I notice the life can bog me down from time to time and I don't want to fail you. Posting each day separately keeps it new and serves as a reminder for us all, but I realized having one go to link could be very valuable. Peace out guys! Christ is risen.

I hope that you find this to be a place to explore what it means to be Catholic and ask questions. I am by no means an expert but will do my best to find answers. My ideas for the new year are to post the year through the bible with Fr Mike Schmitz. Most likely I will keep posting the Return to Tradition and Uniquely Mary content I find helpful, as well as the messages from Fr Mark Goring. 2020 was bad, 2021 was worse. 2022???? Remains to he seen. Keep your eye on the lamb, may his mother watch over you and protect you in these times. St Micheal, defend us in battle. Yours in Christ Scruffy_Nerfherder

1) We had two major appliances that needed replaced / repaired. 2) We are training new people at work because we are suffering from the eternal labor shortage. I've had 3 days off over the last 2 months. Plus higher call volume + working in the office == less moderating / God Posting. All I have been able to do is the occasional snide remark. Bless you all, Scruffy

New "home alone sedevacantist" site up: catholiceclipsed.com ("CE") There seems to be an ongoing debate of us "home alone sedevacantists" versus the sedevacantists who currently believe Catholics have churches to go to, example response post: https://catholiceclipsed.com/2022/09/05/home-alone-hobbits-a-refutation-of-steve-sperays-problems-with-being-a-catholic-during-the-apocalypse/ I side with CE in some respects, I don't think Catholics have any (known) churches today ("home alone"), and don't have a pope ("sedevacantist" / sedes). Some other sedes have tried to set up churches and consecrate bishops and ordain priests, but they acknowledge this is not done in accordance with the rules (popes typically need to approve consecrations of bishops, meaning these operations are "illegal" or illicit). In practice some people have had negative experiences with these operations so pairing that with the theological understanding of these operations being created by violating Canon law, some Catholics have therefore concluded there are no (known) churches for Catholics today. The new site for me is a bit refreshing to see, it seems the "home alone" view is growing, although slowly. The other main "home alone" site that comes to mind is betrayedcatholics.com ("BCC") - of course it is absurd for me to also mention that CE had a falling out with the author of that site, for now. But I kind of side with CE, mostly because CE is just a regular guy. BCC is just of a different generation and has a different mindset. But I think BCC has a lot of interesting info, and both I and CE have learned a lot from that site I think. Discuss "sedevacantist" and "home alone" related topics?

https://infogalactic.com/info/Nativity_of_Mary Catholic encyclopedia on topic: https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10712b.htm

Or, how to go to hell in 1 easy step.

> Perfection is founded entirely on the love of God: “Charity is the bond of perfection[2];” and perfect love of God means the complete union of our will with God’s: “The principal effect of love is so to unite the wills of those who love each other as to make them will the same things[3].” It follows then, that the more one unites his will with the divine will, the greater will be his love of God. Mortification, meditation, receiving Holy Communion, acts of fraternal charity are all certainly pleasing to God -- but only when they are in accordance with his will. When they do not accord with God’s will, he not only finds no pleasure in them, but he even rejects them utterly and punishes them. ... > Finally we should consider the events which are happening to us now and which will happen to us in the future, as coming from the hands of God. Everything we do should be directed to this one end: to do the will of God and to do it solely for the reason that God wills it. > To this end let us familiarize ourselves with certain texts of sacred scripture that invite us to unite ourselves constantly with the divine will: “Lord, what wilt thou have me do[80]?” Tell me, my God, what thou wilt have me do, that I may will it also, with all my heart.

https://infogalactic.com/info/Geocentrism https://galileowaswrong.blogspot.com/p/summary.html > Galileo Was Wrong is a detailed and comprehensive treatment of the scientific evidence supporting Geocentrism, the academic belief that the Earth is immobile in the center of the universe. Garnering scientific information from physics, astrophysics, astronomy and other sciences, Galileo Was Wrong shows that the debate between Galileo and the Catholic Church was much more than a difference of opinion about the interpretation of Scripture. > Scientific evidence available to us within the last 100 years that was not available during Galileo's confrontation shows that the Church's position on the immobility of the Earth is not only scientifically supportable, but it is the most stable model of the universe and the one which best answers all the evidence we see in the cosmos.

https://infogalactic.com/info/Conclavism idk of what but he didn't seem super healthy honestly to me he had one of the most comprehensive understandings of the problems facing Catholicism today intellectually speaking (although many have no idea and just think he "weirdly tried to elect himself pope"), even though I disagreed with view I can try to answer any questions about his views a couple of his sites (I do not necessarily agree with some parts on them): http://pope-michael.com/ vaticaninexile.com archive snapshots of his site have different content: https://web.archive.org/web/20070205075739/http://www.vaticaninexile.com/ there was a documentary about him but I don't think it really got in to the issues too much and wouldn't recommend it too much: https://yewtu.be/watch?v=b96WxyxPfOY

> The following series of Meditations has been long in high repute in England. They were originally collected, a long time ago, from the best ascetical writers, which were then in existence, and there is hardly a meditation book of those days which our author has not ransacked in order to form his work. p. 17 gives instructions on how to "meditate" or engage in "mental prayer" (a kind of Christian prayer): How To Meditate Or Pray Mentally St. Augustine is quoted as saying that "any one who knows how to pray rightly, knows how to live rightly." Many opinions could be cited of holy and learned writers who attach the greatest importance to mental prayer, and for some persons think it even necessary for salvation. Distant Preparation. 1. Avoid venial sins and be exact in all duties. 2. Practise some self-denial; guard your eyes and tongue. 3. Have a habit of recollection and union with God. 4. Be patient and kind. Near Preparation. 1.Read the subject attentively the evening before, and fix it in the memory. 2. Picture in your imagination some object or scene connected with the subject of meditation. 3. Take a respectful and not too easy posture in meditating. We should try to cometo prayer with a disengaged mind and a tranquil heart. Begin your Mental Prayer by realizing the presence of God, and kiss your crucifix devoutly. Preparatory Prayer: O my God, I offer myself entirely to Thee, and beg of Thee to direct all the powers of my soul to know, honor, love, and serve Thee. Grant, dearest Lord, that I may practise the virtue taught by this meditation. (Recall the picture formed in imagination.) Then carry on a conversation, as it were, with Al- mighty God, while you exercise your memory, understanding, and will (either all together or separately), asking, I. What am I going to think of? (who ? where ? when ? why ?) II. What doctrine or practical truth is to be learned from this ? III. What reasons or motives for it from authority, reason, experience, or from the subject itself ? (Is it becoming ? is it profitable ? is it agreeable ? is it easy? is it necessary ?) IV. How have I done in the past ? (in thought, word, action; towards God, my neighbor, myself ?) V. What must I do in the future? (hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, yearly ?) VI. What obstacles are in my way ? (internal, external ?) VII. What means must I use ? (determine on one or two things, and no more.) Finish your meditation by a most fervent address to God the Father, to Jesus Christ, to God the Holy Ghost; also to the Blessed Virgin, the Angels and Saints. After Meditation, examine yourself as to the prepara- tion for your mental prayer; as to the manner in which you have made the meditation itself (posture, attentionhttps://archive.org/details/MeditationsForEveryDayInTheYear/page/1/mode/2up place, time). If it has succeeded, thank God; if it has not, find out the cause and resolve to do better next time.

> The Feast of the Dormition is preceded by a two-week fast, referred to as the Dormition Fast. From August 1 to August 14 (inclusive) Orthodox and Eastern Catholics fast from red meat, poultry, meat products, dairy products (eggs and milk products), fish, oil, and wine. The Dormition Fast is a stricter fast than either the Nativity Fast (Advent) or the Apostles' Fast, with only wine and oil (but no fish) allowed on weekends.