Do you know of any Catholics making horrible prudential decisions (or lack of decisions) while they make novenas and wait for supernatural aid?

Here's a great quote for them:

(Thanks to JoeZ for posting this in another thread!)

From the Mystical City of God, by Mary Agreda.
Volume II: the Incarnation
entry 663

Instructions vouchsafed by the Queen of Heaven, Most Holy Mary "...When the necessaries of life are wanting to those under thy charge, exert thyself properly to obtain them. If sometimes thou must sacrifice thy own tranquility in fulfilling this obligation, thou needst not on that account lose thy peace of mind; especially if thou art mindful of what I have so often told thee: not to lose sight of the presence of the Lord; for by His divine light and grace, if thou art careful and preservest thy peace, thou canst do all things. Whatever can duly be procured by human exertion, is not to be expected by a miracle, nor must one try to exempt himself from labor in the hope of a supernatural interference on the part of God; for the Lord sweetly concurs with the ordinary and natural course of things. The labor of the body is serviceable to the soul as a sacrifice and as an increase of the merits due to that kind of activity. While at work the rational creature can praise God and adore Him in spirit and in truth (John 4,23). In order to fulfil this duty, direct thy activity according to His pleasure, consult His will in regard to them, weighing them with the scales of the sanctuary and riveting thy attention upon the divine light which the Almighty infuses in thy soul."

I have been considering the hermit life. I know the world is corrupting me, and that my daily visits to pubs and idle conversations is making me less pious. I must counter this. If i stay in my house 24/7 doing good in prayer study and penance, I will please God more. I can live on the disability money, and if i make a total commitment to overcome all my vices and sins, then i will no longer waste time, nor do the wrong thing, but will live wholly for the Lord.

What say Matthew regards this?

1. The "daily visits to pubs" and "idle conversations" are the problem. You will have to learn to deal with these temptations in MOST paths you could take.
2. Just be aware that the "commitment to overcome all my vices and sins" is the key. You can do that while in the religious life, living with parents, on the dole, working for a living, or as a pensioner. The source of your food/shelter is largely irrelevant to becoming a saint. Each of those options I listed will make becoming a saint easier in some ways -- and harder in other ways. That's why I say "means of support" is a wash -- it doesn't help you or hurt you.