Last week I was in Guadalajara, Mexico discerning Hakuna — a Catholic movement Pope Francis called a “great Eucharistic family.”
I went for a silent retreat with 30 friends from the local chapter. I lived in Guadalajara in 2023, and this group was a godsend as my reversion that started in 2021 accelerated.
Hakuna calls these retreats God Stops. I went to get vocation clarity.
Friday evening through Sunday we stayed at the seminary of the Guadalupe Missionaries. We received a notebook and pen to capture reflections. Silence started Friday 8:30 PM after dinner.
I was nervous and excited going into my first silent retreat. I wasn’t expecting to write much — “I’ll remember what I need to.” And the stuff I don’t, the Lord will present to me again later.
But this time I surprised myself. In 48 hours I wrote down two reflections.
One was a random insight about Christian Bitcoiners calling “Bitcoin a gift from God.” I wrote in black pen:
Every thing is a gift from God. But this is an extra extra gift. Todas las cosas son regalos de Dios. Pero este es un regalo extra.
The other insight was how I worry during Spanish conversation (my first second language) even with friends. I should accept I’m not good at Spanish and the awkwardness that comes with it.
Only two reflections.
I’ve been praying about vocation a lot. I was hoping I would get insights on it.
Since I reverted priesthood became an option. But prayer and spiritual direction over the past six months suggests marriage, despite the occasional parishioner saying, “I think this guy’s going to be a priest!”
I trust He’ll provide a partner at the right time. But what does the Lord want me to do with the hours of my day?
When you’re in Bitcoin long enough you ponder this question without worrying about food and shelter for your future family. Your savings will hold their value so there’s less of an immediate needs threat while discerning His will.
We had Mass at 9 PM Friday night. I was taking the silent retreat strictly but it turns out that we speak during Mass. And with Hakuna’s liturgy, we SING. After, silence began again with a Holy Hour.
Some stayed later, then returned to twin bed rooms with a desk, closet, and bathroom. There were no locks on the doors. Men on one floor, women on another. It was low 30s Celsius and fresh outside, and warmer in the rooms. A cool shower was perfect in the heat.
The weekend:
One Mass a day.
Three Holy Hours, one morning, one afternoon, one evening.
Lots of songs.
Whispering here and there.
A secret St. Therese-inspired outdoor Mass that we can’t talk about until the other Hakuna Mexico groups host their retreats.
At night… Saturday night. We broke silence for a party. Though normally there would be cervezas, the seminary did not allow alcohol so we sang and danced and ate and chat.
Sunday silence again until 3 PM.
I hoped I would have clarity on vocation at this point. On the “never say never” priesthood wildcard. Becoming a Pringado — the term for committing yourself to the Hakuna charism. If I should quit my data analyst coaching business.
But nothing.
However, I did feel the Lord working in my heart.
That Sunday night my Canadian friend and I went to our Airbnb in Chapalita, an affluent neighborhood in Guadalajara. We walked to tacos with our Airbnb hosts and found retreat friends at the same taqueria!
Monday through Friday we lived what it would be like living the Hakuna charism in your hometown.
Monday chill night at home
Tuesday night dinner with friends (going away party)
Wednesday night Holy Hour, then tacos
Thursday evening dinner with my friend’s parents, then cafe with friends (birthday)
Friday afternoon coffee with an alejado — the Spanish term for an individual outside of the Church that Hakuna so often evangelizes
Each day I woke up and felt sad. Or confused. I wrote this in my notes app Wednesday morning.
I miss this already
What is this?
Leaving HKN charisma, friends, love of Christ in friends, potential relationships in same charisma, Spanish challenge
Saturday, June 1 flight home to Toronto I sang and smiled through hours of Hakuna Group Music albums I have downloaded on Spotify. I definitely missed my friends at this point. I felt sick. I haven’t felt these emotions since I started practicing again.
Our plane landed in Toronto. The trip was over. It dawned on me that I could seek clarification. Then, I spotted a sign—a literal one that I'll keep private.
Knowing your charism can radically change your life, they say.
I get it now. Maybe what I was feeling those mornings was love.
But in the Hakuna charism though there’s still so much you can do. Again, how does the Lord want me to use the hours of His day?
Translated snippets from "Discovering a Charism" (Jose Pedro Manglano)
Monday, June 3rd the Lord sent another gift of clarity. The seed of it is in the post-it insights I’ve transcribed below, and I’ll write more about it later.
Funny, now I’ve got a million reflections.
God Bless, thank you for your prayers, and see you soon.
Post-it notes transcribed after the break
What is charism?
I found this PDF from Sr. Annie Klapheke useful. Here’s a snippet:
Charism may also be described as the spirit of the community. Like the strong, driving wind in the Pentecost story, it is a powerful energy that permeates through the community members and the way in which they do their ministries. It does not define what they do, rather it defines why and how they do it. So, how does a community name or articulate its charism? Charisms are partially defined by the founding of the community, but also the on-going deep story of community – how the charism plays out through time, in particular places and circumstances, is also an important part of defining the charism. The charism helps guide how the community responds to the ‘signs of the times’.
So I speculated on hot industry (data science) and added hard to learn labor for product businesses Then used that wealth to seed my pure speculation business since 2020 Let’s get serious about this vocation? The Lord through Mary pointing me in this direction? Be responsible with niche study and skill development for this?
Tue Jun 4
Cara de resucitados. BTCs that read Rand don’t have it. Hakuneros that dgaf about money have it. I’ve learned more from them. Coiners that have cara is ultimate. 100+ years from now both will be default + glorious.
I bought 3 MSTR shares yesterday. [1665.77 screenshot]
Wise since grade 9 [photo - Mrs. Moro letter]. I’ve done nothing…little for this. I will be rich one day because God gave me this. WTF can’t I not do. It’s not me. I must give it away. He gave it to me…
These are all the thoughts I had yesterday. [photo] transcribe Really discern if wise to tweet these
Murray Rothbard was hanging out with Jesuit priests. Dude, by the Grace of God, was eventually Catholic. [unreadable scribble] Catholic [unreadable scribble] again.
I started auto tithing w/ 2 pm set BTC transaction It feels way more heavenly. Not playing w/ Caesar money in Mass.
Wed Jun 5
Bitcoin is moral money
OG religion is RC OG coin is BTC Gorilla brain say BTCers gonna become RC
Bitcoiners are eventually Catholic
What is the most important thing in the world I could be working on? =================== Set portfolio + study Stewards of Sats Hakuna → Spanish Singing Guitar Study
Speculation is bringing Something from past/now into Here … if it pays a lot to do that if won’t, be def’n, be easy to changes people’s minds. So I set here + talk
Fullest from of truth? Christ. BTC leads ppl to truth.. Y’all no coiner atheist agnostics gonna become Christian w/ hyperbitcoinization.
Thought that comes in my head? tweet it how can I be more honest?
Slow down listen to God revelation was bunion blister Next day so slow Remember this What does He want now
Thu Jun 6
My local bakery has gift cards for $100 one transaction load, 2.5% off. They’re local superstar store, dominating fresh baked goods over big chain stores on quality and price since like 30 years ago. It’s like BTC lightning channels to just minimizing transactions. You’re just going boom boom boom boom boom. Deposit then I trust you
All Bitcoiners talk about is truth love hope Bro that’s insanely Catholic See you at Mass
Truth is very much like food. We need it. Without it, we cannot grow, or even survive, as human beings and as a human community. We are made for the truth, to always receive more of it, to contemplate it, to find our fulfillment in it. And this is easy to understand when we realize that God not only gives us truth, as one of his greatest gifts, but he is truth. “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (Jn 14:6). And that truth leads to another great gift and human need: freedom. “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (Jn 8:31). https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/love-means-not-withholding-the-truth That’s why you listen to a course on Austrian Econ and you’re like starving for economic truth and it feels like damn, this is food
If my vocation is to bring assets from the past in the now into the future to just simply hold so you can have something you don’t know that you need in the future and just wait and battle my emotions. Battle the doubt. Battle feeling crazy. The volatility. Withstanding all that, well then with all that waiting interior battle, my vocation must benefit to just pray to intercede. Wait, patience, exercising, patience. Studying. Watching both market and Faith theology. And if I’m doing a good job with my vocation I will be paid handsomely (good speculation is most rewarded kind of economic work) and I must then give that back
Future is gonna be like that robot laser cutting Renaissance art architecture. HD video game perfectly cut not corrodible Renaissance art. Gonna be whoa is that real double take video game real and beautiful
Barron quote Aquinas solved far more intellectual problems through prayer than through thought. 824 into podcast
Podiatrists are just high ticket coaches without email lists. Lol. Well some do, but I find via Maps
Some of this s*** I write down. I’ll look back on it. It’s like man I was so stupid but and it’s embarrassing but you know what some people are there too and it helps you. So go for it and look at my stupidity. I need humbleness. Pray for me to realize I am stupid now too
