The Catholic faith becomes the property of the faithful through the traditions that give it definite form and stability. It is through those traditions that a refined system of thought, feeling and observance works its way into the life of the people, and the people lay hold of the central truths of religion. Without them what remains is the constant exercise of authority by wordy general councils and hyperactive popes, and the perpetual reconstruction of the faith by endlessly multiplying theologians, educators, liturgists, conferences, training programs, outreach coordinators and what not. The experience of the past 40 years demonstrates that neither touches the life of the people when they take leave of tradition. Anyone who wants to be pastoral, and thinks of the Church as the pilgrim People of God, must therefore be a traditionalist.