Okay, let's talk capybera

There's been a lot of talk around the Catholic blog scene recently about the papal dispensation to parts of South America, allowing them to eat Capybera on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

Now, I won't repeat the story, because it can be found in many place. However, Jimmy Akin, above say:

"I don't like that. I think it's dumb. But that was the consensus on the issue.

The consensus has been changing somewhat. For example, Henry Davis is quite down on villages where seabirds are exempted and says this is likely bogus (he doesn't use the word "bogus") and that it has more to do with villagers obstinately hanging on to traditional privileges. I can look up the quote if needed. "

I haven't read Mr. Akin much, so I don't know where he is in the culture wars, he just happened to make me think about this issue. But, outside of the Sacraments, I'd say there's nothing more culturally Catholic than villagers obstinately hanging on to traditional priviledges. Why the need for whitewashing conformity in such trivial manners? It depends whose trivial matters we're discussing. The Modern attitude is always pro-diversity, unless the custom is older than living memory.

A Modernist could should back at me, "You're for diversity too, as long as it's old diversity. That's just the other side of the coin." Well, yes. That's what makes them traditions, they aren't reinvented every 25 years. Traditions build into cultures which form civilizations that give life meaning and connect us to our ancestors.