I wonder, just wonder, whether we in the religious blogosphere are actually heading in that direction. I mean we are absolutely nowhere near the stage where the reporting that Cardinal Broccoli has opted for an expresso rather than his regular machiatto (and hence he has a health scare and will probably not be papabile) but I do wonder if we've started evaluating ourselves in rather worldly terms, i.e., unless we are in the midst of a 'drama' we are really not doing our job. Do we over interpret what is the rather rasping sounds of the rusty mechanism of Church life as being indicative of some great conspiracy rather than the symptoms of average human incompetence? Unfortunately this seems to be some peoples whole lives. Time to take a reality check. With a few notable exceptions most blog entries are read by a handful of people (as are the comments) serving the needs of a small group of well meaning people with similar interests. But when your entire life just becomes an existence of some alter ego in cyber space then that is really sad.
Perhaps one day some cyber traddies could try opening their front door, try walking down the road, and horror of horrors, actually try to meet some of the other faithful after Holy Mass. It's an imperfect world.
That's funny! Some of us (non traddies) are housebound with many small children, so cyber friends are almost like real (adult) conversation to us! I personally want to hear more about this Cardinal Broccoli story though. Sounds intriguing.
ReplyDelete***** APPLAUSE *****
ReplyDeleteThank you!
A few years ago, right after I first began blogging, a group of we local Catholic bloggers got together to say hello.
One of them observed that it is often like an "echo chamber" and that has never left my mind...so much of it out there is only regurgitation of what some news story or other person said. It isn't original, has nothing to do with holiness, but rather, sensation.
If we're all going on about the same dang thing, how is that useful? (Excepting, of course important events like the March for Life, certain things that do indeed call for a massive "echo chamber" because something huge is truly at stake - like life.)
The online world is very much NOT like the real world; online people tend to be very educated in their faith, or at least seeking, and they know the latest news in the Church and have an opinion about it. Offline they still don't know that there are changes coming to the Roman Missal in Advent...and they have no idea why this is important. Even further...they don't care at all.
That's where the REAL work is..helping to set hearts afire, being holy in an unholy world and a world that just. doesn't. care. about eternal salvation and...damnation.
I work in a parish....were it not for a few faithful there and a LOT of faithful online, I would have quit 6 months after I began.
You know, Father..you're in the same foxhole.
I love the picture, Padre - you're absolutely on the money with the post too, but please get to grips with your apostrophes. I might have to throw all of my furniture out of the window.
ReplyDeleteAdele, you simply must check out Fisheaters...will never be bored again !!
ReplyDeleteoff to check out the apostrophes !
Yes we have read every book on the shelf and have nothing else to do.
This post was thought-provoking and yes, convicting. I have a blog and try not to veer into the "he said/she said" approach. It's mostly my own observations about Catholicism from returning the the Church after being away from it for 25 years.
ReplyDeleteI'm featuring your blog today for my "Noteworthy Blogs" category. I love the TLM but am very aware of the negative connotation of "traddies." I hope to never be a thorn in any good priest's side. God bless you. :-)
I must say conversations after Mass can sometimes be enlivened by what we have read on blogs. I now ask anyone new at Spanish Place (St James' London)whether they have blog.
ReplyDeleteThis morning someone asked whether a blog could be condemned as "offensive to pious ears"! )or should that be "eyes".
We need to be talking to others apart from those we meet after Mass about the Traditional Mass.
"This morning someone asked whether a blog could be condemned as "offensive to pious ears"! )or should that be "eyes"."
ReplyDeleteI read comments like this and wonder what the hell? I never have the good fortune to run across discussions like this at the local parish level.
Such discussions would be fun. Not unlike Joe over at the Cornell Society who was totally off the wall.