Catholicism Quote by Patricia Lockwood
““There is a love for structure in them that I recognize, and a desire to worship correctness that I know and I share. When I look at them, I think: to prize traditionalism above all else in a church that began in revolution is to do a great violence to it. But I feel that same ache for the past in myself: to uphold the columns of literature, grammar, the Western tradition. The English language began as an upheaval; I am not protecting it when I try to guard it against change. The Jesus Christ of it, Chaucer, walked across the water telling dirty jokes, made twenty stories stretch to feed a million people, spelled the word "cunt" five ways, performed miracles. Any innovation I put down on paper is an attempt to remind myself of this. I am not modern. I was not born to blaze new paths or bring down walls. I break form against my nature to tell myself that revolution, too, is a tradition that must be upheld.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: The New Yorker, “The Love of Structure” by Patricia Lockwood, 2023
The author wrestles with tension between reverence for tradition and the need for change, seeing both as revolutionary acts rooted in history.
In simple terms: Balancing respect for tradition with embracing change.
Key Takeaway
Honor past while allowing evolution.
Themes
tradition
change
literature
language
identity
Mood
reflective
conflicted
introspective
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- Writing
- teaching
- editing
- literary analysis
- personal growth
Key Concepts
Cultural criticism
paradox
self‑reflection
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you reconcile love for tradition with desire for change?
- What traditions serve you versus hinder you?
A Different Perspective
Tradition can stifle innovation if clung to rigidly.
![“Consistently, [Yves] Congar emphasized the distinction between Tradition and traditionalism. The latter was an unyielding commitment to the past. The former was a living principle of commitment to the Beginning, a process that required creativity, inspiration, and a spirit of openness to the…” quote by Robert Ellsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9ff/robert-ellsberg-53444_church_consistently-yves-congar-emphasized-the_1753730.jpg)
