Blogging+-+Why+Do+Ministers+Blog?

Expected time to complete written assignments: 20 - 30 minutes Please note that there are two parts to this assignment.

After __you__ have attended the webinar and read the blog pages about //Blogging: Sharing My Personal Faith Story//, your individual homework assignment this week is to identify one or two blogs that are interesting to you and to share why these ministers blog.

Part 1 : What is their passion?

Using the Catholic Blog Directory ([]), scan through the various titles. Pick three titles that interest __you__. Read about the author and pick one or two blog posts to read. What are __you__ noticing about the blogs you have scanned? In a paragraph or two, identify what you notice about the author and the mission of the blog. What is their passion?
 * Please remember to include the Name of the blog (and URL) with your comments. If possible, try to pick blogs that others are not commenting on. The main __focus__ of this assignment is to identify WHY these authors are writing their blogs. What is their passion?
 * Name:
 * Blog title + URL
 * Why is this author writing their blog? What is their passion?

Example:
 * Name: Caroline Cerveny
 *  Catholic Web Solutions - []
 * Sr. Susan Wolf is a blogger who wants to help religious communities think strategically about integrating the Internet and Social Media into their mission; to develop a plan and then implement it. Using these new media we can enhance our member services, our __#|membership__ recruitment and our outreach.

Post your comments in the space below, then continue on to Part 2, below.

Claire Hamilton: 1). 8 Kids & A Business ([]) Balancing a Large Family With a __Small Business__ All By God's Mercy, Grace, and Providence Author: Terry: a mother of 8, married 27 years, a registered nurse, an owner of a nursing foot care business. She is part of a blogging team at The New Evangelist/Companions of the Cross (Everything Is Grace), a contributing blogger at Catholic Insight.com and writes articles for Catholic Lane. Judging from her postings I believe her passions are her family (She quit her job and built her small business to have more time with them.) and her faith. Her blogs cover a range of subject materials from her reviews of faith-based books she's read, to personal reflection on Gospel readings, to her faith-directed commentary on current news events, to printing a homily she wished to share with her readers. As I read her comments, I found her style of writing easily read and engaging and her comments thought-provoking.

2). Wheat and Weeds ([|http://wheatandweeds.com)] Religion, Politics, and the Glories of Homegrown Tomatoes Author: RC2: a female lecturer on Catholic topics and grower of tomatoes, living in Washington, D.C. area. Having followed several of the links she offers on her blog and skimmed through several of her blogs, I would say that her passions follow the interest she lists: Christianity, her children, culture & politics, the theater, and home-grown tomatoes, Of those blogs I dipped into, she seemed to focus on faith and politics. Her blog site also offered: Daily Bread, Additional Fiber, and Pass the Biscuits, rather long lists of links to other sites. As with the pervious blogger, her writing is interesting and thought-provoking. I will return to both blog sites in the future.

Alison Smith Part I Catholic Web Solutionsm [] Patty Bond's is writing about her faith journey which lead her from being the daughter of a Southern Baptist Minister to the Catholic faith. Her journey was fraught with difficulties she was raised with many prejudices against Catholic, abused by her father, a troubled marriage, and a brother who is a famous Protestant apologist. Woven through out her blog is the gentle thread of God weaving in these difficulties a road that will lead to her conversion. The Eucharist was the source and summit of her conversion. I love reading about people's faith journey's and wish we had a venue to share them more often in our Catholic parishes maybe a blog might prove to be the way.

First of all, I have to say that the Catholic Blog Directory was very frustrating to navigate. It is nice that there is such a thing, but a database would be far more useful. I wish the blogs were organized or searchable by __type__, author, and main focus area (such as faith sharing, catechesis, RCIA, etc.), as well as by title. I think listing them by title is the least useful way of having them organized. It is only helpful if you’re looking for a blog you already know --- therefore, you don’t __need__ to go to this directory to find it. The search tool does not work properly. After much frustration, I typed __things__ into the search tool that I know are on the list (Jared Dees, RCIA…) with no results. I wanted to choose some blogs to evaluate that would actually be useful to me, but after an hour of trying, I just chose two at random. All in all, the Catholic Blog Directory was useless. I don’t like to be so negative, but I think it needs to be said. The blog post listed in #4 on our class blog, //How to Locate Other Blogs// is far more helpful. The google blog search works great.
 * Karen Burford – Part 1**

Here are my random selections from the Catholic Blog Directory:

1) Auntie Joanna Writes - [] The author of this blog, Joanna Bogle, writes about __things__ that she is doing, current events, and books that she has written. She is a journalist and author and Catholicism seems to be the center of her life. It is interesting how her posts are about seemingly mundane __things__, such as waiting in line, the weather, etc., yet she shows how her faith is woven into her every day life. On her blog are links to some of her posts on other web pages, such as EWTN and the Coalition for Marriage. Her passion seems to be Catholicism as a whole.

2) Monastery Happenings - [] According to the tagline, this blog is the current happenings at the Monastery of Saint Clare Chesterfield, NJ, the Poor Clare Nuns. Comments are monitored by Sister Florence Vales OSC, but it is not clear who is (are) the author(s) of the blog posts. I’m not sure that the blog is truly their current happenings, as the most recent ones are portions of Pope Francis’ Light of Faith letter. It’s hard to tell if these are someone’s reflections on the letter, or if they are quotes from the letter itself. There are no comments on the posts I reviewed and no sources listed. The author needs a more clear statement of her purpose and passion in order to engage readers.

Mary Pat Austing Catholic Fried Rice - Mateo [] Mateo is a young man preparing to be wed in August __2013__. He struck me similarly to how Becky Eldredge impressed Brenda Tibbits; reflecting on where God is present to us everyday. He writes about the past Sunday readings: "I reflected how many times I can be like Martha in my prayer life---uncomfortable with just being still, silent, and present to Jesus. I’m often distracted with other thoughts like basketball or what I have to do later in the day..." I get a kick out of his blog title, and he has a pic of spam (the meat from a can) with a cross cut out over a pan of rice on his homepage. As I explored the page further, he discusses pornography and the difficulties in remaining chase before marriage. Serious and needed topics in today's world for such a whimsical home page picture.


 * Brenda Tibbits
 * Creating Space to Connect Faith and Everyday Life - []
 * Becky Eldredge is a writer, spiritual director, and retreat facilitator. Her blog invites people to reflect on where God is present in the everyday moments of life.
 * I chose this blog because a subtitle said, “A Ritual of R.E.S.T.” - R – renewing, E – energy in, S – Spirit, T – time. It reminds me of keeping the Sabbath which is so very hard to do, but which truly refreshes my soul.

Deanna Bartalini La Dolce Vita - [] This blogger is a Catholic wife and mom. I like the title of her blog. She can be quite funny and slightly disparaging of herself and her sometimes crazy life with three sons. Her passions are her faith and her family, and probably being Italian! All of which I can totally relate to. She writes to share her life, and he rfaith.

Be Not Afraid - [] Nancy is the author of this blog. Again, the title caught my eye. She writes mainly about her family and the trials and tribulations of raising children. I think she is writing her blog as an on-line journal of her, to get support from others in her situation and connect with adults.

Zephyrinus- [] The blog posts on the first page all had to do with liturgical music and/or Church architecture. The author seems very traditional and possibly is trying to educate people on traditional liturgical rites. There was no "About Me" on the blog, so it's difficult to get a good indication of the purpose.

Name: Elizabeth Girton Blog Title and URL: Catholic Spirituality [] Why is this author writing their blog? What is their passion? GODSDAUGHTER (name of blogger): My Catholic faith is the most important thing in my life. I'd like to share some creative writings on this blog while learning from others, too. In reading through some of the blogs posted under this BlogSpot I sense the author, who choose to remain anonymous, was interested in sharing her spiritual experiences with others. Her blogs included a reflection on God Hugs which relates to the immensity of the forgiveness of God and how we should be as forgiving of ourselves and not being so judgmental of ourselves. Another blog on her site was on Eucharistic Exposition and Adoration, a reminder that as a Catholic tradition we cannot lose sight of these powerful devotions. Godsdaughter appears to have a deep passion for sharing the richness of the Catholic faith with others. Name: Elizabeth Girton Blog Title and URL: Catholic Spirituality Blogs Network - [] Why is this author writing their blog? What is their passion? ===This Blogspot turned out to be a group collaboration with the common interest of prayer, virtue, and inspiration for your walk with Christ. The two blogs that I read under this blogspot included : __Anger is serious business __//by Barbara A. Schoeneberger. //<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">This blog reflected on the insidious nature of anger and how it can cause us to get deeply ingrained in sin if we do not learn ways to contain it. === The other blog I read under this blogspot was [|We Pray Because We Are Children of God] [|We Pray Because God Is Our Greatest Benefactor] Posted on [|July 11, 2013] by [|SaintlySages] by Father Girardey who gives a second reason why we ought to pray: because God is our greatest benefactor. Fr. Girardey makes the point that, ” Wherefore, God is the most liberal of benefactors and our most loving Father, and it is our sacred and indispensable duty to show Him our gratitude by frequently, nay, even daily, offering Him our most sincere and heartfelt thanks. To do this is prayer.”

<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Name: Elizabeth Girton
Blog Title and URL: Association of Catholic Women Bloggers - [] <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Why is this author writing their blog? What is their passion? This is another blog with a collaborative group sharing their passion for topics important to Catholic Women. The first blog under this blogspot was Sin: Practice makes perfect Posted by Ebeth Weidner at 04:17. Her point being when we make daily decisions we are increasing the chances of either moral or immoral choices by what we decide to do. She ends with a reminder to herself it is time to go to confession! **The Creativeness of Death** Posted by Laura Paxton at 20:48. This blog focused on the culture of death in our society and the hopelessness found there because of this. However, Laura points out that from our Catholic prospective of the culture of life we offer to our society the hopefulness and joy of our worldview.

**Connie Egan (repost)**
 * Name: Rocco Palmo
 * "Whispers in the Loggia" - whispersintheloggia.blogspot.com
 * Known as the "church whisperer," Rocco chronicles the happenings in the global church.

[] []
 * Jan Von Handorf **
 * ** Phyllis Zagano ** (Catholic scholar, lecturer, award-winning author, research appointment - Hofstra University) – blogger for National Catholic Reporter
 * __ Passion __ : Integration of faith and life – “relationship with God…with ourselves and with each other.” – takes a current headline in the news once every three weeks or so and discusses it from the perspective of her Catholic faith
 * Top three feeds as of 7-15-2013
 * 1) Support and defend the Constitution – sexual misconduct at US Naval Academy
 * 2) National security and gossip – Snowden/Pope Francis on gossip
 * 3) The dangerous ‘deaconess’ discussion - commentary
 * ** CARA ** research blog – Editor – Mark Gray
 * __ Passion __ : Sharing results of CARA’s social scientific research about current trends in the Catholic Church in the USA
 * Top three feeds as of 7 -15-2013
 * 1) When Surveys Lead to Sins (Weekly Mass Attendance Trends, etc.)
 * 2) Catholic Colleges “Amplify” Influences Leading to Priestly Vocations
 * 3) Is Everyone Lining Up to Challenge Hillary Clinton Catholic?

Dave Gruber Blog's I read or am familiar with: 1). Catechist's Journey www.catechistsjourney.loyolapress.com Joe Paprocki, D.Min As an author, a catechetical consultant for Loyola Press, and experienced parish catechist, Joe has a passion for developing catechetical ministry and provides a valuable resource and tool for catechists. 2) Erin's Blog

Erin McGeever - Diocesan Director of Catechesis, Diocese of St. Augustine, FL Used as a forum for communication with C/L's in diocese.

3). On Being - Krista Tippett From PBS radio program Incomplete entry...... ___ I randomly clicked on Orthometer because of the unusual name. It would not be one I would ever want to visit again.
 * Susan McGurgan**
 * Blog: Orthometer** []
 * Fr. Erik Richtsteig, Utah, blogger
 * Passion: appears to be Orthodoxy and rooting out heresy. The blog tagline reads: //Orthometer: a Device for determining Orthodoxy. Exorcizing the hermeneutic of Rupture since 1994//
 * One side bar image shows an unflattering photo of President Obama with the Caption: //Stop Nobama Anthropogenic Global Marxism.//
 * One side bar image shows a Medieval war scene with the caption: //Medieval, Backwards, Rigid, Narrowminded Traditionalist and Damn Proud of it. Make my Day.//
 * Post for Monday, April 1, (on the front page of the blog) has the title: **Courtesy** and says: //A Matter of Courtesy. If you switch parishes at least say goodbye /f-u/ something to your former pastor.//
 * Another post has the following headline: //Did I mention that I dislike Hippies?// There is an image of a soldier beating another person with his fists and a poem modeled from the Beatitudes advocating hatred and physical violence towards "hippies".

Many of the women's blogs I visited are written by and for homeschooling mothers and/or women advocating very traditional worship, gender and family roles. I randomly clicked on:
 * Blog: the Wine Dark Sea** [] because the title is taken from Homeric poetry so it sounded intriguing to a former classics major.
 * Melanie Bettinelli, blogger
 * Passion: Family and Homeschooling
 * Numerous pictures of her children
 * Activities such as gardening, birthdays
 * Homeschooling discussions and curriculum --year in review
 * Reading lists and book reviews/ long excerpts from books she is reading and advocating


 * Blog: The Ironic Catholic** []
 * Susan Windley-Daoust, blogger. She is a theology professor
 * Passion: humor, theology, satire, "strange but true"
 * Posts reflect current events, quirky aspects of religion and the intersection of faith and life
 * Catholicism in the news


 * Anne Marie Prangley:**

Name: Female Patiently Waiting. . . Kinda __http://www.iampatientlywaitingkinda.blogspot.com__ This blogger writes about her struggles with infertility and her hope to have a baby through conception or adoption. Her passion is to share her struggles but also to provide encouragement and hope to those who are despairing. Her good news is that she and her husband successfully adopted last year and are now hoping to enlarge their family again.

Name: Annmarie Pipa momto8blog __http://raisingahappyfamily-momof8.blogspot.com__ This blogger shares her efforts in creating a happy and grounded family. Her entries include insights, pictures, vacation ideas, humorous additions and more. It is obvious her passion is the well-being of her family.

Michelle Tomshack Blog: Sweetness and Light [] Blogger: Meredith A. Henning This Catholic Mom seems passionate about her children and their successes homeschooling. If I was a homeschooler or interested in homeschooling, she offers her insights into different programs and how well her 4 children like them and find them user-friendly. There is also some book reviews on the blog. She indicates she is busy with their ballgames and dance recitals and practices. Such a typical busy mom!

Blog: Teach What You Believe [] Blogger: Deacon Jim Knipper, New Jersey Deacon Jim states that he is passionate about Catholic Education and in his ministry works with those preparing for marriage and baptism. He also works with those seeking annulments. I really like how is blog is set up - with tabs (about me, homilies, the diaconate and FAQ). I really like the most recent post on vacations. I think he was speaking to me!

Blog: Hearts on Fire [] Blogger: Fr. Paul Wharton I chose this blog because I follow it. Fr. Paul is a priest in our diocese. He often shares prayers, poems and humor. I find his passion for sharing faith contagious. While I know him I do see a different side of him through his blog.

Name: Elizabeth Girton Blog Title and URL: Catholic Spirituality http://catholicspirituality.blogspot.com/

Why is this author writing their blog? What is their passion? GODSDAUGHTER (name of blogger): My Catholic faith is the most important thing in my life. I'd like to share some creative writings on this blog while learning from others, too. In reading through some of the blogs posted under this BlogSpot I sense the author, who choose to remain anonymous, was interested in sharing her spiritual experiences with others. Her blogs included a reflection on God Hugs which relates to the immensity of the forgiveness of God and how we should be as forgiving of ourselves and not being so judgmental of ourselves. Another blog on her site was on Eucharistic Exposition and Adoration, a reminder that as a Catholic tradition we cannot lose sight of these powerful devotions. Godsdaughter appears to have a deep passion for sharing the richness of the Catholic faith with others.

Name: Elizabeth Girton Blog Title and URL: Catholic Spirituality Blogs Network - http://catholicspiritualityblogs.blogspot.com/

Why is this author writing their blog? What is their passion? This Blogspot turned out to be a group collaboration with the common interest of prayer, virtue, and inspiration for your walk with Christ. The two blogs that I read under this blogspot included : Anger is serious business by Barbara A. Schoeneberger. This blog reflected on the insidious nature of anger and how it can cause us to get deeply ingrained in sin if we do not learn ways to contain it. The other blog I read under this blogspot was We Pray Because We Are Children of God We Pray Because God Is Our Greatest Benefactor Posted on July 11, 2013by SaintlySages by Father Girardey who gives a second reason why we ought to pray: because God is our greatest benefactor. Fr. Girardey makes the point that, ” Wherefore, God is the most liberal of benefactors and our most loving Father, and it is our sacred and indispensable duty to show Him our gratitude by frequently, nay, even daily, offering Him our most sincere and heartfelt thanks. To do this is prayer.” Name: Elizabeth Girton Blog Title and URL: Association of Catholic Women Bloggers - http://associationofcatholicwomenbloggers.blogspot.com/

Why is this author writing their blog? What is their passion? This is another blog with a collaborative group sharing their passion for topics important to Catholic Women. The first blog under this blogspot was Sin: Practice makes perfect Posted by Ebeth Weidner at 04:17. Her point being when we make daily decisions we are increasing the chances of either moral or immoral choices by what we decide to do. She ends with a reminder to herself it is time to go to confession! The Creativeness of Death Posted by Laura Paxton at 20:48. This blog focused on the culture of death in our society and the hopelessness found there because of this. However, Laura points out that from our Catholic prospective of the culture of life we offer to our society the hopefulness and joy of our worldview.


 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Name: Bob Wurzelbacher **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Blog: My Broken Fiat: A Catholic Mom's Journey <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The blogger's name is Gina. No last name that I discerned. Her passion is to tell of her journey humbly, which is therapeutic for her, but also, hopefully, inspirational to others. Her blog, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[], has to be the single most moving blog I have ever read. It is also very important to move on to her rebuttal of those who read her blog and called her immoral: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[]. And, finally, when you have time, read through the comments at the bottom, especially the very last one, where she explains how he trust in St. Faustina and her spiritual director led her to conclude that her decisions are God's will for her. Everyone who chooses to judge first and ask questions later needs to read this. I couldn't recommend it more highly.

Blog: Catholic Dads [] It was this blog that led me to the broken fiat above. This blog i was looking forward to reading with lots of advice on being a better husband and father. I think there is probably a lot of great stuff on this blog, but, being a group blog, it is so full and everywhere and difficult to navigate that I found it pretty unhelpful. It was just too all over the place. But it was through it that I found the above one, which I really found inspiring.

Blog: Bishop Emeritus of Austin: John McCarthy [] Bishop McCarthy, age 80, reflects on global church issues and the liturgical year readings. For me, it's as if he's over in our parish sanctuary, preaching as he did as a younger man. The blog allows him to share his experience, spirituality, and wisdom with those who choose to hear him. He is not silenced in his old age and retirement, because of blogging! One of the original founders of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, he stays current with social justice issues. HIs thoughtful and faithful writing for the blog has led to his book, //Off the Cuff & Over the Collar: Common Sense Catholicism// to be published this month.
 * Name: Terri Moser, (Stillhvehope)**

[] Another local (to Austin, TX) blogger, Jennifer Fulwiler, speaks about her conversion from atheism to Catholicism. She is a wife, and a mother of 6 children under 10 and writes about motherhood and family. Recently, she suffered a very difficult condition just before giving birth to her 6th child. Recovering from that, she was one of the "blue shirt" prolife advocates at the Texas Capital during the much publicized filibuster. She has blogged about all of these things, as well as her conversion experience and her spirituality of motherhood. She too has a book about her conversion experience coming out soon. She has nearly 4000 followers on facebook.

Tara Dibble Blog: I Have to Sit Down by Simcha Fisher [|I Have to Sit Down]

Simcha is a mom of 9 and freelance writer that I find to be relatable, real, and relevant. Her posts are short and to the point. Occasionally I've had friends re-post her blogs on Facebook and there hasn't been one yet I haven't liked. Finding her on the list tonight connected me to her full blog site and I found I lost myself for almost 30 minutes before remembering I'm doing work here :-)

Blog: Conversion Diary by Jennifer Fulwiler [|Conversion Diary]

Jennifer is a mom of 6 and convert to the Catholic faith from atheism. As I was ready her posts I found it very refreshing to hear how she responds and perceives what is going on in the church. She isn't afraid to call out hypocrisy when she sees it. I also like that she is has no issues proclaiming her diffuse hatred of all things scorpion.

Name: Laura Sams Blog Title: Catholic Faith Corner; http://www.kathleenglavich.org/ Sister Kathleen Glavich is writing her blog because she wants to answer Jesus’ call to “make disciples of all nations and teach them.” After reading Sister Kathleen’s bio, it is apparent that she has been a teacher most of her life. She evangelizes through her writing and speaking engagements. Sister Kathleen is passionate about writing. Not only is Sister Kathleen a “blogger,” but she is also an author. She has written over 60 books, including her first novel, //__The Fisherman’s Wife.__// It was published last month. Sister Kathleen’s blog will be helpful for my own spiritual growth as well as those in our PSR program.

Blog Title The religion Teacher http://www.thereligionteacher.com/blog/ I selected this blog because I teach religion and deal with religion teachers. The author of many of the blogs was Jared Dees and he is a religion teacher who seems like he does great things. It is obvious that he puts a lot of time and effort into his lessons and he then shares them. He includes link to other sites and helpful information such as how to pray And use Lectio Divina. I enjoyed reading his ideas and insights. He also included a webinar on his new book: __31 Ways to Become a Better Religious Educator!__ Sounds interesting!
 * Name: Terri Kerley**

Blog Title:Catholic Family Faith http://www.catholicfamilyfaith.com/ The author has a passion for helping families live a faith filled life as the domestic church.However, her blog was very boring, long and very technical. Maybe she is a theologian but her message will never reach families who need quick easy to read suggestions, colorful pages that attract them, not three pages of what the paschal mystery means in theological terms.

Ann Andriacco //The Catholic Beat// (affiliated with Sacred Heart Radio in Cincinnati)http://thecatholicbeat.sacredheartradio.com/Gail D. Finke, former journalist and writer Gail writes to share the Catholic News in and around the Cincinnati area. She points out that the goal is to “… strive to share and celebrate Catholic life with our neighbors, for our mutual benefit and for the greater glory of God. We are many churches, but one Church: Let’s get to know each other! - See more at: [|http://thecatholicbeat.sacredheartradio.com/about-2/#sthash.a1G4jsmE.dpuf]” She writes because her journalism side saw the need for news features, movie reviews, school news, etc. but also because she wants to share the highlights, the fun and the Catholic culture in the area.

//Dan’s Blunders and Wonders of Thought//: Reflections from a Secular Franciscanhttp://sfodan.wordpress.com/Dan Halley, OFS// //My husband’s name is Dan so this one caught my eye. Dan Halley is a Secular Franciscan who has a humorous side as well as a spiritual one. He seems to enjoy Scripture and has explanations, ideas about and information on readings, etc. He includes a quote of the day and other items. He sounds like a person who enjoys life. I loved his title for the reading about the Wedding Feast at Cana… “The ‘Sign’ read: If Momma Ain’t Happy, Ain’t Nobody Happy!’” John 2:1-11. This is an old entry so some blogs are not as active as others are.// //I did find the list daunting!//

Mary Ellen I found Fr. Ron Rolheiser [] listed in the catholicblog and read his post/column but found no way to post a comment. His passion is for sharing the spiritual insights related to a real life situation. Most recently, he wrote about Suicide and last week, about the difference between "weeping" and "whining." I also visited "Slightly Crunchy Catholic" because I was intrigued by the name. Not what I was hoping--it is a mother's blog about life, family and faith. Her passion is her family and she has lots of photos throughout.

Susan Bellotti I found Anthony Massimini; the 21st Century American Catholic [] His passion: Thy Kingdom Come...On Earth. People Are Suffering. Waiting Is Not An Option. This author is passionate about the teachings of Vatican II and believes bottom line that we can help. A professor who attended sessions of Vatican II gives a firsthand storyline and his witness, strong belief propels his blog which has assorted tabs with great information and inspiring perspective. I found it inspiring and very credible. The next 2 blogs are of mom's and seeing faith in their lives and children. Mary Jo has a blog called Seeds of Peace [] Her passion is her children and her faith. the blog is not current; the posts are of children giving expression to faith through art and nature. However this sight recommended Gaby who blogs for Life in a Glass House. [] She describes herself as a girl seeking to understand her place in this world. I am a pastor's wife, a stay-at-home mom and teacher to my children. I write about transracial adoption, my multi-cultural, multi-lingual family and my journey to know and love Christ better. This blog is a good heart felt read about adoption and reaches out to others to share their stories. I find myself moving from one blog to another using recommendations and tag lines.

Marty McClain
 * The Catholic Priesthood ~ http://thecatholicpriesthood.blogspot.ie/
 * This blog promotes the Catholic priesthood by sharing positive news about vacations, priestly formation and other interesting news items about Catholic priests around the world. The blog links to videos and other blogs to share this information. It also contains a large list of blogs by Catholic priests.


 * Passing Through ~ http://pgapassingthrough.blogspot.com/
 * The author of this blog is retired from the Air Force. He describes his blog as “//One man's musings as he journeys through life!”// His passion in life seems to be reflecting on the Bible, particularly the Sunday readings, and its meaning for his life.

//__ Part 2 : Do you agree or disagree?__// //__**After listening to Scott Rosenberg's video,**__// __**10 Myths About Blogs//, do you agree or disagree with what Scott states in the video? Why? Please post your name with your answer//**__ __Claire Hamilton__ Being extremely new to the world of blogging, I have little concrete experience on which to base either agreement or disagreement .That having been said, however, it seemed to me that, as he made many of his points, he used a common sense approach. For instance, one shouldn't fear that blogging will replace journalism; the journalism of even fifty years ago has evolved today into a very different form and will continue to evolve. Change happens and, as Mr. Rosenberg pointed out, blogs provide an experience that can help us figure out what comes next. Again, when addressing the charge that "most blogs stink", he pointed out that a blog is a product of someone's passion. One should be careful not to judge. While I may find the topic of discussion disinteresting and poorly written, another reader may find the same discussion exciting and be willing to overlook the mechanics of the piece. He also pointed out that, in the vast expanse that is the bloggers' domain, there is room for everyone.

//**Karen Burford – Part 2**// //I enjoyed this video and Scott Rosenberg’s no-nonsense approach to blogging. I appreciate the comparison of blogs to the number of books that are published. Just as with books, the reader of blogs needs to choose wisely. Some authors are reputable, and others are not. Some blogs are poorly written, others are fantastic. Even though we have to “kiss a few frogs before we find the prince,” blogs are a great resource. I found my fellow classmates’ comments on the video to be insightful and helpful.//

//__Deanna Bartalini: I think he is spot on! Of course, as someone who blogs, it would be illogical to disagree. I especially like his comments about "passion" and so all are welcome to the blog table as it were.__//

Part 2 : Do you agree or disagree? **<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">After listening to Scott Rosenberg's video, ** **<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Name: Elizabeth Girton ** **<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">I cannot say that I agree or disagree with all of Scott Rosenberg’s ****<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">10 Myths about Blogs ****<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">. ** **<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">10. I agree with him that blogging may or may not be journalism depending upon the blogger and the purpose of the blog. The passion from which the blog is written will determine whether or not that particular blog is journalism. ** 9. If newspapers disappear, blogs will not fill in the void as Rosenberg states in his 9th Myth. Some other form of journalism will come along to the fill the void of newspapers so that people get the news from reliable journalistic sources. 8. There is a blogosphere. The purpose of blogs is to encourage collaboration and communication therefore connecting one blog with another is a goal not something to be avoided. 7. The first blogger said Rosenberg would be hard to designate yet in our presentation on Blogs, Kristi did say that there was a person and a time when blogs originated in use. 6. Bloggers are narcissists. There are so many different people who have blogs and participate in blogs there are probably some who are narcissists but many more who just want to share information with like-minded bloggers. 5. Bloggers cannot be trusted. While there are people who misrepresent themselves and their purposes sifting through the blogs of your interest you can find bloggers who are reputable and those are the ones you can follow without any reservations. Much like the blog we use for this class. 4. There are too many blogs. There certainly are so many no one person could follow them all. The picture of a “galaxy” of a blogosphere hit home as to the numbers of blogs out there. The trick is to find the ones that you want to learn from and perhaps contribute to and stick with those and any that are connected to them. 3. Blogging is dead. This is not true in the sense that people want to communicate with like-minded people blogs provide an excellent method of sharing ideas with others around the world. Additionally, it is a tool we can use to evangelize the nations if we keep up with the work. **Connie Egan** After listening to the video, I find myself agreeing with Scott Rosenberg in most instances. What he considers a myth, however, has elements of truth. For example, #5 - bloggers can't be trusted. I might restate that by saying that what one reads in a blog needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Usually, there are no editors so the information presented is biased. But, quite truthfully, one finds that in the printed word as well - and that does have editors. Alison Smith-After looking at the number of Catholic bloggers alone, I would have to totally agree that blogging isn't dead. I think like anything else you read whether it is in a newspaper, magazine or blog just because it is in print doesn't necessarily make it truth. Reader needs to do their own critical thinking and check other sources. I don't think bloggers are narcissists, I think they probably like to write and like to share their ideas and generate conversation in the comments. Most journalism today is of the self opinion variety and so in that respect I think blogging can be called journalism-however in the "good old days" it was reporting of facts. Scott Rosenberg’s comments are reflective, measured and provide insight into his lengthy personal experience interacting in many different blogosphere //s__. He is quick to note the wide spectrum blogs cover – from the silly to the responsible; journalism – some are, some are not; narcissistic – some are, some are not; trust – some yes, some no; etc. His analogy of choosing which blogs to following with choosing which books to check out from library is well-spoken. I was particularly impressed with his comment that blogs have become “our new public sphere, where we go to discuss issues of the day.” How important is it for us, as Catholics, to participate in these pivotal conversations?!__//
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">10 Myths About Blogs **//**<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">, do you agree or disagree with what Scott states in the video? Why? Please post your name with your answer **//
 * Jan Von Handorf **

**Susan McGurgan** I agreed with some. Some points I believe were over stated. Like all forms of social media, there are positive and negative aspects we should understand in order to blog effectively. There are an overwhelming number of blogs, but nothing says people have to look at them. Some offer reliable and vetted information, others are simply opinion--and fairly uninformed opinion at that. Some are well-written and thought-provoking and others are indeed, trivial and silly. Perhaps "narcissism" is too harsh a term to use, but I see a high level of self-promotion & self-absorption in many blogs, particularly those with a religious focus. "Here's my take on Catholic life", can quickly devolve into "Here is my decree on Orthodoxy--and you better not cross me." "Here is how I live out my Catholic vocation" can easily become, "I am more Catholic than you". Effective bloggers have an internal braking system and are open to outside critique. I have seen how an out of control blogger with no ethical boundaries can create a toxic environment and cause lasting pain for others, particularly in the Church arena. Blogs are indeed, our new public sphere, where people discuss the issues of the day. I believe blogging can be a very valuable tool for evangelization, catechesis and vocational discernment, but like all tools, it is largely dependent on the craftsperson who wields it. **Anne Marie Prangley** I generally agree with Scott Rosenberg. His perspective on blogs was laid back and realistic. He didn't seem too stressed about the appearance or disappearance of blogs. I think it is an attitude we all should absorb. These new technologies are here for awhile - until replaced by something newer and better. In the meantime, we should embrace and even enjoy what blogs have to offer. Blogs are wonderful vehicles for people to share their experiences, journeys and viewpoint. They give voice to the masses, build community and connect those with similar interests or needs. //__I, too, generally agreed with Scott Rosenberg. I think the myths about blogs were reactions to something new and different that people were not yet accustomed to nor did people understand how to use them. When he said that we can choose which ones to read as we choose which of thousands of books to read or which of hundreds of movies to watch, that helped to put things into perspective for me. If we are going to follow or regularly read a blog or blogs, we choose which ones we find interesting, reliable and engaging, just as we would a book or movie.__//
 * Michelle Tomshack**

//__I do agree that there is a blogosphere. I think online communities form around topics or certain blogs. While I am not into it that deeply, a friend of mine blogs and regularly reads others' blogs. She has formed strong bonds, meets up with those she has met through blogging when she travels and finds support through her blogosphere.__//

//__I would agree that some myths have some kernel of truth in them - some blogs can't be trusted, some are not journalism, some have died. However, as with everything, we can not make generalizations based on some blogs fitting into the categories of each myth.__//

//__**Julie Scott**__// //__Scott's #1 observation for me is that blogs are where we turn to dive deeper for more information. I always question if a blog can be trusted and if a blogger is someone who carefully thinks about what is posted. But as Scott remarked, be choosy about the blogs you read (brilliant!) and be choosy about what is read (blogs are not journalism). Blogs have no editors but they do have a community of readers that function as editors. It is fascinating world to explore ... blogosphere as a vast network of communities. For Ministry, there are so many "Catholic" blogs, it is hard to determine if they follow the Church's teachings or are trustworthy sources of information. I liked Scott's busting the #1 myth of "blogs stink", and am in favor of trusting the community that forms around a blog.__//

//__**Brenda Tibbits**__// //__Most of the myths of which Scott wrote are implied generalities. Each statement is a matter of opinion and likely applies correctly to some bloggers and incorrectly to others.__//

//__**Bob Wurzelbacher**__// //__I cannot simply agree or disagree with this blog, because there are many points. Most of this points can be generalized like this:__// __** it is a myth that blogs are stupid, because some are not. **__ //__Well, I guess he has a point, but he certainly does not understand the definition of the word "myth". But that aside, I think that when most people say something like "Blogs are stupid", they don't mean to say "all blogs are stupid", but just that many of them are, and thus it isn't worth their time to weed through them and find a good one. So, his generalities that they aren't all bad isn't much of a point. And, frankly, if someone wants to declare that the number of blogs is so great and percentage of good and trustworthy ones so low that they aren't worth my time to explore, then that is an opinion that is worth having. And everything else he says about blogs would seem to back up that opinion, so it is actually a little hypocritical to express that everyone has a right to blog but that people who believe blogging isn't worth their time are wrong.__// //__Certainly I agree with his point that blogging will not replace journalism, but I have never heard anyone express such a fear.__// //__His point about blogosphere makes little sense. It is just semantics perhaps, but to say that one topic of blogs is a blogosphere separate from another topic is just one person's definition. One could readily argue that all of them together comprise of one blogosphere, and that would seem to me, to be a more valid argument to make.__// //__His argument about the trusworthiness of bloggers is silly. It is true enough that some are trustworthy and some are not, but to boil it down to each individual deciding if someone is trustworthy or not based on what they and others say about them, is entirely too subjective to really determine trustworthiness. That, unfortunately, is one of the roots of our cultural decline. There is no subjective truth anymore. Everyone's opinion is valid, and this is closely followed by, everyone's desire is equally good. Neither of these are actually true.__// //__I did, however, like most of his last statement about blogs being worthwhile. That was his most worthwhile statement. If someone is expressing their passion, there is worthiness in that, and for the most part, time will tell if others relate to that passion and find it worthy to be read. I can mostly agree with that point, and that is the only portion of the whole video that I thought was worth watching.__//

//__<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">When Scott said in response to myth #6 - bloggers are narcissistic, “To blog well, you must link well…and blogging is a social, convivial pursuit” I was a bit surprised. My initial thought was that blogging was either educational (sponsored by “professionals” who share their wisdom and experience, like Joe Paprocki’s The Catechist Journey) or purely opinion. I didn’t feel there was a need to “blog” about every experience you have or to throw out your opinion on every matter. To me, blogging was narcissistic. After listening to Scott and reading some of the Catholic blogs I am seeing the benefit of a well written blog which is “social”, allowing back and forth commentary between blogger and audience. I see blogging as an opportunity to build community. I do see maintaining a blog as a lot of work, in order to make it credible…using the links Scott referred to and getting the word out. I noticed several of the blogs on the catholicblogs site hadn’t been updated in a while. It is a lot of work and I feel unless you are willing to commit the time, you will never gain the credibility to build the audience and stay the course. (Patti Kamper) __//

//__**Terri Moser**__// //__I am not as optimistic as Scott regarding quality journalism being maintained into the future. I'm listening to the audiobook of "1984" by George Orwell. Orwell wrote about political language and propaganda. He saw how storytelling, language and contextual narrative can alter thoughts and beliefs. In Evangelism that can be used in a holy way - or it can be used to unintentionally separate from the reality of the Good News, coloring it in cultural overtones. The closing of fine journalism schools distresses me. The vilification of sound writing departments and liberal arts education gives context to some of the narrow thinking and poor writing many times found in blogs. Books I'm reading about quality writing, especially non-fiction, leads me to consider my own flaw of posting before I revise and review and revise. On another note, I especially agree with Bob's statement above,__// __"Everyone's opinion is valid, and this is closely followed by, everyone's desire is equally good. Neither of these are actually true."// I live in a state where the state legislature determinedly wishes to stop funding to "Critical Thinking" curriculums. I subscribe to quality journalism materials in order to support good writing.__

__Myth #6 states that bloggers are narcissists. As a mental health professional, I hesitate to give intention to people's self-promotion as narcissism. People are trying to make a living. However, recently as a blogger I follow posted about her nearly fatal condition, her fellow bloggers self-promoted as they offered their blessings and wishes. I found that in poor taste.__

__The quantity of bloggers and their efforts to get attention can be overwhelming. I agree with Scott that number is not a problem. However, some temperaments have a greater challenge in staying focused on values that serve their life and spiritual goals. I spent way too much time reading comments sections, swaying with the emotions and unrestrained vitriol or trolling taking place. I don't read them anymore. My decision serves to help me focus on my direction, vocation, and job description. Like the all-you-can-eat buffet, guidelines, portion control, and "nutritional" content must be considered in the choices I make in using the precious resource which is our time on earth.__

__**Tara Dibble**__ __Myths 10, 6, 5, and 2: I couldn't help but get a chuckle from watching this video as every single myth he discussed was exactly how I have felt about blogging. It is only within the last 6 to 9 months as I've discovered different blogs that I've found value to them. I completely turned away from blogs because I viewed them as being written by "wannabe journalists" with little value for the majority of people. I did feel that you must be a narcissist to find that your opinion is so valued that you must publish it and the public at large will wait with bated breath for you to post. Remarkably, though, Twitter and Facebook never turned me off in the same way and now I realize they should. In fact, I find myself turning more to blogs rather than Twitter or Facebook when I'm trolling around the internet.__

__Myth 9: I never felt that print media was at risk from blogging but I can see how it can be perceived as such. Unfortunately I do know several displaced journalists who after a year or two of unemployment after being let go from their print jobs now blog for "online newspapers."__

__Myth 4: I do find myself overwhelmed by the number of blogs out there. The first homework assignment almost overwhelmed me and I'll admit that I cheated and sought out two blogs I was somewhat familiar with to answer the question.__

__Myths 8, 7, and 3: I never have given these any thought. Maybe in my advanced years (I'm not adjusting well to my recent turn into the 4th decade) I just assumed blogosphere was an all-encompassing word?__

__Myth 1: gave me a good belly laugh because I have totally bought into that myth. I better understand that there is something out there for everyone and just because I don't particularly care for something doesn't mean someone else won't either.__

Laura Sams__ I’m a David Letterman “Top 10,” fan. I enjoyed Scott Rosenberg’s method of “debunking” blogging myths. I am not acquainted with Scott Rosenberg, but I believe his brief talking points are credible and believable. Following “reputable” bloggers can provide for additional learning resources. In all resource gathering, it is important to determine if the information is accurate. When blogger followers communicate with the blogger, they can develop a “relationship” with that blogger. In addition to developing a “community,” blogging can develop into networking opportunities.

Terri Kerley I agree with everyone that Scott did a good job describing various myths, but it was a generalization and some I agree with and some I did not. Many times I wanted him to continue with his explanation and felt like he was cut off or really didn't make his point. But I agree this will never take over for the true journalists, but it is often interesting to get other people's views. I also agree that there are a lot of blogs, but just like any product on the market, the good ones will get noticed, read and talked about! Just like anything, you have to always consider the source. Some will be good and others will not. But it our tech word, the delete button is always available!

Ann Andriacco: Scott makes some good points; it is easy to understand and direct. Some points are very broad. I never equated blogs with journalism (maybe because I am married to a recovering journalist.) That is like saying magazines are journalism or books are journalism. Some are and some aren’t. There are so many blogs that it becomes a full time job to read and interact with all of them. I agree that one should pick and choose. I also agree that there are good ones and not so good ones. They are all the products of someone’s passion or I don’t think a person would bother to write. The reader is responsible for the interaction and in some ways the depth of the conversation. If a person doesn’t respond, there is no dialogue.

I found it surprising/stunning that there are 70 million blogs since 2003**.** In general it seems that people want to be heard and want to contribute something meaningful. It is like going to college where you were surrounded by others of like mindedness in your field of study. It is uplifting to connect and learn together. I enjoyed Scott’s 10 myths and agree with his view of what is happening presently with webblogs.
 * Susan Bellotti**

Marty McClain Like many others, it is hard for me to agree/disagree with everything Scott has to say. I have read some good blogs and some bad blogs. I have read political blogs and "opinion" blogs. The types and style of blogs are numerous. There seems to be many shapes and sizes to blogs and the whole concept of blogging. I find that most blogs are a representation of the author's presonality. In some respects, I find Scott's arguments pointless. As long as people choose to write blogs and people read them/comment on them, blogs will remain a part of our culture.