Blogging+-+What+Does+the+Church+Have+to+Say+About+Blogging


 * Assignment # 2 ****What Does the Church Have to Say About Blogging? **

Your assignment for this segment is to post a SHORT reflection about what you learned from RomeReports.com
[]

Notice the varied languages of the blogs. Pick a blog and look for posts that these bloggers added to their blogs regarding the conference. What are you learning about the Vatican's first-ever conference in Rome for bloggers from the blogger perspective? From the RomeReport.com perspective?

Remember to select the "Edit" button, and under your name, add a perspective for each category. When you are done, be sure to click on "Save."

Blogger perspective: Anna Arco
[]

=
I believe that in general this blogger is saying that the meeting in Rome was a good start to the Vatican's understanding of what a blog is and of what use it could be to them. She does believe that there is much that the Vatican has to learn so that the use of the Blog will be of better service to the people of God. I am learning that the Church is beginning to see that there is much they have to learn about the use of social communication. They are trying to get a handle on all of it and I believe they will continue to do so. I, for my part, am probably at the level of a beginner in this process. I must say, I am being challenged to find ways to use the blog in my own ministry. ======

=
RomeReport.com: The report told of a new way of thinking for the Vatican and that there is much to be done. However, the view was positive toward the compling need to use this social media to evangelize people. I believe this is the beginning of many more meetings to help leaders of the church see the need to be on top of this process. ======

Your Name: Kristi Jenkins

RomeReport.com: That the Vatican is taking blogging seriously, and just beginning its efforts to figure out how to embrace/respond/ join the conversation.

Blogger perspective: Anna Arco (Catholic Herald, UK) [] Interestingly enough, Anna states that she doesn't think the institutional church communications can take advantage of the blog, because the new medium doesn't fit the established methods. Another blogger, Lisa Hendry of CatholicMom.com had a few posts, and she seemed more enthused about meeting other bloggers in person than the actual Church response. Both of these taken together point to something interesting: if the medium is the message, perhaps the social media will change the actual way we are church. That is to say, perhaps we are moving toward more emphasis on church as a "people of God" than a "heirarchy".

Claudia Rome: When I first discovered that Rome was inviting bloggers, I was amazed that they were so open to a medium that was so non-traditional.

Blogger perspective: The Ironic Catholic [] I have to admit that I had to sift through this writier's blog to find her posts on the Rome visit, but it was WORTH IT. While most of her blog content seems to be short posts with cartoons, amusing quotes and not too much serious writing, she really offered some meat in her post on bloggers in Rome. She offered some great ideas for improvement, and really nailed the issue of responsiblity in blogging (Digital citizenship) as a Catholic. I suggest you read it - link above.

Amy
Blogger-Carole [|A Light to the Nation] The thing that touched me the most about Carole's post about the blogger meeting in Rome was that she was"hungry" for more conversation. She looks at the blog she writes as "assisting" the Vatican "assisting" the faithful. Carole points out the positive points that shared conversation can bring, and something the Vatican press office isn't really set up for. Since bloggers are...they(we) can be a valuable assist.

Sister Ann [] I chose to follow a blog of Mary O’Regan. My mother‘s name. Mary is an Irish woman living in England who says,” I write about matters concerning the Catholic faith. I strive to attend Tridentine Mass every day.” It was hard for me to follow her blog because I am a Vatican II Catholic not a Tridentine. Mary said in her blog that there were bloggers there who probably disagreed with her. I certainly did not look at all the blogs but I had the feeling that the blogger were chosen because of their conservative views. According to the blogs I read they did spend quite a bit of time talking about the need to be charitable in commenting on blogs. The thought is in pushing your own case you may turn away a person from the church. I do agree with that. Only comment on issues; do not attack. I guess my thought from all of this is that I probably would try to read blogs like O’Regan’s but only to get the feel of how someone with different views than mine thinks. I will say Mary is a good writer and her details fo the setting of the meeting were interesting to read.

Glennell : The Church has recognized that the youth, and rapidly following them, all the globe has a new mode of communication that is faster and interactive as compared to the traditional Vatican Media that disseminates information with slow feedback. Rome is now opening channels of communication to a wider community and realizes the benefits as well as the risk and pitfalls inherent in these technological tools. The push forward comes from the potential for carrying the Gospel to far reaching cultures and settings that currently have limited exposure to the riches of the Catholic Church. Also, abundant resources for in depth theological thought and discourse can be accessed readily by following blogs dedicated to Catholic teachings. After review of the list of 150 bloggers invited to Conference on Communication May 2, 2011, I selected #143 and #110. Thomas Peters posted the video of Pope Benendict tweeting on his iPad. Both bloggers were pleased with the conference. 143. Thomas Peters [|http://www.americanpapist.com] 110. Narda Centeno []

From Kathy:
I looked at two blogspot sites that were totally different in perspective. The first was a very professional blog by chronicler Rocco Palmo found at [|http://www.whispersintheloggia.blogspot.com] - - a quote from his blog page states that Rocco is “One of global Catholicism's most prominent chroniclers...” He covered the event as a professional would, seeing all the advantages of the Vatican opening doors of communication through blogging and other social avenues - -but ... in all fairness, I felt that his insights were kind of predictable. Nevertheless - -it is a very well done blog and one that I might want to follow in the future. The other site I chose to look at was Sue’s site [|http://www.desperateirishhousewife.blogspot.com] Flip the pancake over from the predictable - - Sue is from the east coast of the US and has transplanted herself to Minnesota. Her take or insights from being invited to the Vatican for the event was simply refreshing. There was nothing sophisticated about her posts or her insights. In fact, her blog entry was more or less a comforting rendition of the hardships she encountered in trying to keep up with the events in a foreign land. She couldn’t get her Ipad to work, so she didn’t blog - - she tweeted, and tweeted and chirped her way through the event. What’s her insights - - she’s still figuring that one out. She’s just like us! And that make's me feel like the church wanted to listen to the common voice as well as the chronicler at this big event - - we are one body.

Thomas Pryor Perspectives of Rome’s first conference for bloggers: Carol Glatz [] In an unbiased article, Ms Glatz quoted participants to the bloggers conference as to its purpose including: the “church insisted the virtual world should only be a tool, not a substitute for, real human contact, even when the meeting underlines the extraordinary powers of new media;...defining what, if any, kind of relationship should exist between the church and bloggers”. “…a first step in dialogue…not to regulate bloggers.” While I found no personal perspectives or comments, I did find a good resource for Catholic news. __ RomeReport.com __ : The beginning of a dialogue between the Vatican with Catholics and non-Catholics to put a Christian perspective in the blogosphere.

Cindy Taylor
====I am amazed at how everything is coming together-right now-it seems like a "perfect storm" of discovery of the power of this digital world. What an exciting time to be discovering it for myself.. the Vatican has some amazing sites listed-I like the Brandon Voght site and the Word on Fire site as they focus on conversion and daily sermons for daily conversion.====

Brandon Vogt [] This 24 year old blogger from Casselberry, FL (Diocese of Orlando) blogged for the OSV � Our Sunday Visitor � website while in Rome. He shared how the Vatican, specifically Pope Benedict XVI embraces social media and new technologies, although the Pope he had not yet sent his first tweet. (Now we know he has!). He shared some of the highlights of the selected bloggers who were invited to share and covered areas of copyrighting and journalism vs. blogging. He also spoke of a new Vatican websites that were developed or in the works for John Paul II and the Vatican News - []. From [|www.RomeReports.com], I sense a great desire for the Vatican to embrace new technologies, to show how they are seeking to use these technologies and to create an arena for Catholic bloggers to meet and share in person. I think capitalizing on the occasion of the Beatification of John Paul II, for which many of the bloggers would love to be present, was especially well planned. The Vatican is aware of what is happening in the world and wants to use the present technology to evangelize!
 * Diane Kledzik **

Pat Brockmann Sue [|desperateirishhousewife.blogspot.com] Sue is a transplant from the East Coast and now living in Minnesota. I enjoyed her everyday updates leading up to the Conference. She was interesting and funny. She stated that she was not the only blogger who was still amazed at being asked to attend the conference. She thought that the new website will be the most comprehensive on-stop-shopping website ever produces & sounds exciting. [|www.RomeReports.com], As was stated, this is just the start of the dialogue. Hopefully, it will continue.

====Walt Smith [] - I translated this blog from Italian, but it was quite interesting hearing from a blogger in Rome itself. His prospective was positive, but he really emphasized that for so long, the Vatican has considered using blogs and other forms of information online for "proselytizing", trying to convert others to your thought, as opposed to listening & sharing. Regarding the RomeReports.com, I liked the final response, that both sides "need each other."==== Did you really traslate this blog from Italian? Wow! - Claudia

I read http://www.ironiccatholic.com/ "The Ironic Catholic" blog and loved it...she has a very clear, humorous way of writing about things that could otherwise be boring! I liked her reflection on the need for cultural awareness in blogging, and also her comment that if the Vatican redesigns their website, they need to make it accessible for people with disabilities. I am still in awe that the Vatican held this meeting and I think it is really neat that the Church is stepping up to social media.

====Jose, I believe our leaders recognize the value and need for blogging. This method of media allows for communication with people that we would never be able to reach through the Church. Their approach in gathering and evaluating it use is very important to assure we do not mislead people by allowing the wrong idea to be generated thereby creating more confusion and turning people away from Christ. Amen.====

Pam Emery - Bravo to Rome! Invitation of bloggers is very open minded - and indeed necessary in this age of globalization. After digging through several bloggers, I found [] to be refreshing and very enjoyable. This lovely Benedictne nun not only has wonderful insights about the Blogmeet, but a variety of great links. Her final paragraph sums it up very well, with a terriffic insight that I will borrow. "The gifts God chooses to give are always so much better than those one seeks for oneself." This bloger, I will follow. :)