Friday, October 7, 2011

No. 2,539

I don't know how or by whose authority, but this blog has been added to the Catholic Blog Directory. It is the 2,539th to be included in an ever-updating compilation.

(I didn't even know such a directory existed until I committed the sin of pride and Googled my blog just to see what turned up.)

There are blogs from lay persons, priests, and religious. The blogs of cardinals and bishops sit next to blogs of converts and newly baptized. A cursory scan of the list shows that all of the Capuchin brothers' blogs that I read are there. The diversity is good to see. Check out the list, if you are curious.

As of this moment there are now 2,542 blogs that have to do with Catholicism. I wonder what kind of algorithms are being used to gather them in, and whether this list could ever possibly be considered authoritative, definitive, or exhaustive in any meaningful sense. For instance, it appears this directory names only those blogs published in languages using the Latin alphabet. Surely there are more blogs that have to do with the Catholic faith than this. Then, there are two big questions. What is Catholic? And what are the marks of a "Catholic" blog?

As for my blog, it was conceived to be a public diary about religious life from the perspective of a person who is becoming a Capuchin Franciscan. It is not directly about Catholicism, but Catholicism is frequently its subject, because in order to share my religious life with the wide audience I have envisioned, I need to explain Catholic faith and practice. I would make the case that this is not a Catholic blog but a blog by a person who happens to be Catholic. But is that a distinction without a difference?

Well, how about it, readers: is this public diary a "Catholic blog"?

3 comments:

  1. I would say that it's not NOT a Catholic blog, but it's not definitely a Catholic blog either. Ah...the gray. Can it not be both and neither?

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  2. The way to judge a Catholic blog is to check whether they pass round the collection plate every time you visit.

    God bless.

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  3. Hi, and welcome to the Catholic Blog Directory. I'd like to invite you to participate in Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival, a weekly gathering in which Catholic bloggers share their best posts with each other. This week's host post is at http://rannthisthat.blogspot.com/2011/10/sunday-snippets-catholic-carnival_08.html

    You got on the directory either by submitting your blog, someone submitting it or the keeper finding you. I'm sure she'd remove you if you asked, but lots of us on it are Catholics who blog, not necessarily bloggers about Catholicism.

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