I'm OK with this

Pope Francis opens up foot washing to women.  Why not?  They can vote now.  They can have positions of power and influence over men.  What's the big deal?  The big trick is still holding to the traditional ideas of men in charge of the Church that came from a society where women typically did not enjoy those things.  There is certainly an argument to be made, what with women apostles in the New Testament and a historical justification for women deacons, that more than foot washing needs to be changed.

With that said, getting rid of traditions should not be flippant, and sometimes I get a whiff from Pope Francis that suggests that he feels the 'new' rocks, and the 'old' must go.  And that can be an issue.

I remember a few years ago, one of the local schools caused quite a stir when the band director announced they would no longer play Pomp and Circumstance at the graduation.  Why?  Because it was old and worn out.  Not that there was something better to replace it.  In fact, he had no real suggestion about what should replace it.  He simply was convinced that Pomp and Circumstance, by virtue of being done for years on end, needed to be discarded and replaced.  Something about a society that sees tradition as bad for the sake of being tradition suggests a society lost in space. 

Sometimes traditions fade.  I already acknowledged it. But traditions ought not be discarded in lieu of nothing better simply because.  That almost presents the idea that anything, by virtue of being old or already tried, is bad.  And given the deplorable track record of most new things and new ideas, I fear the easy dismissal of the tried and true can only set up a society for future problems.  Not that Pope Francis is all that when it comes to traditions.  I just can't help but notice, once in a while, he is pretty easy about waving his hands at those traditions in which he seems to see no value.