ATTENTION: shameless post Those of you who know me, Pebble, know very well that subtlety is not amongst my many wonderful traits (and apparently, neither is humility). But I do tend to be somewhat honest at least. Jokes aside, I could once again use the help of my followers and friends. I'm trying to help my new boss and friend get her business account noticed by the algorithm here on X but the algorithm says no because the account is new. So I'm going to war with the algorithm and I could use a few crusaders. You don't need a horse or a sword (although that would be cool. It's certainly optional). You just need to follow @SVSDesignco. The more followers we have, the more we are liked by the algorithm and the more people notice us. That's basically it. If you could follow our account, you'll get to see some useful and interesting posts and help your fellow Catholics beat the algorithm beast. If, on the other hand, you are looking for the actual Crusades, you may wish to respectfully contact the pope. Thank you in advance. I very much appreciate all your help and God bless you all. P.s. If you do have horses and swords, I'd like to see some photos!

I'm looking at the protests happening around Europe (not in my own country) and there seem to be many takes on them. Some claim it is mainly immigrants; others, that this is somehow connected to Russia. Some say the protests are spontaneous, born out of anger with the rising costs of life. I've seen people say the protesters are either extreme leftists or extreme rightists, being paid by certain political factions within or even outside of Europe. I have no opinion on any one of these theories because it would be difficult to reach a conclusion based on what the media (including social media) says. The only thing I know is that some (perhaps even many) people take part in these activities merely so they can steal, loot or express their violent tendencies in an illicit manner. I do attempt to look at things from the Catholic perspective. I am wary of any type of revolutionary spirit, even if the aim behind it were noble. If there was a huge protest or uproar against abortion out in the streets, I would not be a part of it because the mob always attracts those who don't care about any cause and only care about their own interests. There is something about mobs almost inevitably developing a mind of its own, making it incredibly easy even for otherwise virtuous people to lose all moral inhibitions. Strong passions of the mob are never guided by reason, instead replacing it with emotional impulses and reactive behaviour. Those who say these protests are God's chastisement are correct, I believe. But the chastisement has been happening for a long time and not only in Europe. The whole immigration situation in Europe and the US is chastisement. The rising costs of life, and in particular housing, are a form of chastisement. Unjust wars, broken and disfunctional justice systems, the spread of the LGBTIQ agenda, the crises within and outside of the Catholic Church, it's all God trying to wake us up. For decades, or even longer, we lived in a complacent manner, with our full tummies resting comfortably behind white picket fences, taking Catholicism seriously only when it applies to the hierarchy, or the so-called progressives. We believed we earned our comfort, we deserved our peace, we worked hard for our pleasures, our hearts silently divided between what the world has to offer and what Christ has to offer. And what is it that Christ has to offer? It's a cross. The one we often scoff at. Abraham bargained with God to save Sodom. 50, 40, 30, 20, 10 righteous people in the town would have saved Sodom. But God could not find 10 righteous people. Could He find 10 righteous in Europe today? Or in the US? I'm not sure but what I do know is that I most likely wouldn't be among the 10 and it really, really scares me. The reason for the chastisement should horrify us much more than the actual form of the chastisement. No protest will save us, no political party and no legal action. We have reached the point in which all roads lead to Niniveh. To do what the people of Niniveh did is the only solution to our problems. Want to save Europe or the US? Become one of the 10 righteous men and stop wasting your time on worldly means. This doesn't mean people should stop all political or legal struggles, but it does mean that these struggles that have long been in the foreground of our actions need to become the background to our sanctification. Just get down on your knees and say you have sinned. Give the part of your heart that still belongs to this world fully over to God. Thank Him for His chastisement because it is a great grace and an amazing opportunity to start taking God and salvation seriously for once.

I can't find a flaw in this argument.

Ah yes, the persistent challenge of abandoning heterodoxy and supporting the orthodox view. How very challenging and heated indeed. I guess the solution is to replace the word "heterodox" with "pastoral" and we get to keep whichever interpretation of the very clear teaching we want. Because "irregular situations" and "lived experience", apparently.

I want to do things because it's the right thing to do, because it pleases God. But all too often it happens that I do things out of anger with what I consider to be bad or evil. My love towards the truth should surpass the hatred I feel for lies. My thirst for justice should be bigger than mere disappointment with injustices. I should seek virtue not merely because it's the opposite of the vices I hate but because of the sheer beauty of the virtue itself. Doing good should be done for the sake of the good and not merely because it's the opposite of the evil we hate.

This is the most beautiful thing I have read in ages.

Universal lucrum cessans has never officially been taught and is in fact not a correct development of doctrine. For all of you interested in usury, please support Michael. He is doing an amazing work here.

Unrelated to the Pope or the rites in the Catholic Church, but I'm not sure how well people even understand the huge philosophical and theological differences that exist between Catholicism and Orthodoxy. It seems to me people think that these differences are minor but I would argue they are not. We differ even in the way we view God's nature let alone all other disputes we have. These differences cannot be settled by TLM (they weren't settled even when the TLM was the ordinary rite). And for those who may misunderstand, this is not an attack on TLM (because I am a huge supporter of it). This is merely pointing out the fact that Orthodoxy and Catholicism are not, in fact, one faith.

I think it is the culture of silence under the guise of prudence or even charity that contributed a lot to the disastrous way that the Church officials handled the sex abuse crisis. And make no mistake, the abuse very much existed and was covered up regardless of the fact that the media likes to smear the Church. I think we've had enough of silence. Peter didn't mention names so one can't even argue this was some sort of detraction. It is important for the truth to come out. Particularly if the truth is a type of warning against an extremely serious spiritual danger such as supporting James Martin. What is the upside of not mentioning that some high-ranking Jesuits in the US very much support Martin's "ministry" to such a degree that they threaten men interested in priesthood with consequences? It must be said. It's not some personal flaw or sin being revealed here. It's a systemic spiritual poison the only anti-dote to which may be letting it out in the open for Catholics to see.

I am literally speechless about this whole thing. I can't even fathom it. I don't understand. Let's pray and offer sacrifices for Peter and for the truth to prevail.

May we all die this way. I am sorry you lost your mum. We will all pray for her soul. May Our Lord grant you and your family comfort 🙏♥️

The world has a very interesting relationship with death. They consider death, including a deliberate killing of oneself or another, as preferrable to a life with suffering. On the other hand, they consider sin and immorality as preferrable to death. When the world is faced with the dilemma of suffering vs. murder (or death), they choose death. Conversely, when they are faced with the dilemma of sinning vs. dying, they choose sinning. The world considers dying as far worse, and simultaneously, as far better than it actually is. Catholic morality gives death its proper place. It is both the wages of sin and the entrance into eternal life (whether the eternity will be spent in heaven or hell). Death is to be feared to the degree to which a virtuous Christian fears the Lord, His judgement, and facing the reality of one’s sins committed in this life. Death is not to be feared in a frantic manner the world fears it, regarding it as a kind of annihilation, hiding it behind the walls of hospitals and old people’s homes. Death is also preferrable to sin. This is exactly why deliberate abortion (murdering of one’s child) is not allowed even if the act would potentially save the mother’s life. We do not commit mortal sins (and we shouldn’t commit venial sins either) in order to save physical lives. Now, there exist treatments that may or will result in the child dying but under the double effect theory that a lot of theologians agree with, the aim is never to kill the child and the loss of the child’s life is not that which saves the mother. It is dangerous to claim that the Catholic Church allows for the exception to abortion to save the mother’s life because it doesn’t. To say this is to speak the language of the world, the same world which both dismisses killing and is horrified of dying. The double effect theory is proposed by theologians (and some may even disagree with it) in certain very narrow and very limited circumstances. There exists no case, be it a normal or an ectopic pregnancy, where the baby in the womb must be murdered for the mother to live. And if such cases were to exist, it would still be immoral and illicit to murder the baby in the womb. What does exist are cases where the baby must be delivered early (in ectopic pregnancies very early on), which may or may not result in the baby dying (depending on the gestational week in which the delivery is carried out and other medical factors). There may also exist cases such as mine, where the mother refuses treatment in an ectopic pregnancy. I refused all treatment because I personally wasn’t comfortable with any of it. I wanted my baby to die of natural causes and not even as an unintended consequence of my treatment. This was the choice I made based on my conscience and it was a dangerous and risky choice which resulted in a ruptured tube, internal bleeding and a life-saving surgery. But knowing my baby didn’t die in the process of treating myself gave me peace that I needed. I would do the same thing again, but thank God, He has spared me another ectopic pregnancy. All of this is to say: do not speak the language of the world and do not treat death or murder in the same way the world does. The Church does not allow for any exceptions to abortion. Theologians have explained why in certain cases treatments that may result in the child’s death should be allowed under the double effect theory. But this is no exception to abortion. The Church will never allow for an exception to abortion, and it never has.

In your charity, please please pray for Carol. It pains me greatly to see how many of us have family members dealing with cancer. Adding Carol to my intentions. May the good Lord look upon her mercifully, take away her pain, ease her suffering and may it please Him to heal her. Above all, may He grant her and her family members trust and peace that surpass understanding and the sweet respite of feeling His love and His presence every day. My Jesus, mercy. St. Charbel, please pray for Carol. Our Lady, be a mother to her now.