Friar John Bamman OFM Conv. is a member of the Province of Our Lady of Consolation of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual (the Franciscans). He lives and works at the Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation in Carey, Ohio. Friar John is a vocation director for the Province. His nickname is Friar Truck, because he was a truck driver before he joined the Order.

Friar John writes a blog called Why Knot Friar? He writes about what it's like to be a Franciscan friar today - a member of a medieval Order in a fast-moving, post-modern world. Here, for example, is his description of a recent trip to Chicago: Table of Plenty. Enjoy!

Come to me, you with broken, mended hearts
who know the pain and joy and confusion of love and life.

Come with your wounds and scars and failures
for from these shall flow patience, courage and strength.

Come with your experiences no less than your education
for wisdom springs more from how you live than from who you are or what you know.

Come with the rock-hard stubborness of Peter
and the missionary zeal of Paul.

Come with the loyal love of Mary Magdalene
and the undying friendship of Lazarus.

Come with the natural poetry of Francis
and the visionary leadership of Joan.

Come with the childlike simplicity of Bernadette
and the doubt-plagued faith of Mother Teresa.

Come. And go.

Go out to the farthest corners of the world.
Go to the least, the lowest, and the loneliest.
Go reveal the riches hidden among the poor.
Go give health to the sick, and comfort to those who mourn.

Go with the fire of the Magnificat burning within your heart
and the Body of Christ alive within the soul's tabernacle.

Go break down the barriers dividing my people.
Go tear down the walls of ignorance and fear.
Go lift up the fallen and raise up the weak.
Go with the Spirit to sustain you.

Come and go! I am with you always!
The reign of God is at hand!
See! I give you  my word.

Joseph R. Veneroso, M.M.

Fr. Joe Veneroso is a member of the Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America, commonly called the Maryknoll Fathers & Brothers. Fr. Joe is a retired editor and publisher of Maryknoll Magazine. He is the author of several books of poetry and of spirituality.

by friar Bob

Blogs, podcasts, print-on-demand books, webcasts - there are so many ways for small operations to get their product out to the public today. And millions do just that. Just under the category "Catholic blogs", there are thousands and countless thousands (you're reading one now). Many - perhaps most - are of little interest to most people. But some blogs are really worth reading regularly, even some produced by individuals or small groups.

Besides the ones I read myself, I looked at lists of popular blogs at various North American web aggregators. It is no surprise that the most popular Catholic blogs are all produced by big Catholic magazines and news agencies. According to Freshy Sites, among the most popular are:

CNA - Catholic News Agency - owned by the National Catholic Register (which also owns EWTN), this is a "mainstream conservative" Catholic news agency, which does a lot of interviews with bishops.

CNS - Catholic News Service - this is the official news service of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. It is, therefore, quite authoritative but is sometimes thought of us less independent.

Besides the big sites, here are three interesting small blogs:

25 and Catholic, by Mary Kate Knorr - part of the website Patheos' stable of blogs, Mary Kate's blog explores expressions of Catholicism by a young, single, politically active adult. Well written, often exploring topics other blogs shy away from.

Carrots for Michaelmas, by Haley Stewart - Haley is a wife and mother in Texas, living and working on a sustenance farm. I like this blog because Haley is so well read, and keeps on reading. Haley herself says that she writes "about motherhood, faith, culture, and literature (with a healthy dose of miscellany and fashion)." For a good idea of her writing, see her blog about Halloween.

Peanut Butter and Grace, by Gracewatch Media (Jerry Windley-Daoust, ed.) - I let this one sneak in because it can be so interesting. Gracewatch Media is a small Catholic publishing house in Winona, Minnesota, whose staff publishes this blog "to help other Catholic parents raise their kids in the faith." They go on to say: >>Our primary audience is “middle pew Catholics”—parents who attend Mass regularly and want to do more to integrate the faith into their family life, but don’t know where to begin. They might even say, “I can’t teach my children about the faith because I don’t know how.” These parents are probably both working to support their family, living the crazy-busy lifestyle of the typical working- and middle-class American family.<<  -- Please note that this is a commercial site selling products, but I like it anyway!

What are some of your favorite Catholic blogs? Please comment below.

NOTA BENE: I'm trying to get someone to write about good Catholic podcasts. Any takers?

Peace and all good,
friar Bob Showers OFM Conv.