Favorite Defunct Catholic Blogs

Cosmos-Liturgy-Sex is running a poll on favorite "dead" Catholic blogs.

Our old friend Rick Lugari has 2 blogs in the running: De Civitate Dei and Musum Pontificalis. Not included is his very first defunct blog, Unam Sanctum (not to be confused with the existing blog by that name).

man with black hat: My Celtic Moments Revisited

Image courtesy of Fisheaters.com.

[A] few years ago, I was interviewed for a writing job by a priest who edited a major Catholic periodical. A native of Dublin, he reminded me of what really mattered:

"Patrick was not Irish, and on his Feast Day, we do not celebrate being Irish; we celebrate being Catholic."

Today, those who are Irish, or who wish they were, will dine on corned beef and cabbage. Sal and I will listen to Celtic music the entire day, and get a take-out order of the above from an Irish pub. Then tonight we'll probably watch Mel Gibson in Braveheart. Who cares if William Wallace was Scottish? No one cares if Patrick is, do they?

After all, "The Apostle of Ireland" is properly claimed by Catholics everywhere. "Agus fagaimid siud mar ata se."

Prayers for Rhonda and Rick Lugari

Rhonda Lugari, wife of one of your Amateur hosts, Rick (the guy who does all the work around here), is going in for surgery today. Details are at Darwin Catholic.

Please remember Rhonda, Rick, and their family in your prayers.

man with black hat: For Your (Hah!) Consideration

"Being named a mere finalist would be enough to move me up the food chain that is the Catholic blogosphere. I might get more than a hundred views a day, every day. Maybe two hundred. Maybe (gasp!) hundreds. Next thing you know, I'll move on to the big time, speaking across town at Ladies' Sodality meetings."

Stuff

Apologies:

Once again I would like to apologize for the untimeliness of updates. I don't expect to do updates every day or even every week, yet I also don't expect to take two months either. I'm sorry for those who had wait so long to get posted or receive an email reply. Mea culpa.

Blog Awards:

Well kids, it's time again for the Catholic Blog Awards. Nominations are now being accepted and the voting begins... well, I couldn't find where it says when voting begins, but the nomination process goes through the 9th. Be sure to send in your nominations (registration required), and to vote for your favorites. We had a lot of fun with this last year, and as many of you may recall, it was during the awards that the idea for Amateur Catholic came about. The good folks at cybercatholics.com do a good job and are always trying to improve the process. It must seem like a thankless job often times, but I know of many who appreciate the work they do and the grief they encounter. Keep up the good work.

This year's categories are:

1. Best Overall Catholic Blog
2. Best Designed Catholic Blog
3. Best Written Catholic Blog
4. Best New Catholic Blog
5. Best Individual Catholic Blog
6. Best Group Blog
7. Best Blog by Clergy/Religious/Seminarian
8. Funniest Catholic Blog
9. Smartest Catholic Blog
10. Most Informative & Insightful Catholic Blog
11. Best Apologetic Blog
12. Best Political/Social Commentary Catholic Blog
13. Best Insider News Catholic Blog
14. Most Spiritual Blog

Jose Dennio Lim Jr.: Amateur Catholic

I'm Jose Dennio P. Lim Jr. from the Philippines. Add my site. http://ipagtanggolangsimbahan.blogspot.com/

Thank you.

Heh. Well, here's one for those who can read Filipino (or is it Tagalog?) At any rate, welcome to the B-Team, Jose!

Amateur Assistance Appreciated

AC:

I have been overwhelmed by an author's kindness. last year when i reviewed one of her books and wrote an Author profile of her we started emailing. She knows I have been off work for 18 months with a torn rotator cuff, and that has given me so much extra time for reading and writing. She recently asked how things were progressing. The surgeon last week gave me 4 more months off work, but that drastically reduces our income. I shared this with her and this is what she posted on her blog http://shaidle.blogmatrix.com/:entry:shaidle-2007-02-04-0000/ I am sitting here in awe and overwhelmed.

Bit of a bleg.

Peace and Strength!
Yours, learning to be
Steven R. McEvoy

http://mcevoysmusings.ca My Homepage
http://bookreviewsandmore.ca My Complete Blog
http://mcevoysmusingsblog.ca The Catholic and Christian Reviews

And what Steve didn't mention there is that he has recently been blessed with a new baby too. Awww, a little Habs fan. If there's anything you can do monetarily to help Steve out it will no doubt be appreciated. There's a paypal button on his blog. If nothing else, please remember him and his family in your prayers.

Joyful Catholics: Amateur Catholics

Greetings from Omaha,

I just found your Team B website and I would LOVE to join and become a member. I like wine and beer. Not together,of course. Beer with tacos - wine with pizza as any fool knows. I do like an occasional G&T with a good array of snacks, preferably Triscuits, cheese, wheat thins with spinach dip, and tortilla chips & huge bowl of homemade guacalmole. But enough about me, what about you? Who are you and where are you from? Where are you going? I call those questions the Admiral Stockdale Syndrome. Not a very pleasant sounding acronym however, but it works for me.

Please visit our amateur site and if you're ever in Omaha, stop in. We have a great brewery called Upstream Brewing Co. and it waits your vote on it's assorted brews. Goldcoast Blonde is tops in my book.

Thanks for the laughs! Hope to hear from you soon. It's my hope that your qualifications to become a Team B member have been met.

A blogger bum,
susie melkus
Omaha NE
Catholic Convert since Dec 2004: born a heathen at an early age in 1955, baptised Presbyterian, raised Methodist, married a Catholic, became an Evangelical/Pentecostal or as I like to call it, a Conglominationalist and wandered in that foray for some 26+ years, like many scattered sheep throughout the United States and the globe.

Husband: Rich, (not as in wealth) but in name only Cradle Catholic since 1952

Two sons: Justin and Stephen
Justin (the eldest) a lawyer in Dallas, not married. Steve (the youngest- as you probably deduced) currently @ Lockheed Martin and married to his lovely bride, Jill.

We have started RECON for reverts and converts to the Catholic Church. A group where we can support each other as we learn and grow in the Faith, and find enough folks to take a fun canoe trip down the Elkhorn or Niobara Rivers.

Well, Susie and Rich, welcome to the B-Team. As you probably guessed, beer is the official beverage of the Amateur Catholic B-Team. Perhaps you can be our official brewer or something... I'm sort of partial to porter, maybe you could craft a nice porter and slap a B-Team label on it. Of course, from a marketing standpoint it would be suicide, but we can dream, can't we? ;)

Fr. Ben Hawley, SJ: Amateur Catholic

email 1:

For your blogspot and encouragement to all amateurs who love being Catholic and who want to share the Good News, which is the address of my blogspot. I started this blog in October, 2006 as a means of teaching myself a little technology. I am convinced that we Catholics need to use the internet as much as possible.

I’d appreciate becoming an Amateur Amateur.

So, thanks again.

Fr Ben Hawley, SJ

email 2:

I am a real amateur, but even I managed to add the badge to the sidebar of my blog: www.thegoodnewsofchrist.blogspot.com.

Is there anything else I need to do for membership?

Fr. Ben Hawley, SJ

There we go, Father. Welcome to the B-Team, we're happy to have you. Please remember your amateur colleagues in your prayers. :)

Sanctus Belle: Amateur Catholic

I'd like to join your B team! Here's my blog, come check it out please.

http://ourladystears.blogspot.com

Thanks, Sanctus Belle

You're in...welcome aboard! Don' forget to add your badge and/or blogroll.

Jeff Vehige and Jeff Woodward: Amateur Catholics

Hello.

I'm one of the team members of Thursday Night Gumbo -- Thursday night, because that's when we get together to watch a movie, and gumbo because (a) that's our favorite meal and (b) just as you can throw almost anything into gumbo, we at Thursday Night Gumbo will talk about almost anything.

We're both Catholic, and neither one of us make any money off our Catholicism; therefore, we're amateur Catholics. But we are doubly amateur because it takes two of us to run one blog. And if being doubly amateur doesn't qualify us as professional amateurs, what possibly could?

Here is our information:

Blog name: Thursday Night Gumbo
Blog URL: http://thursdaynightgumbo.blogspot.com/
Blog Hosts: Jeff Vehige and Jeff Woodward

- Jeff V.

Hey there, Jeff and Jeff, glad to have you. Welcome to the B-Team!

"Sister" Allie: Amateur Catholic

Dear Amateur Catholic,

Pax tecum! My name is Allison but my nickname is "Sister" Allie. I run a blog called, "Sister Allie's Schtick." It has been up for about five months. My blog description goes as follows ...

This is the blog of "Sister" Allie, a quirky; Latin loving; fish on Friday; "Rome-friendly" trad and acolyte extraordinaire who is totally in love with Our Lord Jesus Christ; discerning a religious vocation and is a freshman Theology and Philosophy double major at Aquinas College. On this blog, I will reflect on the richness and beauty of Catholicism, all things Papist, and random subjects about which I feel like writing.

As you can see by the looks of my blog ... I have very few bells and whistles ... I try to write pertinent posts on issues pertaining to things truly Catholic. Though you must allow me the occasional "trad rant." I am only doing this because I enjoy it thoroughly and it is a means of getting my voice out there in cyberspace.

Well, that is about it ... if you want more information ... feel free to email me!

Dio Ti Benedica e Maria Ti Protegge Per Sempre!
God Bless You and Mary Protect You Forever!
-Allie

Welcome to the B-Team, Allie!

Shellie Stephens: Amateur Catholic

I am WAY amateur although someday... maybe Professional amateur. I'm on the Swim Team 2007 and my day job (homeschooling the kids) is falling by the wayside as I track down the best of the best to spring on unsuspecting family relatives that cannot say the word Catholic without crying.

I love my German Shepherd, the communion of Saints and the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. Love the badge; need to display it. :)

hereistand.blog.com

Shellie Stephens

Nice to have you, Shellie. Welcome aboard!

The God Fearin' Fiddler: Amateur Catholic

I’m an amateur fiddler player (God knows) and amateur Catholic blogger (just step on over and you’ll see why I’m not making any money at it). Why do I deserve to be a member? Because I … want more hits??

http://godfearin.blogspot.com

The peace of our Lord, Jesus Christ be with you both now and forever. Amen

- TheGodFearinFiddler

A God fearin' fiddler, eh? What will they think of next? Heh. Welcome to the B-Team, Fiddler!

Natalie: Amateur Catholic

Hello Amateur Catholic,

My name is Natalie and I'm from lovely Southern California. My blog is http://inksmudge.wordpress.com
It is named for in reference to a slam poetry portion of a song about one finally becoming the person s/he is meant to be. I supposed I wanted to be unique among Catholic bloggers, and even more so since I also tend to blog a lot about soccer and politics. I am loyal to the Magisterium, though I tend to side with the Democrats due to social justice issues (just a warning for GOPers.) However, I am 100% pro-life and pro-family values. I am a practicing Catholic, and although I am not strong in apologetics, I always defend Pope Benedict and the Church against liturgical abuses and Cafeteria Catholics. I think that pretty much seems it up so here goes nothing.

Sincerely,
Natalie

Soccer? You blog about soccer? Sigh...I don't know about this, Natalie, soccer is like heresy or something. But until it is officially condemned I guess we'll just have to let you in. :)

Welcome aboard!

Kat: Amateur Catholic

The big questions for is: "Are there dues? I don't have any spare change due to the fact that I am strictly an amateur."

Hey, I spend my days slogging through mountains of laundry, piles of dishes, heaps of homeschooling paperwork- no payment coming my way!
Can I join?
Kat, mom of 5
http://nofightingnobiting.blogspot.com

Nope, no dues - but with 5 kids I'd say you're well on your way to being a professional. Good for you, and welcome to the B-Team!

Susan Vigilante: Amateur Catholic

Dear Amateur Catholics,

I want to be one, too! So I'm asking you to take a look at my blog, Desperate Irish Housewife ( http://desperateirishhousewife.blogspot.com/).

The blog has gotten some national attention a couple of times. I did a piece on"The Da Vinci Code" on the blog that also appeared in National Review Online. Ann Coulter also featured it as the "Recommended Blog of the Week" last year.

My main credentials are I'm Catholic and a writer. Also donut lady at my parish. Catholics don't come any amateur than me.

Please read me! Please link me!

Thanks!

Susan Vigilante

There ya go...you're added. Welcome aboard!

St. Jimbob of the Apokalypse: Amateur Catholic

I may meet your criteria to play on the team, so what do you say? Please, please, please can I be on your team? I'll won't hog the ball...

I've been blogging just over a year now, and while I may be a bit hard on the heretics, I've also managed to get Rad Trads' feathers ruffled as well. His Excellency Fabian Bruskewitz is my bishop, and I guess he's been rubbing off on me after being in Lincoln for 7 years now.

Cheers,

St. Jimbob of the Apokalypse
http://shakingoffsleep.blogspot.com/

Hey there, St. Jimbob, glad you finally joined the party. Welcome to the B-Team!

Lisa Wilson: Amateur Catholic

Hi, my name is Lisa Wilson, and I would love to display your badge on my blog.

I am an Emt turned theology student at a Franciscan parish in CA. I am a recent convert via the RCIA and loving it, my blog is about living as a catholic and my discernment to whatever vocation God may be calling me to, ..also my adventures, struggles and joy are interspersed in this blog.

Every thing else kind of speaks for itself,
Peace and happy New Year.

check it out; www.sanctifyme.blogspot.com

Peace,
Lisa Wilson

Welcome Home and welcome to the B-Team, Lisa.

Churches Around the World

Greetings,

I added your very interesting blog ion my "blog roll" and I'm writing this present email to ask for your final approval of so.

My website is about religious buildings. A photo archive to make people think, dream and travel with their heart through amazing and special places, churches, monasteries, cathedrals or chapels spread out around the globe. I hope you enjoy it and allow me to use you blog as an external link. If you wish to retribute the link it's also fine by me, thank you.

Every image on my site were taken during 8 years of personal pilgrimage travelling the world, trying to find myself maybe trying to find God. So, I just want to say they are special. Special moments caught by my camera. To know is that you can use any of my photos in your daily post in your blog if you wish for. As post usually come with pictures you have my permission to use any you would like. I appreciate and would be an honour in fact.

http://churchesaroundtheworld.com

If you wish to link back to me:
You can add me as normal Blog roll or use this banner, here's the code to insert in the blog:


Churches Around the World

you can also chose from other different banners here: http://churchesaroundtheworld.com/link-to-churches-around-the-world

thank you,
happy new year

João Pedro dos Santos Jesus da Silva Leitão

Very nice stuff. We'll simply add you to the blogroll and call you one of us. ;) Welcome aboard!

Introducing VERT

Hello Rick, as you may recall, or not, I am already an Amateur Catholic member with my luminousmiseries blog. But, being a consummate amateur I am here to bleg an opportunity to flog my latest amateur endeavor geared specifically for Catholic converts and reverts called, well, VERT

VERT launch date = January 1st 2007.

VERT is intended to compliment other online Catholic communities with an extra special and specific focus on converts and reverts to the Catholic faith. If you know what those buzz terms signify, you blog, and you are looking for like minded people who will encourage and challenge VERT may be for you.

VERT COMBINES the purpose of a gathering place like St. Blog's Parish and Amateur Catholics with weekly themed writing prompts that I hope is complimentary to the un-themed Catholic Carnival while being specifically geared for converts and reverts. While I am an amateur and I think most members will be amateur Catholics VERT allows pros to join too

VERT was created by me Owen of luminousmiseries.ca and of onionboy.ca over two days when I had a very bad head cold, time, and what I hope turns out to have been a good idea.


--
::thrive!
Owen

Great idea, Owen. Again, sorry it took so long. BTW, there is a link in the sidebar that will provide you with the blogroll code.

Leticia Velasquez: Amateur Catholic

Dear B team,
I'm not certain if this is the proper forum to apply for the B team, but please direct me if I'm mistaken.
I feel that this is the place for a new blogger who stands in the shadow of the A team admiring them,and hoping to be picked someday, but must admit that she is not even a B teamer, and, would be proud to have a team to belong to!
My blogs are: http://cause-of-our-joy.blogspot.com
and http://causa-nostrae-laetitiae.blogspot.com
Merry Christmas,
Leticia Velasquez

A little side note here: Leticia created one of those quiz thingies, maybe you've seen it around. Do you know your Baltimore Catechism? Good work on that Leticia and welcome to the B-Team!

A Shining City: Amateur Catholic

Dear Amateur Catholic Blogging Buddies-

I am a Roman Catholic who deeply believes that religion doesn't need the government's help to survive and flourish.

I would love to rip down every display of the Ten Commandments on public land and move them to be proudly displayed in front of my own house.

I would love to eliminate "In God We Trust" on our nation's coins and place that motto on each one of our hearts.

Yes, I am the rare "religious libertarian." I carry a rosary around in my pocket while preaching against the evil of organized prayer in public schools.

I know I might be a little confusing but I want to join your group! You look like quality people. I would be honored.

Here is my blog: http://www.shiningcityatopahill.blogspot.com/

Thank you very much!

AShiningCity

Welcome to the B-Team, AShiningCity!

Housekeeping

Dear fellow B-Team members:

Crux of the Matter has moved. It can now be found at acavender.wordpress.com.

The blogroll has been updated, Amy. Thanks for the heads-up.

Terry Ginesi: Amateur Catholic

Hi

My name is Terry Ginesi. i live at ________, Prestwick, Scotland.

I have a blog Idle Speculations. The websit address is: http://idlespeculations-terryprest.blogspot.com

I am Catholic but strictly a very amateur blogger and have just taken up blogging.

I should be grateful if I could be enrolled as a member of the Amateur Catholic B Team.

Many thanks

Terry Ginesi

It's good to have you, Terry. Welcome aboard!

ACatholic Toddler: Amateur Catholic

Hi,
I am a profound and experienced amateur and a not so bad catholic!! I have been bloggin on other issues but now I relaise there is only one reason to blog to live to laugh heck to live life and I want a blog to celebrate the love and grace of God, why on earth he picked you guys to help me is beyond me( just kidding) .......... :)

So do I qualify for the pros

God Bless

http://acatholictoddler.blogspot.com/

If a toddler isn't an amateur, I don't know what is... Welcome to the B-Team!

man with black hat: Guadalupe Revisited

A tradition of shameless self-promotion continues into the New Year.

"In many parts of the world, devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary has supplanted the attention given to goddess images, including in Mexico. Nevertheless, in other parts of Latin America, as well as the Caribbean, there persists among the working classes a strange mix of folk religion, one that weaves together both Christian and aboriginal images and practices.

"[H]ere in the more 'civilized' part of the world -- Raleigh, North Carolina, to be exact -- the goddess archetype has taken on a strange new twist: 'A North Carolina artist intrigued by the public obsession with celebrity has found herself feeding that obsession with a painting of actress Angelina Jolie as the Virgin Mary hovering over a Wal-Mart check-out line.'

"Oh yes, you really have to see it to believe it. (I considered illustrating it here, and then I thought... NAHHH!)"

An Amateur Poem for Twelfth Night ...

... so amateur, in fact, that I had to plagiarize an author of children's nonsense rhymes. With apologies to Dr. Seuss:

How the Puritans Stole Christmas

Every High-Church Anglican and Catholic
Living in Jolly Olde England
Liked Christmas a lot...

But the Puritans,
Who were infected with Calvinism,
Did NOT!
Puritans
The Puritans hated Christmas!
The whole Christmas season!
Now, please don't ask why. No one quite knows the reason.
It could be that their round heads weren't screwed on just right.
It could be, perhaps, their predestinarian arses were too tight.
But I think that the most likely reason of all
Was a distaste for mince pies - shaped like a manger-bed in a stall.

But,
Whatever the reason,
Mince pies or their arses,
The Puritans saw the yuletide celebrations as farces,
Staring down on the festivities with sour, dour frowns
At the merriment and good will of those in the towns.
For they knew all the revelers were engaged in such vices
As eating tarts made of suet and spices.

"And they're eating plum pudding!" they snarled with a sneer.
"Tomorrow is Christmas! It's practically here!"
Then they growled, with their greedy fingers nervously drumming,
"We MUST find a way to keep Christmas from coming!"
For, tomorrow, they knew...

...That the Christmas events
Would involve the consumption of pies made of mince!
And then! Oh, the noise! Oh, the noise! Noise! Noise! Noise!
That's one thing they hated! The NOISE! NOISE! NOISE! NOISE!

Then the revelers, young and old, would sit down to a feast.
And they'd feast! And they'd feast!
And they'd FEAST! FEAST! FEAST! FEAST!
They would start on plum pudding, and rare roast-beef
Foods again giving Puritans nothing but grief!

And THEN
They'd do something Puritans liked least of all!
Every merry-maker in town, the tall and the small,
Would stand close together, with Christmas bells ringing.
They'd stand hand-in-hand. And they all would start singing!

They'd sing! And they'd sing!
AND they'd SING! SING! SING! SING!
And the more the Puritans thought of the whole Christmas-Sing
The more the Puritans thought, "We must stop this whole thing!
"Why for over sixteen hundred years we've put up with it now!
We MUST stop Christmas from coming!
...But HOW?"

Then they got an idea!
An awful idea!
THE PURITANS
GOT A WONDERFUL, AWFUL IDEA!

"We know just what to do!" The Puritans began plot-ting.
And they made civil war against England's King.
And they built up an army, and the Puritans said,
"When we've won this war, we'll remove the King's head!"

"All we need is a ploy..."
To get the job done.
But since kings are kings,
It was difficult to come up with one.
Did that stop the Puritans...?
No! The Puritans said,
"Charges of treason and Romish sympathies will cost him his head!"
So they called a rump court; charges the King refused to refute.
And the court issued the sentence to execute.

THEN
They loaded poor Charles
Dressed in clothes resembling sacks
On a ramshakle scaffold
And severed his head with an ax.

The Puritan Ban on Christmas
Then the Puritans said, "Huzzah!"
For they had brought the King down
And they began to march
On all the churches in town.

All their stain-glassed windows were dark. Quiet filled the air.
All the vestrymen were all dreaming sweet dreams without care
When the Puritans came to the first church in the square.
"This is stop number one," The Puritans hissed
And each Puritan approached shaking his fist.

Then they broke all the stain-glass.
And smashed statues galore.
Their horses dishonored the graves in the floor.
Then they burned all the vestments,
And prayer books, too.
Then they said "Let's move on, we have much to do!"

Then they slithered and slunk, with dour looks most unpleasant,
Around the whole town, to despoil places where Christ was once present!
Stained glass! Statuary! Painted images! Candles!
All manner of popish influences that for years had caused scandals!
And they smashed them to pieces and threw them on piles
And set them ablaze, smiling devilish smiles!

Then they turned to the larders. They banned the Yule feast,
The plum pudding, the boar's head, and all toasts to that beast!
They forbade all the foods that had given offense.
And they succeeded in banning the pies made of mince!

Father Christmas on Trial
Then the last thing they took
Was the yule log for the fire.
On the walls they left nothing but hooks, and some wire.

And the one little speck
Left in the church house
Was a crumb that was even too small for a mouse.

Then
They did the same thing
To the other church houses

Leaving crumbs
Much too small
For the other church mouses!

And what happened then...?
Well...in England they say
That the Lord Protector's round head
Grew three sizes that day!
And the minute that "defender of liberty" felt safe from the strife,
He became the Commonwealth's dictator for life!
And he enforced the outlawing of Christmas! And all the foods for that feast!
And he...

...HE HIMSELF...!
The Lord Protector ruled the realm like a tyrannical beast!

Mince Pie Still Life


NB: Christmas was not only outlawed in the British Isles but in parts of colonial America, as well. In 1659, a law was passed by the General Court of Massachusetts Bay Colony requiring a five-shilling fine from anyone caught "observing any such day as Christmas or the like, either by forbearing of labor, feasting, or any other way."