter who says it, comes from the Holy Spirit who infuses the natural light [of intelligence] and moves the person to understand and express the truth." Then the Spirit, according to Aquinas, intervenes with the gift of grace added to nature, when it is a question of "knowing and expressing certain truths, and especially the truths of faith, to which the Apostle is referring when he affirms that 'no one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit' (1 Cor 12:3)" [ 3] . Discerning and bringing to light in all their richness the truths and values present in the fabric of cultures is a fundamental task of missionary activity, nourished in the Church by the Spirit of Truth, who as Love leads people to a more perfect knowledge in charity. ( 1] De Orat. Dominica, 23: PL, 4, 536; [2] cf. PL, 191, 1651[3] I-II, q. 109, a. 1, ad. 1 (General Audience — December 5, 1990, JPII)
"Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things" (Phil 4:8).
[edit] Traditional / Liberal Properly Understood
We are traditional if we believe all these wondrous things, and liberal (in the positive sense) if we live it, thus purging all factional tendencies of their exaggerations, while retaining their truths. Only Peter, the principle of Catholic unity, we believe, can rectify human propensity to factionalism, our very human imbalances and tendencies to tilt this way or that.
[edit] Social Justice
TCR is dedicated to furthering the Church's social teachings which are beyond "liberal" and "conservative" pigeonholing. John Paul II has many times spoken of the Church's preferential love for the poor. There can be no genuine orthodoxy which does not issue in orthopraxis (correct actions, works). The Church is the continuation of Christ's Incarnation, Passion and Resurrection throughout time (Col. 1:24). Just as Our Lord was healer and teacher, we also believe in and work for the Catholic Social Justice which is expressed in the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy. For, as the Apostle said, "Faith without works is dead". Too many who call themselves "Conservatives / Traditionalists" withdraw into their own enclaves of personal comfort and piety, when people need to see and hear the Good News of the Gospel! As one of the Fathers said, "Preach the Gospel. Use words if necessary."
[edit] Holy Simplicity
TCR is dedicated to "living simply that others may simply live" and working for justice [3]
[edit] Christocentric Mariology
[edit] Peacemaking
A most critical aspect of social justice [5]
[edit] Ecology
Also a critical aspect of social justice for the whole planet [6]
[edit] The Christian Faith
Teaches we cannot serve God and mammon and that ours is to be a life of Charity which begins in our homes and in our own neighborhoods and extends to all who are suffering, broken, lonely for God---Who works through His people ---to the extent that we are able to help. Often we could do more than we do. In this way the Church continues Christ's healing mission to the poor in spirit and to the materially poor through time. Charity, we believe, should be personal, and conducted also by Catholic Associations, Houses of Hospitality, etc, and not left alone to the impersonal State---which often pretends to be the source of all benevolence (but at what a price! See [7]). How we need more traditional nuns and brothers to lead us and work with us in these Works of Mercy!
[edit] Charity
God's Love, may also require us to protest abortion, war, immorality, bio-ethical violations against nature, euthanasia and a whole host of social ills which are inconsistent with the social teachings of the Church in this difficult and challenging age. But we must take heed, of course, that our activism is nourished by our contemplation and Sacramental life---lest we become mere social workers and not the City set on a hill that Our Blessed Lord calls us to be.
[edit] Political activism
Without prayer, the sacraments, the Sermon on the Mount, is like a tree without roots, destined to wither or pretend. We trust not in our own "righteousness" or good works but in Him who gives grace freely, to all who ask in their quest for a spiritual life.
TCR endorses no particular political party, but encourages those principles of any party which are consonant with Catholic social justice teachings.
Opposition to aggression and the arms trade, and especially opposition to nuclear weapons is a key aspect of our discipleship.
[edit] Geopolitics
Because Christ incarnated himself in time and space history, TCR believes that the Christian must engage the world s/he lives in, bringing Christ's teachings to bear on momentous current events.
[edit] Events
[edit] TCR and the Library of Congress
Internet Archive of the Events of 9/11: The Library of Congress, in partnership with the Internet Archive, WebArchivist.org and the Pew Internet & American Life Project, has created a collection of digital materials known as the September 11 Web Archive. TCR was chosen for Catholic coverage of those events in the ensuing days [9].
[edit] TCR Banned in China Since 2002
TCRNews.com was banned in China (Sep 6 (Jiangsu), Sep 21 (Jiangsu), Sep 30 (Jiangsu), Sep 30 (Guangdong), Oct 12 (Guangdong), Oct 12 (Beijing)) according to Harvard University Empirical Analysis of Internet Filtering in China: [10]
