Catholic Prepping: Should You Do It?

The best financial brief I ever sat through was mere days before my second deployment.  The Major conducting the brief summed up the US societal attitude towards economy very succinctly: “You either believe in the economy, or you don’t.  If you do, you invest into it, buying stocks, CD’s, loans, etc.  If you don’t, well then you’re a prepper, and you spend your time and money preparing for what you think is the inevitable fall of the economy”.  As far as gross oversimplifications go, this one seems pretty right on the money, though practical application of this summation reveals that most people are not so much one or the other as much as to what degree of both are they.  Like many conservatives, I find myself with a healthy dose of both.  I firmly believe the economy will fail, just not yet.  I am a prepper, but I’m not expecting to retreat to the hills anytime soon - and maybe I’m only prepping for my children’s sake.  In a post-Covid world, I would be surprised if most of society does not embrace at least some of the prepping mindset, and I would encourage all to at least consider it.  This being said, there are a few things to keep in mind so that you don’t go overboard and can engage in prepping with a specifically Catholic mindset.

In yesterday’s article I reminded readers to always act with the end in mind.  If you didn’t read it, I highly encourage you to look at it, found here: https://www.catholic365.com/article/38989/firearms-and-catholics-why-would-you-want-one.html

What I wrote yesterday applies here as well.  There are so many products on the market, you will easily fall into the rabbit hole of bankruptcy by purchasing things you do not have a clear use for, or practically speaking will never have a use for.  Most of the time, the useless things fall into the category of tactical gear.  I’m sorry, but if you have some idea that your holding will become a stronghold where you will engage in government agencies from 150+ meters away, wearing your battle gear and surviving rounds you take, thanks to your plate carrier and plates, let me ASSURE you of your error.  Not happening.  Look at what happened during Covid, and the political landscape afterwards as a guideline of probability: your legitimate use for tactical gear is against civilians, not the Feds, and civilians are usually mobs in this case.  If the Feds want your stuff, they are going to take it, and you won’t even know in time to don all that gear - unless you happen to work for the intelligence community, in which case you’re probably safe anyhow.  I’m not saying don’t buy tactical gear - I’m saying buy the tactical gear you need, or have reasonable expectation of needing.  Begin with the end in mind.

Once you are convinced of the legitimacy of the gear/supplies you do purchase, carry the logic of the end in mind to its conclusion: only get as much as you need.  Remember that scene from the Office where Dwight is eating his rations to rotate stock?  Shelf life is a real thing.  To stockpile more than your share is to hoard inordinately; to neglect to rotate is to waste.  Both are sinful, expensive, and tedious.  Unless you have a bunker somewhere, you’re probably looking at a 72 hour bag and an escape plan - not a 3 month survival situation.  Again, YOU know your situation and your plan: just make sure you know it, and you are a good steward of the gifts God has allowed you to stockpile.

Finally, don’t become so obsessed with prepping that you lose sight of the real life happening around you at this moment.  God is actual, and sees every moment as a now; the only way you can encounter Him is to live now - even if you have a mind for tomorrow.  Your attempts at providing for your family in the event of disaster have to take second place to encountering and providing for your family where they are right now.  Compromise might be required: you may have to feel a little less prepared than you like if that means spending time with your family, or keeping your supplies low enough that your spouse doesn’t suspect you of secret knowledge that society is on the brink of immanent collapse.  Ultimately, your job is to arrive in Heaven with your spouse: don’t invite chaos and despair because you have been inspired to prepping by watching the news.

My wife and I approach disaster as polar opposites.  By her own description, I retreat to my extensive prepping as a survivalist, equipped to weather the storm.  She, on the other hand, goes directly towards the disaster in hopes of being one of the very first casualties so that she doesn’t have to deal with all the horrific aftermath of the situation.  We balance each other out.  I let her know when she’s too resigned and bring her a sense of resilient situation survival; she soundly lets me know I’ve gone off the deep end in trying to stockpile in preparations beyond the morally reasonable scope.  She gave me a hint once: I know I’ve gone too far when I find myself on the phone with her trying to convince her to sign off on a 20K dollar custom concrete bunker purchase (yeah, I found myself there once).  But that’s part of the job of spouses: to watch each other’s backs and maintain the mean between the extremes in pursuit of virtue.  Virtuous prepping involves being very clear what the appropriate (and successful) response to disaster is, being a good steward of that which you have gathered, and remembering the people who you will be prepping with and for.  And remember: your life’s goal is Heaven, not the successful survival to see the re-founding of the country in the wake of societal collapse.