Why?  Because we’re Traditional Catholics trying to transition to a lifestyle of greater self-sufficiency of course… the name says it all!  Yes we’re Catholic homesteaders!   I searched the web high and low and just couldn’t find a site that brings all of the pieces (as I see them at this time) together to create a complete picture of how we are supposed to live and serve in this life.  My hope is that this site will foster a community of like minded individuals on a similar path so we can help each other along through this journey.

Personally, I’ve always felt a strong bond with the land and working in the soil, and it wasn’t really until I stumbled onto the idea of permaculture that a focused picture of the way forward began to become clear.  Suddenly there was a framework in place to reap the truly abundant systems that God set in motion for us to harvest.  I am now a firm believer that the way forward for me and my family will involve permaculture techniques.  The simplicity, sustainability, and logic of it all just lit a fire in me that I can not ignore.  The ideas, techniques, and methodology just makes sense to me.  Permaculture is a design science grounded in ethics that are intended to form a framework for decision making (similar to the ethical restraints in medical science).  The ethics are what helps to make permaculture a universal solution to the vast majority of this planet’s degradation.  The ethics are also the source of quite a bit of controversy and fodder for another post where I will explain how I managed to make sense of them, and demonstrate how the ethics mesh quite well with Traditional Catholic teaching.

I’ll be the first to admit that my prayer life isn’t really as strong as it should be at times, but I will share with you something that I feel has helped immensely in my spiritual growth and discernment:  At least once a day I pray to the Holy Ghost to grant me the wisdom to recognize God’s will in my life and the courage to submit to His will.   I believe it is through these prayers God has lead me on the path that I am currently struggling through.  I embrace the struggle for the suffering and the strength that it brings, and am eternally grateful for the courage and wisdom He has granted me.  For me there is only one answer to the question why… Truth.  You just can’t deny it and struggle as you might there is no way to defy it.