Frank Pate: Amateur Catholic

Dear Amateur Catholic,

I’m so amateur, it took me 20 years to come back to the Church (only half as long as the Israelites wandered). But it’s wonderful to be back. Many B-teamers were very influential in my reverting. I gave up being a Professional Protestant (minister) to be an Amateur Catholic. Would appreciate your blessing as one of you.

http://andalsowithyou.blogspot.com

Hi Frank, I remember you from over at Cathy's. You're the guy who hopefully will have to change the name of his blog to And With Thy Spirit. Welcome home and welcome to the B-Team!

Dumb Ox: Amateur Catholic

Dear Amateur Catholic,

I've added your blogroll to The Dumb Ox because I appreciate the initiative you are taking. I'd be happy to be added to your blogroll and will follow your work with interest. Please let me know if you have something going on of particular interest that you want to promote.

Thanks,
D. Ox

http://thomistic.blogspot.com

Thanks Dumb Ox. We're glad to have you. Welcome to the B-Team!

Teresa H.T.: Amateur Catholic

I wish to be assimilated to the B Team! I'm an
amateur Catholic because:

5) I don't have a cool conversion story to tell. I was
BORN Catholic, baby! and that's all there is to say.

4) Lately, more of my blog is about cooking and my
need for weightloss (hmm, could they be connected?)
than about Catholicism.

3) My attempts to write books about Catholicism all
get bogged down in the outline phase, while my
attempts to write religious fiction never go any
farther than the third chapter.

2) My husband is a five-point Calvinist, and I haven't
whisked him off to Lourdes to pray for his conversion.

And the number one reason I'm an amateur Catholic is.
. .

1) I tried to write a book about ecumenical uses of
the rosary, but I don't know where my rosary is!

- Teresa H.T, aka the Spacemouse
http://thecrockery.blogspot.com

Hey Teresa, don't worry about failing to get a book written. If you're like most of us, you'll get far many more readers blogging than by having a book published. ;)

Welcome aboard!

Mary in Texas: Amateur Catholic

Email #1

I am humbly applying for the position of 'Amateur Catholic' because I want to. Here are my qualifications:

1. Created my very own personal blog spot just so I could post to someone else's.
2. Cannot now FIND my very own personal blog spot now.
3. First name is Mary, which qualifies me as a professional Catholic, but others don't agree
4. If I ever find my blog, I will let one of my 7 teenagers fill it with moronic drivel - surely that alone qualifies me.
5. Best qualification of all - we moved OUT of the Lincoln, Nebraska diocese and don't regret it!
6. I am a life long 'B' team kinda person - played on the 'B' team at my all-girls, Catholic high school.

My blogging place is supposed to be: http://www.thereluctanthomeschooler.blogger.com I think. Does this qualify me?

Mary in Texas

NEW AND BEST QUALIFICATION: I initially posted this application at MY OWN blog spot by following a link from your's that said, 'Blog This.'

Reply to email:

Hi Mary,

I'm finally getting around to posting some applications. I tried going to your site, but the address must be wrong. You're off to an amateurish start - that's for sure... ;)

Rick

Email #2

Hi Rick -

Just because I posted my email to you on my very own personal (unidentified) blog spot should certainly qualify me for your Hall of Fame. Well, now I have actually located my blog place and am sending you the address to prove that I was not attempting to infiltrate your B-Team. http://thereluctanthomeschooler.blogspot.com/

Do I count yet? -mary

Yes Mary, you're off to a rip-roarin' amateurish start. Though, it's almost unconscionable that you moved out of Lincoln and don't regret it. Maybe you should try out the Diocese of Orange so you'll really appreciate what you lost. ;) Welcome aboard!

Susan Killian: Amateur Catholic

So I will humbly accept the yoke of an amateur---- I aspire to nothing more the blathering on about how I see things and hoping that one, two or maybe even a dozen others will feel compelled to read what spills out.

Susan Killian

http://www.kelidei.typepad.com

That's the life of an Amateur...

Welcome to the B-Team, Susan.

Natty: Amateur Catholic

Seeing as how I guess I'm on my way to Professional-Amateur status with my application to enter the convent, I figured it was time to quit procrastinating already and own up to my true Amateur Catholic status!

Cheers,
Natty
http://wheretonowgod.blogspot.com

Procrastinating? That's a mark of an amateur if I ever saw one. Welcome aboard, Natty.

Sister Anne Elizabeth: Amateur Catholic

Dear Amateur Hosts,

At risk of implicating my religious community, I would like to apply for amateur status on the basis of an historical precedent. Our Holy Founder, St. Francis de Sales, said that in the household of the Church, the Order of the Visitation was to be humble and unnoticed: in a kitchen cabinet or the gardener’s shed – the examples he suggested. I imagine that he would want us to be especially amateur in the fast-paced world of blogging. Thank you for your consideration. Our blog is called “Live Jesus!” and our address is below.

Pax et bonum.

Sister Anne E

Monastery of the Visitation, Georgetown

http://livejesus.blogspot.com/

Sister Anne, I wasn't sure whether you are were applying solely for yourself or for your order as a whole. Either way, welcome to the B-Team! I'm sure that you'll be celebrating a very special feast in a couple of days. Please remember your fellow B-Teamers in your prayers. ;)

Amateur Catholic prayers

[Update] I'm moving this back to the top for now. The last I had heard anything about Jack's condition was on Tuesday. This is what his Aunt Barb wrote:

Jack has made it through his first two days of chemo pretty well. However, tomorrow he is starting a new drug that the doctors know will probably make him very sick and miserable. He has to take it tomorrow and Thursday. Then Friday, they are going to put in a feeding tube because they know he's going to develop terrible sores in his throat and mouth and eating will be difficult...plus he simply won't feel like eating. They're hoping that he will be able to come home on Sunday. Then they wait and see if this chemo has done any good by doing another MRI. Hopefully, they will see some progress. If not, then they move on to the next step....

We are all so thankful for your prayers and kindness...

Please keep little Jack and his family in your prayers. Also, if you haven't been by Catholic Caveman the last couple of days, the Caveman's dad passed away and I'm sure he will appreciate your prayers.

Original post:

It's good to be Catholic. The paradox of being empowered by humility is truly beautiful. If only I was consistant at getting empowered! Nevertheless, I am writing this post to ask for your help again. We all have a multitude of prayer intentions, and I'm sure we're quick to respond to prayer requests even if it means saying a Hail Mary for someone on the spot. Sometimes though, certain situations strike you hard and require you to act accordingly. Recently, I have come across one of those situations and I would like to share it with you in hope that you will make it your cause too.

First, the story (from DarwinCatholic):

BarbfromCincy, one of our faithful commenters, passed along a prayer request for her nephew Jack.

Jack, who is only 8, was diagnosed with brain cancer last May. He had surgery and has been receiving chemotherapy and radiation treatment since. Last Wednesday, we found out that there is another spot on his brain in a different spot. He is having surgery again today to do a biopsy and see what, if anything, they can do. If the cancer is back, his prognosis is very poor. He has been really patient through all of this and never complains. We would greatly appreciate any prayers you could send his way.

Please keep Jack and his family (and his aunt Barb!) in your prayers. I'll post any updates as I get them.

UPDATE: Barb posts in the comments below:

It definitely is cancer again, unfortunately...the surgeon could see spots on his brain on the entire area he viewed. Very bad news..His parents are devastated. It is so hard to watch your child suffer and know that, without a miracle, you're going to lose them...
Thanks to all who have prayed for him...we appreciate it greatly.

Now the request:

It seems that Jack is in need of a miracle, so please pray for him (and his family), but if you would be so kind, we would like you to all to join us in praying a novena to Ven. Louis ans Zelie Martin (St. Therese's parents). MrsDarwin composed a beautiful little prayer to Ven. Louis and Zelie on Jack's behalf:

Venerable Louis and Zelie Martin, Servants of God,
You offered many prayers for your own sick children.
We unite our prayers with yours for Jack's healing.
May God look favorably on your intercession and, in His Mercy, grant us our request.
May His will be done in all things.

Venerable Louis and Zelie, pray for us!

You B-Teamers really pulled through the last time I put up a request for help - please, let's do it again. Feel free to post the prayer and request on your own blogs too. And it doesn't matter which day you start the novena, so don't feel like you missed the opportunity if you're reading this a few days after it being posted.

Also, please pray for B-Teamer Vir Speluncae Catholicus' father who is dying - and the family of course.

Thank you and God bless you.

Amateur Catholic Fun

It took some doing, but we were able arrange a special audience Holy Father to ask him whether the B-Teamers should consider an starting an apostolate of writing books about the Da Vinci Code. Here is a snapshot from that moment:



No biggie though. We choose to view that as a sanction to keep on doing whatever it is each of us do. Fortunately, we have friends in high places.



Thanks to http://www.comicstripgenerator.com

Wolftracker: Amateur Catholic

Dear Amateur Catholic:

Is there by chance a "C" team I can try out for.

New Roman Catholic blog in Kansas City called Kansas City Catholic:
http://www.kansascitycatholic.blogspot.com . The blog started a few days
before NCR came out with a hatchet job against our good bishop. This has
kept me busy ever since, but I like competing with amateurs!

Thanks,

Wolftracker

Well you started at a good time then. I admire Bishop Finn - even though he probably directs his albino monk friend to assasinate people...

Hopefully within the year we (Detroit) will be blessed with such a shepherd. Welcome aboard!

Patrick Greenwood: Amateur Catholic

Clever and glib is not my strong suit, but "Amateur Catholic" describes me to a "T" and I was presumptively-amateur enough to add your link to my site patrickgreenwood.com before receiving an invitation/confirmation/approval from y'all.

I didn't really set out to have a Catholic site, but that's the way He seems to be nudging me.

I spotted your impressive link at the site of Catholic Matriarch in my Domestic Church aka Catholic Mom and just had to have one for myself!

Keep up the good work!

Patrick Greenwood.

Oooh...you displayed the B-Team badge BEFORE you were deemed worthy (or would that be unworthy)? *GASP* It's a good thing for you that we're all Amateurs and couldn't care less. The more the merrier, ya know...

Welcome aboard!

Chris: Amateur Catholic

I'm an amateur Catholic, having just been recieved into full communion at the 2006 Easter Vigil. I'm also an amateur, make that VERY amateur blogger. Anyway, I saw this Amateur Catholic thing and thought I should sign up. Here is a link to my blog: http://callingromehome.blogspot.com/

Chris

Welcome home, Chris! And welcome to the B-Team!

Athanasius contra mundo: Amateur Catholic

Email 1:

I'm a cradle Catholic, so I don't have any cool stories about how I became
Catholic. I stopped practicing for a time in college, but there's no story
there. I just started going to church again, though I think Our Lady may
have had a hand in it by her prayers.

I went to the seminary. I am no longer a seminarian. I am a young Army
officer trying to sort out my vocation while I serve out a four year
obligation.

Anyways, I started a blog about two weeks ago. I am an amateur. I am such an
amateur that I actually had to practically do the format of my blog all over
again this morning because I apparently erased something that was important.
My blog is http://50daysafter.blogspot.com.
May God bless you,

Email 2:

Ok, so I wrote yesterday, but I think I forgot to ask, Can I be on the
B-team? So can I make the team?

I started my blog in late April. I am still trying to figure out how to put
things on the site or pu them there and not make it look sloppy.
I have been Catholic my whole life, but I am still realizing that I don't
always have all the pieces to the puzzle.

My blog is http://50daysafter.blogspot.com
Thank you and God bless,

Yepp... welcome to the B-Team, Athanasius!

Kim: Amateur Catholic

I have been Catholic for little under a month. I suppose that's amateur right there.

For reasons that I have no clue about, I'm a a geologist/anthropologist who wants to make maps for a while in The Real World. I'm still an amateur in those, by the way. BUT. It's fun to watch people try and reconcile how I can study things like modern human origins and geology AND be a Catholic who likes going to Mass and will talk your ear off about all things related to Catholicism. Mmm. Church and science.

At any rate, there's my pleading. I write over at Transitus Tiber, but am currently in the Post-Confirmation Honeymoon Phase, so all my posts are about church at the moment. Except for the rare anthro posts that make it in.

-Kim
http://www.hekhet.net/tiber/

Congratulations Kim! Welcome home! Go ahead and start posting about your other interests as they arise. If you wait for the honeymoon phase to end, you may never do it. It's been about ten years since I reverted back to the faith and I'm still honeymooning. Odds are you will be too. Welcome aboard!

Louise: Amateur Catholic

Hi

I started my blog about a month ago. It's called 'Look at the Birds' at http://lookatthebirds.blogspot.com. Yes, that's right - I'm so amateur that I couldn't even come up with an original name - I had to quote Jesus :-)

Do I qualify? Can I join the B team?

Louise

Don't worry, Louise. I can think of worse things than quoting Jesus. Though that quote has always troubled me. Jesus points out how well the Father takes care of the birds, then implies we are of much more value. Yet, it would seem that God found fit to make my car serve as a toilet for the birds. Doesn't make me feel any more favored... ;)

Welcome aboard!

Holopupenko: Amateur Catholic

Hi Rick and B-Team company:

Great concept, great blogs! Keep up the good work.

May I commit the unconscionable, self-serving act of inviting you to visit my geeky blog site, Reasoning Repaired? (http://reasoningrepaired.blogspot.com/)?

Cheers in JMJ,

Holopupenko

Hey, look at this, our first Ukrainian B-Teamer. I like the Ukraine - it used to figure prominently in my strategy when playing RISK. And now, many years later, I'm on the B-Team with a Ukrainian. What a small global empire...I mean...what a small world. Welcome aboard, Holopupenko!

John Bowden: Amateur Catholic

I see, after browsing the sight, that most of the really good amateur spots are already taken. I'm such a classless amateur it took me three trips to get here (darn web, it's so tangled and gnarly) so that's why I'm so late.

Why do I believe I deserve Amateur status? Hard to say really. I don't work hard, I don't play hard, I don't pray hard (ok, sorta don't - daily Rosary and once a week Adoration aren't hard). I don't even blog hard-ly . . . in fact I spend most of my time fooling around for hours just to get some small improvement working correctly on my blog - or worse - recovering from some small improvement!

Indeed, I'm such an amateur that cheating to get readers isn't beyond me. Unfortunately I must also be an amateur cheater 'cause I'm not getting any more readers than I had before I cheated! What's my cheat you say? Well, I took over sponoring Gerard's old "Catholic Bloggers" list - we're (Eric "Funky Dung" Williams and Kathryn "Come on Get" Lively) calling it St. Blog's Parish Directory. Heck, I thought I'd get folks flocking to my site. Nope, same 'ol story - Mr. "Enjoying Being Catholic" is taking all the hits and clicks. Sigh.

So, that's my excuse for being an amateur - I'm just too lazy to be anything else.

Phew! That was like going to confession - sweaty palms, palpitations of the heart, dizziness. What's my penance for being such an amateur?

John

How do you like that? John included a link to an A-Teamer, but didn't include his own. Oh, wait...There's another message from him:

Sheesh - I'm SUCH an amateur - I forgot to include my blog's url

http://stblogsparish.com

Thanks, JB

Ahh, that's better. Sometimes I wonder if you folks are purposely trying to look amateurish just to curry favor or something. Fortunately for you, I'm not very sophisticated, so it works well.

John, we appreciate your service to St. Blogs and are very pleased to have you among us. Your penance for being such an amateur is that you will be placed on the B-Team blogroll, which is akin to wearing the scarlet A - or would that be scarlet B - or just a plain old blue B? Whatever...welcome to the B-Team!