Note
The app for independent voices
I have never been so busy or tired and I may never write again. And yet…
Everyone interested in Encounter Ministries and other neo-gnostic charismatic movements needs to follow Father Buffer's research.
I don’t want reels. I want this to be a place for people who enjoy reading good writing.
I’ll take the thousand words, not the video that replaces them.
You made it, you own it
You always own your intellectual property, mailing list, and subscriber payments. With full editorial control and no gatekeepers, you can do the work you most believe in.
You don't need to visit every shrine in Europe or master the Catechism. You don't need elaborate prayer routines, Catholic social media validation, or the perfect saint medal collection.
You need the quiet consistency of showing up—at Mass, in Scripture, through service, in silent moments of surrender.
Sanctity isn't found in spiritual achievements. It's discovered in the daily yes.
Great discussions
Join the most interesting and insightful discussions.
The most I can offer this unrepentant monster (my former bishop) is a tepid “May the Lord have mercy on his soul,” and a prayer that I might one day even mean it.
If we truly want to stand up to the world around us. We start by making Christ our top priority. One of the ways is to attend Mass and making sure all who desire to take part are able to.
Grow your publication on Substack
With recommendations, referrals, and a powerful growth network, Substack creators spend less time on marketing and more time on their craft.
Motherhood is hard. Sometimes excruciatingly so. But that’s not a bad thing.
Some splendid finds at Westsiders Rare & Used Books in NYC.
You made it, you own it
You always own your intellectual property, mailing list, and subscriber payments. With full editorial control and no gatekeepers, you can do the work you most believe in.
this joke brought to you by a woman mothering an 8yo who is obsessed with the Titanic
World-class writing
The best stories, ideas, and culture right at your fingertips.
“Young men should adopt Lewis & Tolkien as masculine role models. Scholars, war heroes, feasting on the nectar of ancient poetry in rain-drenched pubs—and both a million times cooler than Andrew Tate.”
On the evening of March 24, 2025, I was honored to take the stage in Christendom College’s Major Speaker Series on the question,
“What is Art, and Why Does It Matter?”
I did not give a lecture that night. Alright, I gave a brief 10-minute lecturette (Okay, a pretty brief 13-minute lecturette, so sue me). It was but an hors d’oeuvre tray in…
Grow your publication on Substack
With recommendations, referrals, and a powerful growth network, Substack creators spend less time on marketing and more time on their craft.
Welcome to the 624th week of Lent.
Wait, no. It’s only the 5th.
Whoa! Not sure what happened, but all of a sudden my book, “My Life with the Jedi,” has shot up to a #1 Best Seller in the Sci Fi/Fantasy Lit Criticism category. Hasn’t been in that slot since it was published well over a year ago! It’s less than $5 on Amazon right now, so maybe pick up a copy for a friend or six?
Grow Your Audience
Marketing isn’t all on your shoulders. More than 50% of all new free subscriptions and 25% of paid subscriptions come from within our network.
A female fencer has refused to compete against a biological man in a tournament at the University of Maryland. She took the knee and laid down her sword. The judges disqualified her. She is a true champion.
You made it, you own it
You always own your intellectual property, mailing list, and subscriber payments. With full editorial control and no gatekeepers, you can do the work you most believe in.
Just a terrific, fair-minded, devastating piece.
The Social Security Administration and DOGE are GASLIGHTING AMERICANS.
They are telling millions of beneficiaries that reports they were closing SSA field offices were fake news.
Actually, these closures were PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED and LEASES WERE CANCELED.
So far as I’ve heard all these closures are the brainchildren of the DOGE bros, not SSA. Just because the confusing twaddle goes out on SSA letterhead and appears to be from SSA didn’t mean it’s true. Looks more to me like in-fighting between staff and the insane lunatic Doggies. Those guys are actually trying to destroy the agency and its programs and leave over70 million elderly and disabled people without income or right. Democrats are not responsible for this! Please stop blaming us.
Related notes
The problem with Social Security isn't "fraud."
The problem with Social Security is that as the rich have gotten richer, more of their income has escaped the cap on the SS payroll tax.
In fact, millionaires stop paying SS taxes today.
We can fix this by scrapping the cap.
You have to hand it to the UK - they got rid of Liz Truss as prime minister for wrecking the economy in less than 2 months. Trump has done the exact same thing and yet he’s still here, like herpes
America has never been subject to this level of authoritarianism, and quite frankly, sheer incompetence.
Out of the ashes, this moment should radicalize us to embark on an era of new reform — of our economy, our democracy, and our commitment to social justice and the law.