The Church Fathers

As I was praying First Vespers of Pope St. Leo the Great this evening (with a commemoration of the Second Sunday of Pascha, of course), I was thinking about the beauty of studying the Church Fathers and understanding their role in comprehending Tradition.

Last night, I went to a potluck with members of a youth group from a Novus Ordo parish which I attend on the weekdays.  I had an argument with a couple of the folks there on the issue of the Church Fathers.  One man was brazen enough to tell me that,

"Vatican II is more important than the Church Fathers."

What could cause one to say something so foolish?  Does a person not realize the ramifications of such a statement?  This is no lilliputian matter and it made me realize that the Church needs to go back to the Church Fathers.

My fellow Trads,  let us not waste our time by defended certain seventeenth century French proclivities. If we want to be true trads, let us fight for Tradition every moment of our lives.

Of course, it all starts and ends with the Liturgy.

From First Vespers,

O Doctor optime, * Ecclesiae Sanctae lumen, beate Leone, divinae legis amator, deprecare pro nobis Filium Dei, alleluia.

O right excellent Teacher, Light of the Holy Church, Leo, blessed lover of the Divine Law, pray for us to the Son of God. Alleluia