Blog Sharing

I received an invitation today to blog share.  https://www.facebook.com/thismword Mandy Welty Mazzawi asked to swap blogs which means to share our blogs.  I happy to do so.  Mandy is a Catholic Mom from Ithaca New York who is into self sustaining living and living life to it's fullest.

What's that, you may ask?  That's what you'll find out when you click here.

The Blogging Apostolate

The One True Faith

Today's Zenit, contained an article by Father John Hardon, S.J., entitled Writing to Sainthood.  You know how the internet is.  Reading this article, led me to the Marian Catechesis Blog, which led me to the Catholics Writers' Guild, which led me to think.

Blogging is my way to preach.  My blog isn't preaching catechesis.  It's giving witness to how a human being is trying to walk the straight and narrow; how a saint in the making is about never giving up; how Christians are human, yet trying to do as Jesus wants.  So, OK, I guess it is catechesis without the catechism.  I hope it is a living human catechism.

That's the intent.  Hence, I post my thoughts, poetry, jokes, pictures, and rants.  Now, after reading the aforementioned  posts on writing, I realize how easily Hardon's suggestions apply to blogging.  Here's my adaptions:

(1)  Post daily.  This disciplines your thoughts.  If you can't think of what to write on any given day, write anyway.  Share your thoughts on Sunday's Gospel.  Put up a picture, and give your thoughts.  Post a YOUTUBE.  Post a favorite quotation and tell why it appeals to you.
     Forcing yourself to post daily is important to fix spiritual thoughts in your mind.  You'll remember important occurrences, better.  You'll remember failures, too.  How's that to keep you humble?  Rereading the week's posts, like I do for Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival, organizes my thoughts.

(2)  The benefits garnered from (1) carry over in speech.  Thoughts will be more organized and expressed more easily because you've trained our mind that way, through daily blog posting.

(3)  Blogging, especially mine, shares my soul's journey with others.  The hope is to bring others to Christ.  My life is like a parable, that I pray will give others faith.

Jesus Would Blog

Serious Dominican taken by Phil Ewing

In reading all the posts that I can regarding the Vatican Blog Fest, I had to smile at Zenit's summary: Vatican Stresses Importance of Catholic Bloggers.  Near the end of the article a few quotes from the participants were listed.  I like what Francois Jeanne-Beylot said, "If Christ came to preach today, he would not go up a mountain or get into a boat, but he would go to Twitter or open a blog."

Related articles

• Bloggers and the Vatican (deaconjohnspace.wordpress.com)
• Vatican blogger meeting says no to copyright, yes to lifting content (go.theregister.com)
• Vatican gathering of bloggers hailed as a success (catholicnewsagency.com)
• Why the Church Needs Bloggers (frstephensmuts.wordpress.com)
• Vatican blogging meeting - Blogging advice from Fr. Roderick Vonhogen (osvdailytake.com)

Blogging Rules

In "A Holy Rule for Internet Communicators," Father Mark Carr reiterates what the USCCB has said about blogging.  IOW, play nice.

Father Carr thinks like a Dominican.  He uses his blog to preach.  More specifically, Father Carr thinks like a Lay Dominican Blogger -- like me!  He not only sees, but recommends that the laity use blogging to preach the gospel.  I call it my cyber-ministry.

But I'm not tooting my own horn.  I can't.  I must not!!  I have always kept in mind that everything I do must be for God.  I have to stay humble or I'm lost.  Father  clearly admonishes:

However, blogging and other forms of media on the internet have a severe spiritual danger to them as well. When one is commenting from his own perspective on everything in light of Catholic values, one can easily become self-focused and develop a higher opinion of him or herself. This is a danger in any form of social ministry.

Interesting, Father continues  by recommending a way of life for bloggers.  This Rule is to focus the blogger on God, not herself,  by following the Rule of Canção Nova [Cahn-Soum Noe-vah] (New Song).

More interesting, is the fact that I follow the Rule of the Lay Fraternities of Saint Dominic.  The two rules are comparable.  We are called to bring the divine message of salvation to all.  How we do that depends on one's state in life.  My vocation is bringing the Word to the world, especially in dark places.  (That's not you.  Dark places don't have the net.)  

But I do hope that I speak to you.  I hope.  I pray.  And I try to be humble about it.  I make too many mistakes to take pride in what I do.  Besides, my "cloistered brothers" keep me in my place.  Some people give me flak for associating with them.  But their humility humbles me.  They keep me grounded.

That TONE

Bishop Zavala

Mark Pattison writes in CNS about the  bloggers' role in relationship with the church.  The bishops often are the publishers of diocesan newspapers, and other media outlets, and as such are concerned over the tone/behavior of some bloggers.

  The Webinar (Faithful Catholic Media: Continuing the Conversation) was held July 28 and sponsored by the Catholic Press Association.  Naturally, the bishops are concerned about the influence some bloggers (not I) have on the faithful.  The chairman of the Communications Committe, Bishop Gabino Zavala, LA, focused on 3 aspects that make blogging unique:

*   Catholic perspective to events

*   Respectful and civil (Not like the secular media)

*   Input for Church leaders

The one that was most disturbing was the second concern: "Christian respect".  Some bloggers attack church leadership, in a less than "civil and respectful" manner.  

You know what I think the problem is?  The problem is two-fold: the impersonal nature of the written word (blog/email/letter/newspaper...), and TONE.   Since I enjoy writing and sending out letters and emails as soon as a thought enters my head, I know very well the problems that can arise, from the written word.  I have people that hate me, distrust me, have not allowed me to join their whatever, and think I'm a kook, (and they never read my blog ;-/ ).  All because I wrote something that came from the fingers--certainly not my head, and more certainly, not my heart.  Some people won't give you a break.  And those "some" call themselves Christians.  Geeesh!  If only, these (too easily) offended people were there in front of me when I wrote, we could have discussed the issue.  If they could have seen my body language.  If we could have had a verbal "give and take." 


 And then some people don't get satire.

The second issue, TONE, can be a problem.  I remember when I was teaching, some parents complained to me about the TONE I used in reprimanding their child.  It was the way I said, "Stop it!", that bothered them.  Seriously.  They objected to my tone.  

I guess they wanted me to say in a kind and sweet voice, "I really wish you wouldn't exhibit that behavior."

You think I'm kidding?        Well, think again.    

Anyway, back to blogging.  Some bloggers (not I) have that TONE.  The bishops want them to be civil and respectful.  The media, and especially bloggers, should tell errant priests and bishops that "they really wish they wouldn't exhibit that behavior."

OK.  I'll dislodge my tongue from my cheek.

It is the TONE, that the bishops are concerned about.  The words some of us use are perceived as disrespectful and judgmental.  I know what they're saying.  It's the TONE that hurts them.  

We Catholic bloggers should be different from the secular bloggers.  Readers should know us by our love.  

John 13:35  By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love for another.  

And I know the bloggers that have that TONE, will say that they do love, that's why they are calling attention to sins that should be corrected; but can readers perceive the love?  There is a need (Lord knows!) to point out sin, but the TONE has to show that you're Christian.  


Think before you write.  Pray before you think.

Catholic Bloggers Union

Message from John Mallon
John Mallon is trying to assemble an email list of Blogs in the English speaking world, especially in the UK, Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines. He is currently working as Contributing Editor for Inside the Vatican magazine, doing media relations for Human Life International, and assisting at the Envoy Institute in a promotional capacity. He has two degrees in theology and frequently has items of interest to Catholic Bloggers worldwide. With 25 years of experience in the Catholic Press, he has found that major secular outlets are often closed to these messages. If you have or know of Blogs that would be interested in receiving press releases and other pertinent materials for your Blogs, he would very much appreciate getting a mailing list of these blogs for this purpose. This is not spam. Anyone not wishing to receive these materials will be removed from the list immediately upon request. Catholic Blogs are absolutely critical for spreading credible information on the Church. This mailing list could serve as a News Agency supplying news and other information to Catholic Blogs.
It is absolutely maddening trying to harvest emails off of Blogs, where people won't post their emails. He is only interested in people who want to receive these messages, not bothering anyone.
For more on John Mallon please visit his website at: http://johnmallon.net <http://johnmallon.net/>
Please let me know if you can help.
Thanks & God bless you,
John Mallonjohnmallon@mac.com <mailto:johnmallon@mac.com>
http://johnmallon.net <http://johnmallon.net/>