As perhaps you noticed, this blog disappeared for a couple of days, along with my Twitter account. I just needed that little bit of space in my ongoing project--or perhaps the ongoing project of grace!--of clarifying for myself my voice, who I am online, what this blog is for me and how I use it. Writing, after all, is a spiritual practice not to be taken lightly. As Thomas Merton put it:
“If you write for God you will reach many men and bring them joy. If you write for men--you may make some money and you may give someone a little joy and you may make a noise in the world, for a little while. If you write for yourself, you can read what you yourself have written and after ten minutes you will be so disgusted that you will wish that you were dead.”
That's from New Seeds of Contemplation. It's amazing what an influence that book has had on me over the years. Right now I'm reading an Italian translation; since it's a text I know pretty well, it's good practice.
So, coming back from a couple days of retreat into the void, I've made a couple of adjustments. First, I've marked the occasion with a new layout. The old template was one I had been using since I started this blog over six years ago, which was before Blogger was part of Google. Not everything on the template was working rightly any longer, and it was also full of my amateurish efforts at hand-rolling some of the HTML. (In those days there wasn't yet the widget-based layout editor we have now.) I've edited out some old posts of which I've repented. I've also reduced the lists of blog on the sidebar to one. When I started this blog, I knew of only a few other blogs by Franciscans, so I thought it would be right and just to start a particularly Franciscan blogroll. At this point I couldn't even read all of the blogs by my Capuchin confreres, let alone all the Franciscans who are out there bringing some pax et bonum to the web. So now there's just one list for everyone: old and new blogging friends, bloggers I just find interesting, and those I feel like it's only right to link out of filial piety or because of visitors sent.
The licensing information as well as the disclaimer are unchanged, and both still appear all the way at the bottom.
11 comments:
Dearest Brother Charles. You have no idea how happy I am to see your blog back online. I feel like I experienced a certain cyber-death the last few days. In the event you have any second thoughts about continuing your blog, I thought I would share with you what your blog has done for me over the last 6 years.
I don't believe in circumstance, and I truly believe Divine Providence has inspired you to blog. In 2006, a cascade of tragedies has exploded like a grenade in my my life, and I found myself questioning, pleading, bargaining, doubting, and arguing with God. The foundation and morals I grew up with were shaken to the core, and I could find no answers or consolation in my parish. So I reached out in cyberspace typing in the equivalent of psychological pleas when I stumbled upon your blog. I've been a faithful follower ever since. I love the fact that you are so willing to make yourself vulnerable to your readers. I have learned so much from you about the essence of being human. Your being in Rome is not an accident. Your struggling with language is not an accident. I honestly believe God has begun to prune his Church, because disease has set in. If I have learned anything from reading the Gospels is that Jesus is the alpha and omega of grassroots movements. Your blog is to me like the letters of St. Paul in the spirit of the new evangelization bought on by blessed John Paul II. God has plans for you.
Thank you for the comment.
I'm so glad you are back. Thinking and praying for you as we approach the feast of St. Francis. Begging a short prayer from you too! God bless!
Good to see you back, Fr. Charles. And thanks for the reminder that writing is not to be taken lightly.
@Sara Thank you.
@Terry Thank you for the prayer, and for your witness. Praying for you too.
Welcome back! You had me worried there for a few days. Your posts are always so thought provoking. I am more than pleased that they will continue. Hope the studies are going well and giving you a few laughs too.
Father,
I love the new layout. Ten thousand times better for an iPhone, too.
Grazie fratello, sei veramente un genio. :)
-Lou
PS. In the future could you let us now ahead of time before you disappear. I clicked on the bookmark as a kind of "goodbye, old friend" and was happily surprised to find you back. :)
I'm glad you're back - but I notice my blog is no longer included in your blogroll. Did I cause offense, or was I not blogging enough?
@ASF I fixed the omission. Pax et bonum!
Thank you! And I'm glad you are back. Your blog is often the first I go to on my blogroll.
I'm so glad your leaving was just a momentary lapse! :) Yours is the only priestly blog I care about... I've learned from you and want to thank you for (as someone already said) making yourself vulnerable to your readers. I just happened to look one more time, just in case... and there you were!
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