Why I read blogs, especially Catholic ones

I first became aware of blogs probably about eight or nine years ago. Some of the first blogs I stumbled across were about Star Trek. Then I came across a Luthern blog, which I think was named something about pirates. Reading this blog was a revelation and one of the reasons that I am still a Christian.

Later I came across Amy Welborn’s Open Book, Disputations and Flos Carmeli. By this time, I  realised, that I had not found any UK Catholic blogs to read.

Over the following year, I gradually found other UK Catholic blogs, often just starting out.

The initial flurry has faded, and many have come and gone. Reading Catholic blogs is important to me – for information that I probably wouldn’t find out any other way, connecting individuals across the world and for broadening my opinions and experience of living out Catholicism.

Reading UK Catholic blogs is even more important, because there are some joys and struggles that are unique to living in these isles – the media attitude to religion, our Bishop’s Conference, our Catholic papers (The Universe, The Herald, The Tablet) and umpteen other things.

But most important, is bringing it home that the Catholic Church is a Body – what affects one part, affects the others, whether we know it or not.

Just three examples of this in the last couple of weeks that have been mentioned on multiple blogs, commented on and prayed about by many:

• The death of Michael Dubruiel – someone I never met, don’t know, but have found myself praying for because I read Charlotte Was Both
• Nancy Pelosi’s meeting with Pope Benedict – someone I would never have heard of or really cared about were it not for the blogosphere. I found myself pleased that the Pope met with her, for her and for the American bloggers I read who have posted about her.
• The Tablet’s unpleasant article about Fr. Tim Finigan’s  – again someone I’ve never met, whose blog I’ve read for years. Again, I find myself praying for Fr. Tim, the parish, and surprisingly, the journalists at The Tablet.

I’m running out of words, so perhaps I’ll close by quoting Pope Benedict as to why this is a good thing:

The desire for connectedness and the instinct for communication that are so obvious in contemporary culture are best understood as modern manifestations of the basic and enduring propensity of humans to reach beyond themselves and to seek communion with others.

and

…the emergence of new digital networks that seek to promote human solidarity, peace and justice, human rights and respect for human life and the good of creation. These networks can facilitate forms of co-operation between people from different geographical and cultural contexts that enable them to deepen their common humanity and their sense of shared responsibility for the good of all.

from New Technologies, New Relationships: Promoting a culture of Respect, Dialogue and Friendship, Message for the 43rd World Communications Day.

Think

Your Word is “Think”

You see life as an amazing mix of possibilities, ideas, and fascinations. And sometimes you feel like you don’t have enough time to take it all in. You love learning. Whether you’re in school or not, you’re probably immersed in several subjects right now. When you’re not learning, you’re busy reflecting. You think a lot about the people you know and the things you’ve experienced.

What’s Your Word?

Witness to Life

There has been a lot in the media in recent days about Jade Goody. The former Big Brother contestant has been suffering from cancer for the past while (I want to say the past year?) and has now been given  two months to live.

I admire Jade for her courage in facing this situation in public. I found this video on the Critical Studies in Television website, which highlights the positive impact this story is already causing:

The increase in awareness of cervical cancer is a good thing, especially the uptake in tests.

However, what has struck me the most is Jade’s decision as to what to do next. With two months to live, the things that have been reported in the media as the things that Jade will do be to get married, to spend time with her children and to provide for her children by having them Christened and earning money for them.

Wow. To get married and to have her children Christened.

Today, the Chartered Management Institute publish a guide for employers now that religious discrimation cases are on the rise. The mainstream media often seems hostile to religion and religious practices, often promoting the negative or the extremist viewpoints. And yet, here we have someone who has money and celebrity, someone motivated to act now, choosing Baptism and Marriage.

Jade Goody may be dying, but in these actions, it seems to me that she is witnessing powerfully to life.

Doodlebuzz

Going though RSS Feeds, I came across this great new tool, Doodlebuzz. Described as a ‘typographic news explorer’, it’s a more visual way of searching and linking to news online.

What is power?

I’ve been reflecting on a difficulty I’ve had with a friend, who I occasionally work with. I should mention that I am usually directing or instructing this person, along with others. We were both at fault, but this person refused to take any of the responsibility for the situation. When I apologised for anything in my attitude that caused offence, this person just sat and nodded as if I was exonerating them and they had won.

There are many factors at play in this. What has struck me is the feeling, or atmosphere of competition. What are you possibly winning if you cannot admit to a mistake? Or admit to something positive about yourself? Or compliment another? These are my thoughts…

In acknowledging something that someone else (not you) has done, or something that you have not done, you’re admitting to a weakness or that someone else is good at something. It can take power away from you and gives it to someone else – if you let it. 

In a competition, its about trying to gain that power for yourself, all for yourself, not sharing. So, if you compliment someone or say something positive, its a failure or weakness on your part, because you’re giving away power – the very thing that you and everyone else is searching to hold onto.

What is power?

Power = Work done / Time

Power is the ability to get work done in a particular time. We can exercise power over ourselves to get the work done, or over other people to get the work done.

We gain power to do the work ourselves through learning skills and other information, developing our knowledge, increasing self awareness and so on. We gain power to get other people to do work for us though relationships – through influence, respect  or perhaps fear.

Some individuals enable themselves to get the work done through developing skills and knowledge. A by-product, if you will, of doing this, is that they also gain some influence and respect with others, and thus the power to get others to do work for them – not for themselves personally, but for others, the work itself, whatever. The power they have over others is mutual.

Some individuals seek to gain the power of influence or respect (or fear) alone, getting others to do work  so they don’t have to. This manifests in different ways that are kind of obvious – power through threats, though carrying weapons, through shouting, through blackmail.

It manifests in non obvious ways as well, and the one I’ve noticed is the power of expertise, The Expert who is experienced or skilled in a particular field. Initially, it looks like the power to do the work itself, and maybe it began like that, but it isn’t any longer. The Expert  never does the actual work themselves, instead imposing their vision on others, becoming defensive with anyone who asks questions or with similar expertise. The Expert takes every oppertunity to talk about their expertise, and tell stories, but is unable to share or teach or enable others to grow in their skills. The Expert holds onto their skills or knowledge tightly for themselve, for their own power.

Then I thought of some of the texts used at Masses in the last week:

… the world with all it craves for is coming to an end; but anyone who does the will of God remains forever
1 John 2: 12-17

and

But you have not lost the anointing that he gave you and you do not need anyone to teach you; the anointing he gave you teaches you everything; you are anointed with truth, not with a lie.
1 John 2: 22-28

And today,

Now, O Kings, understand
take warning, rulers of the earth;
serve the Lord with awe and trembling, pay him your homage.
Psalm 2

 I’m reminded that God is Almighty – He is All-mighty and All-powerful. Yes, we may be experts or managers, not for ourselves, but for God. God has anointed us and taught us to do exactly what he calls us to do, here and now. And ultimately, that the things that we may hold onto of the world or think are really important now will pass.

Whatever I’m good at here and now, or however much power I have – I only have it because God has given it. It only matters how I use it – for myself or for God. Because power or knowledge or skills will fade and pass, but doing God’s will lasts.

 

the balance

Crowd of people © www.123rf.com

Sometimes I think I am home to a paradox. On one hand, I desire nothing more that the space and comfort to read and to write, to watch films, to listen to and to play music, to sing songs and go for walks and cook interesting food. On the other, I desire to share, to listen, to be heard and to experience life with others. The thought of working on Monday or ‘enforced’ time with others, of being ‘on show’ as a good example, of duty…. it is not appealing.

I feel like I am free to do what I will, up until 8.30am on Monday morning, and then it becomes duty and I am subject to the whims and petty desires and grievances of others.

I often feel drained by the challenge of this paradox, because both extremes require time. The time of being with others, and the time of just being, which in turn enables me to be with others…  I feel a pressure to project a particular aspect of my being – positive and engaging – while at the same time not projecting or expressing all sorts of other thoughts and feelings – because it is my duty, because of the effect or response it may elicit from others.

If I hide awayand see no one or if I am constantly with others, I become tired, cynical, boring… and listless.

Is it possible to do both?

Did you know?

Stephen’s Lighthouse linked to this today. I’d never heard of the ‘Did you know?’ series, but I was intrigued. Yes, some of the stat interpretations are a bit off, but food for thought none the less.

I’m going to think a little more on the final question before I post an answer. What do you think it all means?

Pictures this year

 

Opening Mass of WYD 2008 at Barangaroo

Today has been a slow day, of thinking, reading and randomly surfing the internet, which included coming across this picture meme on The Carson’s blog, which looked like fun so I thought I’d give it a go and see what I came up with.

This is what you do – go to the 4th folder on your computer where you store pictures, pick the 4th picture, post and explain the picture and tag 4 others to do the same.

This is the picture – well actually from the 5th folder as the 1st folder has no pictures and the 4th only has 2. I took this picture in July when I was in Australia for World Youth Day.

This is the stage or altar for the Opening Mass of World Youth Day at Barangaroo in Sydney, right by the sea. Although for most of us the WYD experience began the previous week with Days in the Diocese, this was the first official event for all pilgrims to gather together.

Getting to Barangaroo was an adventure. We had been warned that there would be lots of people, crowds like we hadn’t ever seen before… and they were right. Our big travel group split into smaller groups and headed off. From the centre of Sydney we walked out to the site, which took at least 1 1/2 hours. It was so much fun – we got to talk to some Kiwis, the Italians and Brazilians were singing and then we arrived at Barangaroo. The sun set as Mass went on and the lights came up. And the crazy randomness that is World Youth Day officially began.

I don’t really know anyone else to tag, but if you want to give this one a go, go for it.

to list word cloud

This blog, according to Wordle:

Listing from Wordle

There is also a ‘randomize’ button, which means that Wordle comes up with a different version each time you click it. This one was my favourite, particularly because of the ‘listen, like, live’ in the middle. But I also liked this…

Caffeine levels

I don’t drink coffee, but we did have family visiting today…

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