I see the direction this thread is going. I agree with everything that has been stated. That being said that doesn't mean I'm not going to attempt to survive if something goes down. Just because you are in a state of Sanctifying grace doesn't mean that if you see a semi truck coming straight at you you can stand there and accept your death. I think you are obligated to keep yourself alive, I could just not eat and allow myself to die but we all know that is incorrect. You're supposed to keep yourself alive until it is impossible to do so or doing so would mean you would have to sin to stay alive. Some old church fathers would say that it would be fine in allowing yourself to be killed in a few situations, but I think that's going beyond the average poster here.

So exactly or approximately, what is it that's coming? Exactly or approximately, what is it that we are to be prepared for?

Forgive me but we went through this when the NO took over back in the late 60s / early 70s, and Catholics who became trads seemingly overnight were sure the chastisement was coming at that time, or the banks were about to crash, or the communists would march in and there'd be slaughter in the streets, or the world was about to end, or our food supply would be cut off, or you name it.

I know a family who just last year used up all their clorox bleach they bought 48 years ago because they knew disinfectant was being discontinued ahead of the coming chaos in order for disease to pick off any survivors.

So what preparations do they say we need these days?

All comes down to that old Russian proverb:

"Pray, but row like hell for shore."

Stubborn, even putting aside all religious prophecies, there are at least 5 major human disasters that are on the horizon (or at least possible).

1.  Major war.
2.  Global financial collapse.
3.  Major earthquakes (to rock the US at least).
4.  Man-made biological disasters.
5.  Multiple temporary outages/disruptions (1 week to maybe even months) to the US food/gas supply chain or even the electrical grid due to any of the above.

In the last year, there have been small examples/threats of all of the above happening and which affected the economy and retail chains negatively. 

Obviously you have only interacted with extremist personalities.  Hope you don't write-off a prudent prepping plan just because some take it too far.  If you agree that some prepping is good, then your comments on this thread are hypocritical and it seems you're searching to stir up an argument.  Furthermore, Y2k being the exception, most of the potential chaotic situations I listed are not new, as you point out.  However, none of these problems have been solved, only kicked down the road.  So to say that "nothing has happened yet" is not the same thing as "it will never happen".  Most of these problems are man-made, and man-controlled, therefore their threats are not linear and predictable in the near-term; but they are predictable in general sense.  The point is, you can't ruin your life over prepping; but you also can't live your life without it. 

Obviously you have only interacted with extremist personalities.  Hope you don't write-off a prudent prepping plan just because some take it too far.  If you agree that some prepping is good, then your comments on this thread are hypocritical and it seems you're searching to stir up an argument.  Furthermore, Y2k being the exception, most of the potential chaotic situations I listed are not new, as you point out.  However, none of these problems have been solved, only kicked down the road.  So to say that "nothing has happened yet" is not the same thing as "it will never happen".  Most of these problems are man-made, and man-controlled, therefore their threats are not linear and predictable in the near-term; but they are predictable in general sense.  The point is, you can't ruin your life over prepping; but you also can't live your life without it.

But they might be kicked down the road another half century longer.

But they might be kicked down the road another half century longer.

If you understand the endgame - which is a global, atheistic govt, a one-world religion, and where most of the global population is poor - they don't need to kick the can down the road to gain more time; we're almost already there.  The only question is, do we reach the endgame through financial catastrophe/nuclear war, or do we reach it through "peaceful" measures (i.e. Orwellian laws which will enslave us all, i.e.  big brother climate change laws, big-tech surveillance state, and artificial intelligence controlling our daily lives).  
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The rise of populism in the US, Brazil, Italy, Hungary, Poland, and maybe France/England shows that the people are waking up to the surveillance state and the fascist corporations who are controlling the economy.  This leads me to believe that we are headed for a financial collapse and nuclear war, because the elites are beginning to lose control and must use strong measures to reach their goals.  This picture lines up with multiple, multiple prophecies as well.
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Either way, barring an intervention from Our Lady, we're all going to be extremely poor soon, so you might as well stock up on food and other items while you can.  No one is advising that anyone totally change your life from A-Z and build a bunker.  But if you can tighten your belt and buy practical items (extra food, clothing, etc) and stop buying any "wants", you'll thank yourself later.  Our Lord told us that during the end times there will be "wars and rumors of wars" and earthquakes and other natural calamities.