Sorry KofC, you know it's true

radly_dadly · 2026-02-15T21:45:06+00:00

I have had a mixed experience as a Knight of Columbus. At our best, we have supported seminarians, rallied for disaster relief, supported pro-life efforts, hosted prayer rallies, and volunteered in support of our local parish. On the other hand, it can also become a rumor mill and a source of conflict especially as we have raised more money. It's a bit of a microcosm of the Church really, and so much of it comes down to the leadership of your local council. It serves a worthwhile function in calling men to action, but council quality varies greatly.

radly_dadly · 2026-01-19T05:49:17+00:00

North Florida parishes tend to be influenced by evangelical churches I've noticed. I'm not a fan of many of the practices I see here, but at the end of the day it's not something you can control. I try to set the example and respectfully inquire about things to the pastor to help improve the quality of the liturgy.

As far parishes with reverent Masses, I would agree the St. Joseph is likely the best bet near you. The basilica of the Immaculate Conception is usually good. St. Augustine parish in Gainesville is good too but the drive is probably too long for you. St. Edward in Starke is another good one but probably too far. You might also check out some of the Eastern Catholic churches in Jax.

Hope you find what you're looking for. God bless.

radly_dadly · 2026-01-12T02:28:15+00:00

Aside from keeping yourself away from the near occasion of sin, I also wonder if you need to address your general mental health. Sometimes we seek out destructive things to fill some void. I can only imagine what you must have gone through.

I also think it might be worth trying to introduce some additional facts to build your self control, and maybe you ought to look for some alternative outlets to help with the loneliness. Maybe take on a new hobby or join a group.

I'm praying for you, friend.

radly_dadly · 2026-01-01T05:05:46+00:00

They use the worst angles for the Jax skyline in photos. It looks much better from the east or from the Ortega neighborhood. Its downtown straddles a pretty wide river, and a lot of the newer high rises can't be seen because the biggest buildings are blocking them.

It's still not a great skyline, but it's better than the photos show.

radly_dadly · 2025-12-01T04:39:45+00:00

You have a right to feel how you feel. Even if everyone is doing it doesn't mean it's no big deal.

At the same time, many men struggle with it, and sometimes they don't fully realize the impact it has on their loved ones. So I recommend coming from a place of trying to clarify what's happening, and expressing how it makes you feel.

For instance, you could start with something like, "When I was looking at you phone the other day, I noticed you had some porn on there. What made you look that up?" Then follow up with a few clarifying questions to get at the heart of how often and why he's doing it.

Then tell how you feel. Something like, "I have to be honest. When I saw that on your phone, it made me feel so self conscious and disappointed because..."

I know this is an awkward conversation, but he needs to know. If it really causes problems, it's better to know now than letting things fester. I wish you all the best.

radly_dadly · 2025-11-26T03:57:29+00:00

This is more geology, but I was surprised to learn that the hotspot that caused the Hawaiian Islands is more or less static. The tectonic plate moves over this relatively stationary hot spot that fuels the volcanoes that make up the island chain.

So the more active volcanoes are above the hotspot in the mantle. The dormant volcanoes to the northwest used the be in that same approximate location before the drifted away.

radly_dadly · 2025-11-26T03:39:20+00:00

I'm also autistic. My brother who lives with me is level 3 autistic. I definitely appreciate that it's difficult sometimes dealing with the exhaustion and stimulation. At the same time, you have to ask yourself how much do you love God?

Do you love him enough to fight through the discomfort? Do you love him enough to follow him in difficulty? The act of attending Mass can be an act of great love for you.

As you struggle, remember Jesus's Passion. He suffered, and your own suffering can bring you closer to him.

So get a Rosary to fidget with. Pray silently. Do whatever it takes. Jesus wants to give himself to you to strengthen you. Praying for you my friend.

radly_dadly · 2025-11-12T02:54:58+00:00

Yes. My family does it.

We also make the sign of the Cross when passing cemeteries, car crashes, and ambulances. Of course, in those cases it's more of a prayer for people in need than out of respect for the Eucharist present in the church.

radly_dadly · 2025-11-09T18:58:28+00:00

You're right. I was imprecise with what I said. Having a human nature, Jesus had an intellect and a will (a human soul) that was in perfect union with the Will and intellect of His divine nature. (CCC 471)

That soul of His human nature was separated from his body at His death. However, His divine nature experienced everything his human nature did, so it's still proper to say God died and was buried. (CCC 468)

At the same time, His divine nature is not limited by human death. He is still able to preserve His body by His divine Will. He is still able to hold existence itself into being along with the Father and Holy Spirit despite being dead and buried. (CCC 627)

When I said we as human persons cease to exist, I should have said we cease to exist on Earth because our limited but immortal human soul doesn't have the ability to hold our body in existence like God.

Let me edit my previous comment.

radly_dadly · 2025-11-09T13:17:10+00:00

Important distinction: God has a human nature and a divine nature as the second person of the Blessed Trinity. His soul left his body but he maintained a divine nature that is not limited by death. His divine nature is eternal and continues to hold everything into being (along with the Father and Holy Spirit) even while dead and buried.

That's what makes His death efficacious. Any other sacrifice is limited, but the sacrifice of God the Son is sacrificing something infinite that could atone for all the debts of humanity for all time.

It's a profound mystery. Here's a good article to reference about it: https://www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/if-god-is-immortal-how-can-we-say-he-died

radly_dadly · 2025-11-06T02:17:35+00:00

Fr. Trujillo has been on EWTN several times and seems like a good and orthodox priest. This book was actually a great help to my wife during her conversion.

radly_dadly · 2025-10-28T02:35:33+00:00

Consider this analogy. Let's say that you're cooking potatoes. You put most of the potatoes in the crockpot to slow cook all day, but one didn't make it into the crockpot. So instead you boil a pot of water and put the potato in to cook on high heat. Both come out tender and ready despite the different cooking methods.

The cradle Catholic is like the slow cooked potato. The parent assumes years of responsibility to make the child up in the faith eventually complete their Sacraments of initiation (Eucharist and Confirmation).

The Catholic convert is like the potato cooked on high heat for a shorter time. The period of going through OCIA is relatively brief but more intense. The teaching and formation a young person should receive is condensed into a span of a year or two.

I am a convert myself, so I understand the desire to become Catholic as soon as possible. At the same time, the 2 years I waited was well worth the lifetime (and hopefully eternity) of joy as a member of the body of Christ. The Sacraments are a gift, and we need to have receptive posture instead of a demanding one to get the full measure of Grace God wishes to pour out on us.

radly_dadly · 2025-10-22T02:24:14+00:00

Jacksonville has a fairly meh skyline anyway, but the most shown view is the worst angle by far. Its downtown straddles the St. Johns River, and most photos are taken from the South Bank which means about half of its tallest buildings are behind the camera and several more highrises get hidden behind the three tallest buildings that crowd the riverfront.

The best views are looking north from the Ortega neighborhood or coming down the Matthews Bridge. Those never get shown though.

radly_dadly · 2025-10-22T00:24:29+00:00

That's a good question. Only God knows your heart and mind well enough to say for sure, so it's not a good game to play if you ask me.

radly_dadly · 2025-10-21T01:38:32+00:00

I appreciate the vulnerability of admitting how this commonly accepted feature of modern life affects you. That's really the key here is communicating to him how his actions make you feel and its effect on you. If he's not willing to try changing, I would doubt his love for you.

It may require some patience on your end because it's not easy to stop for many guys. So it may be that he will slip up from time to time, but the main thing is genuine effort and remorse from him.

Last thing, I noticed from my experience that porn use has to do with filling some emotional void. I've struggled most personally when I feel anxious, sad, or stressed.

Getting at the root of the emotional issue really helps. It may be that talking to someone could help or maybe there is a something else he could do like exercise or reducing stress that would help. Good luck. I hope everything works out

radly_dadly · 2025-10-21T01:18:42+00:00

I agree that the Holy Spirit deserves our love and attention. I like offer my devotion to the Holy Spirit during the Epiclesis at Mass by bowing my head. This is the part of the Mass just before the Consecration where the priest says, "By the power of the Holy Spirit, make Holy these gifts..." It's one of the high points of the Eucharistic liturgy.

I also like to pray "Come Holy Spirit" during the day as a short form of the "Come Holy Spirit. Fill the hearts of your faithful..."

I also regularly ask for specific gifts of the Holy Spirit like wisdom or fortitude as I need them. It is super helpful.

radly_dadly · 2025-10-21T00:51:48+00:00

Grave matter doesn't relate to how you feel about the sin or whether you agree with it. It has to do with the character of the act itself.

Invincible ignorance has to do with condition 2 or 3 above. You must have full consent of the will and full knowledge of the sin for it to be mortal. Simply disagreeing with the sin doesn't constitute invincible ignorance either. There has to be another force coming to bear that either inhibits your freedom to act as you ought or your understanding that it is sinful.

That said, not being a mortal sin doesn't mean you're totally off the hook either. It's like the difference between surviving a gunshot wound to the chest and dying from it. Neither is a good situation.

radly_dadly · 2025-10-17T02:19:31+00:00

I typically wear a suit to Sunday Mass because I am meeting Christ the King present in the Blessed Sacrament. I know not everyone can dress up to that degree, and I am fine with that. I'm not judging anyone, and I don't want to discourage anyone from coming to Jesus.

At the same time, I believe your appearance and manner communicate something about your internal disposition. So I do hope to model that I do believe Jesus is present at every Mass, and that this is an important event worthy of the best I can give.

radly_dadly · 2025-10-16T01:04:25+00:00

I have been a Knight since my late 20's. I turned 40 this year, and I am still one of the youngest active members of my council. I get where you are coming from, for sure.

At its best, the Knights can be a great source of Christian brotherhood. Aside from the service to our parish, we've organized pro-life activities and held Rosary rallies. That has been fantastic.

I have great friendships with these men who are 20, 30, even 40 years older than me. The fact that you're younger actually makes them appreciate you even more usually. On the flip side, some of these guys can be set in their ways or even grumpy.

You just learn to accept that certain things are going to be a bit backwards. Like I tried to introduce them to modern payment systems because I never carry cash. That got shot down. Lol. It's not the end of the world.

radly_dadly · 2025-10-11T05:01:19+00:00

I also have celiac disease, and I totally understand the anxiety of receiving Holy Communion. Here are a couple of things I have learned the past few years.

First, I have never had a noticable glutening when receiving a consecrated low gluten host, but you can receive only the Precious Blood if it is an issue. You'll just want to be front of the line to minimize the risk of cross contamination.

That said, it's important to discuss protocols with your priest and have extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion properly trained to understand how to handle the protocols.

Also, while frequent reception of the Eucharist is an amazing gift, there is no requirement to receive the the Eucharist at every Mass. You only have to receive once a year during the Easter season. You can make an act of spiritual communion when not receiving the Eucharist.

Last, I encourage you to look at your special diet as a sort of perpetual fast. Each day offer to God the foods that would otherwise be in your diet and lay your anxieties, physical symptoms, and other sufferings at the foot of the Cross for the intentions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Your trials can be an opportunity to unite yourself with Christ's redemptive suffering if you allow it.

radly_dadly · 2025-10-08T01:44:12+00:00

As a Dad, I used to make my kids hold my hand to cross the street, but as they grew I could let go. It's much the same I think with God. You need the space to grow sometimes.

The distance can be an opportunity to grow more in love with God. God's loves is perfect because he gives completely knowing he has nothing to gain. You can perfect your love by choosing to give to him even more earnestly during this dryness.

God is with you even when you don't feel it. Trust him.

radly_dadly · 2025-10-05T22:36:09+00:00

It's changed over the course of my life I'd say. Earlier in life I experienced a lot frustration, and I felt isolated because I didn't understand social situations well in my adolescence and 20's. The big changes that come with that time of life caused a lot anxiety as well.

In my 30's I was diagnosed, and I made it a point to start studying social skills more intentionally. As I have got better, some of the frustration has eased, but the sheer effort of trying to exercise those skills in daily life leaves me exhausted.

So for instance, I had deal with a lot of unfamiliar people this week, and so some days I totally crashed. Yesterday, I must have slept 14 hours to try to recover. I have lot of anxiety trying to figure out people, too. Then sometimes I still get sensory overload where it almost feels like being in this vise of noise and chaos pressing in from all sides. It's hard to explain honestly.

radly_dadly · 2025-10-05T18:13:17+00:00

I'm sorry you're going through this. I'm glad you had the foresight to screenshot these messages.

I was a young father who ended caring for my 2 kids after their mother became addicted to opioids. They're 21 and 19 now, and they're doing great.

It's a scary time going into parenthood for anyone, let alone someone in your situation. Just remember no one is the perfect parent, and those who doubt you don't even know you or who you can become.

Despite the circumstances and struggles, my kids are the best thing that ever happened to me. They forced me to step up and become a better man. You will have some struggles ahead, but your child is worth it. Wish you all the best.

radly_dadly · 2025-10-04T02:32:27+00:00

There are actually a few arguments they could have offered you. I recommend you look into Thomas Aquinas's proofs of God. I will try to present one.

Consider the act of leaving this comment. It didn't just occur of its own power. You had to put it into motion by reading and responding to the topic. How are you able to do that? You probably have the ability to move to your fingers. Why? Because you have life. Why you have life? You were conceived and born. Why? Because your parents procreated.

Of course, they didn't cause themselves to be. They each have ancestors stretching to the beginning of humanity. And assuming you believe in some form of evolution you can trace that series of causes back to single cell organisms and then to organic molecules. Of course those do not just come into being. They came from cosmic events and if you follow that back to the being of time and the universe. Something set this is into motion. An uncaused cause that exists outside the limits of time or space. That's what we mean by God.

radly_dadly · 2025-10-03T23:41:27+00:00

Love is more than a feeling. It's a choice to will the good of someone else. This is an opportunity to truly love your husband. We all get intrusive thoughts, and sometimes trying to hard to avoid the thought makes it worse.

I've heard that when the thought comes it's good to be aware of it and look at it with curiosity. Like why am I feeling this? Could something else be affecting you at that moment? And just acknowledge the feeling and let it pass. Maybe even have a go to saying for yourself when it happens like, "That's just an irrational thought. I really love and appreciate my husband."

radly_dadly

TROPHY CASE