When the Second Vatican Council was implemented in the United States (and I would assume throughout most of the world), a lot of changes occurred practically overnight. The Mass practically changed from one weekend to the next. The Churches were stripped of their beauty, and everything was just different (from the accounts that I have heard).

Many people left the Catholic Church. It was no longer recognizably Catholic. The attitude to this from what I have noticed is “meh, oh well, good riddance.”

However, when Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI said that the tree that is the Catholic Church would need to be pruned of its branches and become a smaller, yet stronger Church (reincorporate more of Catholic tradition), the attitude is entirely different.

“But, people would leave the Church! We can’t possibly do that! That would be horrible!” is the attitude you hear.

Apparently, if you are traditional, it is perfectly fine if you are no longer a part of the Church, but if you try to incorporate tradition within the Church, it is not okay.

Modernism at its finest.