Charity above all
According to the Angelic Doctor, charity is “to will the good of another”; “… for God is the principal object of charity, while our neighbor is loved out of charity for God’s sake” (Summa Theologiae, Secunda Secundae, Q 23).
“Catholic doctrine tells us that the primary duty of charity does not lie in the toleration of false ideas, nor in the theoretical or practical indifference towards the errors and vices in which we see our brethren plunged… but in the zeal for their intellectual and moral improvement. Any other kind of love is sheer illusion, sterile and fleeting.”
“If I speak with the tongues of angels; if I should have prophecy and should know all mysteries, and all knowledge, and if I should have all faith, so that I could remove mountains; if I should distribute all my goods to feed the poor, and if I should deliver my body to be burned, but have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.”
Academic standard
We expect all discussions to be conducted with intellectual honor, fortitude, and academic rigor. Define your terms, list your sources. If you do not meet this academic standard, you will receive a warning. While your content will never be removed, if your behavior persists, you will become subject to potential banning from this community. (Reference both the “Rule governing disagreements”, and “Pertinacity”, directly below.)
n.b. — When quoting a source citation in your posts and comments, please try to format that citation by using the blockquote formatting button available inside the text editor. After saving and publishing your post or comment, you will see that the last paragraph of every blockquote is automatically formatted as the source citation; as demonstrated in the citation from St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, directly above.
Rule governing disagreements
Disagreements are inevitable; and we view them as a good thing, so long as they are ordered toward resolution, i.e. the mutual discovery of Truth.
However, we will not tolerate open-ended disagreements that are disparately littered throughout these forums. Toward the end of maintaining the tranquility of order, the moderators of this forum intend to strictly enforce the following rule which governs any and all disagreements that may arise in Catacomb:
Any commenters who may become entangled in a disagreement, in any forum, are bound to extract their dispute into a formal debate thread within the Debates forum. This debate thread can be opened by any one of the disputants; and should open by precisely defining the agreed upon terms of resolution.
If Catacomb moderators are forced to interject themselves to do this on your behalf, and you are found to be a repeat offender in this regard, you should expect to be banned. It is our desire that every member of Catacomb conduct themselves with honor befitting of the title Christian; and this includes having the fortitude to defend your position in a formal context.
Pertinacity
All men and women of goodwill are welcome to participate in the mission of Catacomb, namely to charitably discuss, expound, explicate, and, ultimately, elucidate Roman Catholic Doctrine.
However, a person may be deemed “pertinacious”, and subject to potential banning, if their commenting activity exhibits a discernible pattern of obstinate evasiveness, and/or repetitive “hit-and-run” behavior stylistic of pathological “trolling”.
At our discretion, we may interpret such acts as being done on the part of one not acting in good faith, and who possesses an apparent disregard for the rules of engagement stipulated herein; and in particular, the “Rule governing disagreements”, declared above.
For, according to the Roman Catechism, “A person is not to be called a heretic as soon as he shall have offended in matters of faith; but he is a heretic who maintains impious opinions with pertinacity.” (Roman Catechism, Ninth Article of the Creed.) St. Paul likewise exhorts us: “A man that is a heretic, after the first and second admonition, avoid; knowing that he, that is such an one, is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned by his own judgment.” (Titus 3:10-11.).
Disturbing the peace
Due to the effects of Original Sin, the internet has the peculiar capability of inducing man to tend toward the sinful inclinations of his irascible appetite. For that reason, this warning becomes necessary:
Any member whose manner of conduct is irrationally hostile, combative, confrontational, etc., will be reprimanded, and declared a disturber of the peace; and any subsequent outbursts will result in their prompt and permanent expulsion from Catacomb.
Censorship policy
Any content submitted and/or uploaded to this site will never be censored, redacted, amended, or deleted, in any way whatsoever; with the following exceptions:
- Sinful: Anything posted that is objectively sinful, or an occasion of sin, will be deleted posthaste. An example of sinful content would be vulgar language or artwork.
- Note that while promoting erroneous doctrine is certainly a sinful act, we will never in any way edit or redact any content which we deem to be in error, towards the end of facilitating education and catechesis. However, be aware that there are limits to the leniency extended in this regard: Reference both the “Rule governing disagreements”, and “Pertinacity”, directly above.
- Be advised also that all forms of modern music (be it rock, rap, swing, doo wop, etc.), even if it were to have so-called “Christianized” lyrics, is considered disordered, an occasion of sin, and utterly inappropriate within the context of an academic study of the Sacred Religion.
- Off-topic: As should be self-evident, Catacomb has been established for, and was built and is maintained by, Roman Catholics, i.e. adherents of the One, True Faith, which, among many things, forbids holding communion with manifest heretics, such as the current regime of Episcopal usurpers. Anyone and everyone is welcome to participate, so long as your contributions to our community are relevant to our mission. We don’t need to agree with each other on every point of doctrine, as that is the whole purpose of Catacomb, namely to charitably discuss and elucidate Roman Catholic Doctrine, towards the ultimate end of ousting the usurpers.
- Additionally, every group and discussion forum has a dedicated topic; and that topic is clearly defined by prominent descriptions within each group and forum. Any post in a given group or forum that is not aligned with the declared topic of that group or forum, will be marked as “off-topic”. It will then be your responsibility to migrate your post to the proper area on the site wherein it is better suited. Note that if no such group or forum exists within Catacomb, the content will be subject to removal.
- Kayfabe: Any content posted to this site that promotes the cause of any politician, political candidate, or political party, will be deleted expeditiously, with prejudice. It is an indisputable fact that all politicians and government officials in the formerly Christian world are direct collaborators with the sworn enemies of the Church; and we, as loyal sons and daughters of our Holy Mother Church, will not tolerate the appropriation of our platform as a channel for disseminating the systematically duplicitous misinformation and disinformation of the Synagogue of Satan. The City of God has fallen prey to the wiles of the Kabbalah for far too long; not on our watch.
- Memes: Given that the following description is purely subjective, we will issue only a loosely applicable warning in this regard. Generally speaking, facile and superficial graphics uploaded to this site, that are designed to provoke an emotional, rather than a rational response, are strongly discouraged. Catacomb has been built as a safe harbor, amidst a raging digital storm, for those of us who desire a well-ordered community of like minded intellectuals, with whom we share a devotion to deep, reverent, and meditative study upon the treasure trove of source documents that together comprise Sacred Doctrine. To see Catacomb suffer from the same digital blight that plagues the rest of the internet would bring sorrow to our hearts. Towards the end of guarding against this malevolent affliction known as memes, anyone who posts emotionally provocative graphics that are lacking in substance, should not be surprised if those graphics are removed.
- Promotional: A pattern of activity ordered solely toward the promotion (e.g. linking) of content which exists elsewhere on the web, will be deemed as “promotional” activity. Content creators of all stripes are more than welcome to participate, so long as they use Catacomb as a distribution platform, rather than solely as a promotional platform. All creators are free to upload unlimited text, documents, graphics, and video to our site. All of our members can follow creators to receive updates whenever they post; as well as leave comments and questions regarding the content which the creator posted.
- Spam: Based upon our prudential evaluation, and the context in which it is placed, any content that leads to a sales page or ecommerce site may be deemed as “spam”, and subject to potential removal.
- Also, any content that is bot or “AI” generated will be automatically blocked. We desire Catacomb to be a community of human beings who interact with this site using the two hands which God gave them.
Use your full baptismal name
While not mandatory, we encourage all our members to use their full given baptismal name within our community; in emulation of our sainted and noble forebears, who honorably attached their baptismal name to their activity in the public forum.
Our reasons for this are twofold:
- Ultimate end: The end to which Catacomb is ordered is the re-installation of Catholics to the seats of all Episcopal Sees, including the Apostolic See; all of which are theologically vacant, being physically occupied by malicious, deceitful, traitorous, and cowardly non-Catholic usurpers, who profess Christ with their lips, but their hearts are far from Him (St. Matt. 15:8). This not only is an undertaking which requires supernatural fortitude, it is a message and mission which men will not hear unless they know who is speaking.
- Occasion of sin: It has been our observation that the adoption of an “internet avatar” is frequently an occasion of sin, due to the lack of accountability for one’s actions that may be perceived by operating under cover of a pseudonym. Using one’s baptismal name, therefore, will help to guard against conduct unbecoming of the name Christian.
However, we certainly acknowledge that there are valid reasons to use a pseudonym—taken under prudential judgement—such as if you work in an environment that is hostile to your Catholic Faith. However, this should be viewed as the exception, and not the rule. (Not to mention the fact that, if that is indeed the case, you are duty bound to seek alternative employment, rather than devote your God-given talents in service to His opposition.)
If you are unbaptized, you are more than welcome to join us; but you also are encouraged to use your given birth name within this community, for the same reasons above stated.
Unbaptized catechumens
If you are not yet a baptized Catholic, please inform the site administrator via direct message, so that he can attach the “Catechumen” badge to your profile. This will encourage our Catholic members to pray for your baptism, and your safe initiation into the Fold.
Spiritual Joy
“My friend, through long experience, I know well that there are two types of sorrow, both quite distinct from each other. One form of sorrow is beneficial and healthy and leads the soul to penitence, reformation, and improvement. But the other form is pernicious and harmful, for it leads not to repentance or improvement, but rather only to the dreadful dead end of despair! One form of sorrow, holy sorrow, leads to life, but the other only brings death.
“It is true that there are many difficulties which you must undergo in this life, and many apparent tragedies and misfortunes take place, the reasons for which exceed our current understanding. No one can honestly deny this. But these should be a cause for awe and joyful expectation of what lies in the future, not of despair over the things of the present moment. For did not Christ, who is the Giver of all good gifts and the munificent Bestower of all joys, exhort us thus: ‘When people persecute you and speak all kind of calumny against you, then rejoice and be glad; for, behold, your reward shall be great in heaven!’ (St. Matt. 5:11-12.)
“O Soul, don’t let yourself be saddened by anything in this world, for it is all passing, and shall very soon vanish away like an insubstantial dream, a fleeting vision of the night. Set your heart, rather, on the things which are eternal, and direct your immortal soul to those realities which endure forever. Let your joy be grounded in the golden hope of heaven, and let your only real sadness be in the dread of losing that ineffable delight and glory!”
Sober watchmen
“Be sober and watch: because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, goeth about seeking whom he may devour.”
“Since you are the army of Christ, be overly careful in searching to see if anyone favoring [heresy] has mingled among you, and make his presence known, so that we may free him from his error and ungodliness and make him entirely our own. If you are unwilling to do this, if you know of such a person but conceal him, be sure that both you and he will be subject to the same penalty. For if a man is aware of a criminal’s actions but covers them up and conceals them, he is providing a stronger basis for the criminal to be careless of the law and making him less afraid in his career of crime.”
Changelog
Version 1: Published 28 DEC A.D. 2024.
Version 2: Added section “Disturbing the peace”. Published 16 JAN A.D. 2025.
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