I'm not jumping to conclusions, but I am concerned about what Pelican + will mean for accessing content above and beyond what we already pay in subscriptions. You know what they say about good intentions.... I already see trouble brewing on Substack where there is a lot of pushback about changes to the Substack place (roughly equivalent to X or FB). Will we have to pay for Pelican + on top of subscribing, is what I'm asking.
I had a similar reaction to the news, but the line-up looks solid. I probably can't subscribe to both, so my question for DrK is: do you envisage your content on Pelican to mirror your substack content?
Yes, in fact they will be identical for a time, i.e., everything that goes up here will go up there. Over there, I'll do some more stuff (like podcasts). Don't worry, all questions will be answered in due course!
I don't really know what you mean by that question.
It's a platform shared by co-founders: me, Timothy Flanders, Kennedy Hall, Nicholas Cavazos, Edward Schaefer, and Dan Sevigny, possibly others as well. We will all keep doing just what we're doing now.
Anyone who wants to read my work at Pelican+ will pay THE SAME as he or she paid here on Substack - except getting 10 times the value for money because of everyone else involved there. So, no additional charge for you as a reader.
And there will still be free content, just as is currently the case.
Peter, I am confused. As a paid subscriber to Tradition and Sanity I know that 100% of my sub supports your work which I am keen to do. Is Pelican+ going to replace Tradition and Sanity eventually and if so, then not all my sub will support your work as it will be spread to others.
An addition concerning the pelican symbolism is that is can be found not only in churches and manuscripts but on the crown of kings.
The idea was pretty powerful: a king was supposed to rule not just with power, but with sacrificial care for his people. So by placing the pelican on the crown, it reminded everyone that the ruler’s authority was tied to self-giving love.
The king, like the pelican, was meant to be willing to give of himself for the life and well-being of his realm.
So in that sense the pelican became more than a “religious” symbol. It was political too. It shaped how kings wanted to be seen. Basically as images or servants of Christ. Not only as sovereigns holding power from God, but as fathers of their people, bound to them through sacrifice.
I thank God daily that we have a true Tridentine Rite of the Mass within 2 hours of us so we can attend a Mass at all as we cannot attend the abomination of the novus ordo ape of the church which is nothing less than heretical.
Regarding the ongoing crackdown on the TLM in Austin and other places, what is your opinion? Are these bishops: A. basically daring Leo to step in, thumbing their noses at him, showing that the "spirit of Vatican II" is permanent? OR, B. doing this because they know he is on their side liturgically and are fully empowered to stamp out the TLM altogether?
This is the question on everyone's minds. From what I can tell, Leo is a very hands-off person; he does not want to be stirring the pot all the time, interfering, creating havoc the way Francis did. He's content to let people alone (maybe he's even somewhat afraid to intervene). The fact that he meets with everyone, including Burke, Sarah, and Pozzo - all well known for their TLM advocacy - shows that he is not an ideologue against it. The allowance of the big pontifical Mass in St. Peter's basilica (of all places) is quite an important sign in this regard.
This is what Nicholas Cavazos wrote on his FB page:
ATTENTION!
Traditional Catholics in Austin and Dripping Springs, with our New Bishop likely going to cancel the TLM at St. Martin's, we need to look for realistic options for the future.
In October of 2026, the SSPX is opening a new Church near us! Below is a photo of what the New SSPX Church in Schertz, Texas, will look like. It will have a beautiful hand-carved High Altar from Ecuador, two beautiful side altars, and a beautiful staircase pulpit. It will have old school wooden confessionals, beautiful stained glass, and seat 450 people. It will have a large 100-person choir loft. It will also have a large parish hall. In the future, the SSPX will make this a priory where daily mass will be said, as well as a full traditional Catholic school with many priests and sisters. I was told that this parish is number 9 on the list for places to be made a priory; however, I think that it is now closer, considering that the SSPX just put a priory in Louisiana.
I would encourage you all to consider going and donating to the cause. This would finally be a permanent home for the TLM in Central Texas. TLM exclusive, solid preaching and catechesis, great moral advice in the confessional.
I'm not jumping to conclusions, but I am concerned about what Pelican + will mean for accessing content above and beyond what we already pay in subscriptions. You know what they say about good intentions.... I already see trouble brewing on Substack where there is a lot of pushback about changes to the Substack place (roughly equivalent to X or FB). Will we have to pay for Pelican + on top of subscribing, is what I'm asking.
I had a similar reaction to the news, but the line-up looks solid. I probably can't subscribe to both, so my question for DrK is: do you envisage your content on Pelican to mirror your substack content?
Yes, in fact they will be identical for a time, i.e., everything that goes up here will go up there. Over there, I'll do some more stuff (like podcasts). Don't worry, all questions will be answered in due course!
I'm curious: who will be the gatekeepers?
I don't really know what you mean by that question.
It's a platform shared by co-founders: me, Timothy Flanders, Kennedy Hall, Nicholas Cavazos, Edward Schaefer, and Dan Sevigny, possibly others as well. We will all keep doing just what we're doing now.
Anyone who wants to read my work at Pelican+ will pay THE SAME as he or she paid here on Substack - except getting 10 times the value for money because of everyone else involved there. So, no additional charge for you as a reader.
And there will still be free content, just as is currently the case.
Peter, I am confused. As a paid subscriber to Tradition and Sanity I know that 100% of my sub supports your work which I am keen to do. Is Pelican+ going to replace Tradition and Sanity eventually and if so, then not all my sub will support your work as it will be spread to others.
An addition concerning the pelican symbolism is that is can be found not only in churches and manuscripts but on the crown of kings.
The idea was pretty powerful: a king was supposed to rule not just with power, but with sacrificial care for his people. So by placing the pelican on the crown, it reminded everyone that the ruler’s authority was tied to self-giving love.
The king, like the pelican, was meant to be willing to give of himself for the life and well-being of his realm.
So in that sense the pelican became more than a “religious” symbol. It was political too. It shaped how kings wanted to be seen. Basically as images or servants of Christ. Not only as sovereigns holding power from God, but as fathers of their people, bound to them through sacrifice.
A whole new idea about rulership.
I thank God daily that we have a true Tridentine Rite of the Mass within 2 hours of us so we can attend a Mass at all as we cannot attend the abomination of the novus ordo ape of the church which is nothing less than heretical.
Regarding the ongoing crackdown on the TLM in Austin and other places, what is your opinion? Are these bishops: A. basically daring Leo to step in, thumbing their noses at him, showing that the "spirit of Vatican II" is permanent? OR, B. doing this because they know he is on their side liturgically and are fully empowered to stamp out the TLM altogether?
This is the question on everyone's minds. From what I can tell, Leo is a very hands-off person; he does not want to be stirring the pot all the time, interfering, creating havoc the way Francis did. He's content to let people alone (maybe he's even somewhat afraid to intervene). The fact that he meets with everyone, including Burke, Sarah, and Pozzo - all well known for their TLM advocacy - shows that he is not an ideologue against it. The allowance of the big pontifical Mass in St. Peter's basilica (of all places) is quite an important sign in this regard.
What church is the SSPX building in Austin?
This is what Nicholas Cavazos wrote on his FB page:
ATTENTION!
Traditional Catholics in Austin and Dripping Springs, with our New Bishop likely going to cancel the TLM at St. Martin's, we need to look for realistic options for the future.
In October of 2026, the SSPX is opening a new Church near us! Below is a photo of what the New SSPX Church in Schertz, Texas, will look like. It will have a beautiful hand-carved High Altar from Ecuador, two beautiful side altars, and a beautiful staircase pulpit. It will have old school wooden confessionals, beautiful stained glass, and seat 450 people. It will have a large 100-person choir loft. It will also have a large parish hall. In the future, the SSPX will make this a priory where daily mass will be said, as well as a full traditional Catholic school with many priests and sisters. I was told that this parish is number 9 on the list for places to be made a priory; however, I think that it is now closer, considering that the SSPX just put a priory in Louisiana.
I would encourage you all to consider going and donating to the cause. This would finally be a permanent home for the TLM in Central Texas. TLM exclusive, solid preaching and catechesis, great moral advice in the confessional.
There's an informational meeting on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOpf4rpOxvo
Thank you!!
The Synod's hashtag game is wild.