tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post8955410519713034118..comments2024-03-05T11:44:26.154-08:00Comments on The New Theological Movement: Does a parish priest have time to blog?Father Ryan Erlenbushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07557817305024750902noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-5153584413610715242011-08-20T08:22:46.458-07:002011-08-20T08:22:46.458-07:00Gregory,
Thanks for the great link! Fr. Joe is far...Gregory,<br />Thanks for the great link! Fr. Joe is far more patient than I would be!<br /><br />For our readers: The blog is basically a back-and-forth with evangelicals and anti-Catholics. Father Joe debates people who apparently write in or comment.<br />It is a fast-paced debate style, and certainly quite engaging.<br /><br />Also, there are some posts which are more a matter of simply putting the faith out there in a quick and convincing manner.Father Ryan Erlenbushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07557817305024750902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-22705025639839895862011-08-19T22:22:08.157-07:002011-08-19T22:22:08.157-07:00Fr. Erlenbush,
Fr. Joseph Jenkins, who runs the b...Fr. Erlenbush,<br /><br />Fr. Joseph Jenkins, who runs the blog http://bloggerpriest.wordpress.com/, is, like Msgr. Pope, a priest in good standing of the Archdiocese of Washington. I can personally guarantee that he is not at all like the other Fr. Jenkins of Notre Dame notoriety!<br /><br />Fr. Joe has actually been blogging for a very long time, before blogging became popular. His latest blog, the one I linked to above, is mainly theological reflections and apologetic debates he has gotten into over the years, with occasional updates from his parish life. While he doesn't post as often as more popular bloggers, his posts are very thoughtful, if not a bit long for conventional posts. I definitely recommend the blog.<br />-ΓρηγόριοςAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-36129901126955098852011-08-12T14:14:45.829-07:002011-08-12T14:14:45.829-07:00@dominic,
ah ... you must be referring to my dear ...@dominic,<br />ah ... you must be referring to my dear friend Ron, he does not know how much good he does me (I myself can barely grasp the graces given me through his work, though they come in a manner far different than he realizes).Father Ryan Erlenbushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07557817305024750902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-48958389350750632032011-08-12T14:11:44.468-07:002011-08-12T14:11:44.468-07:00@Baron,
Peace to you as well!
Certainly, I think y...@Baron,<br />Peace to you as well!<br />Certainly, I think you are very right ... it would be good for many priests to live an "unpluggled" lifestyle, as a witness to others and also for their own personal holiness.<br />As I mentioned above, I do not think it would be good for most priests to blog.<br /><br />I would probably go even further and say that a priest who blogs would benefit from limiting all other forms of e-life ... TV, movies, web-surfing, txting, et cetera.<br /><br />Thanks for your comment - it is a good reminder!Father Ryan Erlenbushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07557817305024750902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-89530019921499053122011-08-12T13:02:28.016-07:002011-08-12T13:02:28.016-07:00Dear Fr. Ryan,
Great to see you are doing well. G...Dear Fr. Ryan,<br /><br />Great to see you are doing well. Got some visitors from your neck of the woods in Co Springs a few weeks ago.<br /><br />Regarding this topic, I would like to assert the validity of a regular parish priest also presenting a witness of the simplicity of a more "unplugged" life. IN a world where we have great breadth, there is so often little depth. Even in erudite blogs. As important as it is (and it really is) to have good priests blogging, I argue it is equally important to have men to show it is possible to e-detach and survive. <br /><br />That being said, since I could not produce anything better than what is already out there (from the net to the Summa), I am happy to direct folks to these resources. <br /><br />V/r,<br />BaronBaronnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-53327891061724318012011-08-12T07:59:03.548-07:002011-08-12T07:59:03.548-07:00Yes Father, there is one guy that always wants to ...Yes Father, there is one guy that always wants to take you to task for your "heresies".<br /><br />No one should be able to present themselves as a "Roman Catholic Theologian" just because they have a degree (especially a Bachelor's...) from an at least nominally Catholic institution. It implies they have some sort of "authority" when this is clearly not the case. <br /><br />-dominic1962Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-63106712231871016622011-08-12T06:16:00.414-07:002011-08-12T06:16:00.414-07:00J,
I will tell you who they are NOT ... I am not r...J,<br />I will tell you who they are NOT ... I am not referring to people like Mark Shea, Jimmy Akin, Taylor Marshal, (even Michael Voris), et al. <br />They are doing great work! +Father Ryan Erlenbushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07557817305024750902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-10915870308136551002011-08-11T22:16:12.221-07:002011-08-11T22:16:12.221-07:00@ Father Erlenbush 8:45 pm
You are right, the sit...@ Father Erlenbush 8:45 pm<br /><br />You are right, the situation is not perilous, but better safe than sorry!<br /><br />Who are these lay fanatics you speak of claiming to be theologians ?<br /><br />J.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-87085993507925176972011-08-11T20:45:14.232-07:002011-08-11T20:45:14.232-07:00@Mouse,
I have to admit that I don't see the s...@Mouse,<br />I have to admit that I don't see the situation to be quite as perilous as you make it out to be.<br />If a priest is given faculties to preach and to hear confessions, then I should hope that he will write blog posts faithful to the Church. In any case, there are certainly plenty of solid lay people (like Jimmy Akin and Mark Shea, and even Michael Voris) to call him to task. <br /><br />Thus, based on my limited knowledge of the blogosphere, I have to say that the real problem is with particular lay fanatics who claim to be "theologians", who denounce others and even denounce priests, but have no approval from their bishop -- most priest-bloggers are very solid and are promoting the true faith.<br /><br />I hope that this makes sense and is clear enough. Peace to you! +Father Ryan Erlenbushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07557817305024750902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-86070695026817753172011-08-11T20:38:34.726-07:002011-08-11T20:38:34.726-07:00Father Johnson,
Thank you for bringing our attenti...Father Johnson,<br />Thank you for bringing our attention to this new media! I have to confess that I have been completely unawares of Tumbler. <br />Peace and many blessings on your work there! +Father Ryan Erlenbushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07557817305024750902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-42497753548901654682011-08-11T17:35:14.841-07:002011-08-11T17:35:14.841-07:00Thanks for the post, Fr Ryan! All very true.
Spr...Thanks for the post, Fr Ryan! All very true. <br /><br />Spread the word that we need more help on Tumblr... it's <b>exploding</b> among teenagers and college-age folk (traffic has quintupled in the 6 months I've been on it), but you can count the number of us priests microblogging there on one hand.<br /><br />God bless!Father Shane Johnson, LChttp://www.fathershane.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-68574284886360204422011-08-11T17:08:18.655-07:002011-08-11T17:08:18.655-07:00@ Father Erlenbush 4:18 pm
Along those lines from...@ Father Erlenbush 4:18 pm<br /><br />Along those lines from the Council, the more I think about it, the more I would like to see that priest bloggers receive, like you have, an authorization from their Bishop to blog (preferrably published), and that a kind of imprimatur and Nihil Obstat be given by the local Bishop so that:<br /><br />1- Bloggers who assert to be priests can be proof checked by the faithful at the local ordinariate (this would prevent anonymous bloggers who claim to be priests)<br />2- With the imprimatur and nihil obstat, the blog, just like the book, is deemed to be catholic and without any doctrinal error and could therefore be published beyond diocesan boundaries.<br />3- The readers could, potentially, report the blog to the Bishop because some teachings have become contrary to the faith.<br />4- I like the card idea, perhaps a scan of the card on the priest bloggers website would be useful.<br /><br />These are some of the safeguards I would put in place to protect the faithful. <br /><br />Pax.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-60395623151394469482011-08-11T16:42:50.020-07:002011-08-11T16:42:50.020-07:00I am not closed to the idea (in fact, I read some ...I am not closed to the idea (in fact, I read some priests' blogs) and I'm sure it's important to have a presence on the web. I have been wondering, though, how some have the time, and if sometimes the time could be better spent going into the neighborhoods to try to bring people into the parish--actual people who are right next door who maybe are not getting ministered to. Or at least it shouldn't prevent such work. <br /><br />Also, it just occurs to me that perhaps blogging should have to be under the supervision of the bishop or legitimate religious superior, because it's basically (at least at times) preaching, and don't priests have to have faculties to preach? But blogs are basically allowing a priest to preach anywhere in the world. So if error or bad attitudes show up, who is in charge of that? Since they are priests, there has to be greater accountability that for your average joe. Is there some oversight? ---MouseAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-55548054617374972042011-08-11T16:19:11.685-07:002011-08-11T16:19:11.685-07:00Father,
I am indebted to your kind bishop for giv...Father,<br /><br />I am indebted to your kind bishop for giving you the permission to do this. Many thanks to His Excellency! This blog has been a "soul saver" for me more than I can tell you.<br /><br />VeronicaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-85096756565162718282011-08-11T16:18:55.928-07:002011-08-11T16:18:55.928-07:00Michael,
Yes, the good Council of the Lateran, fif...Michael,<br />Yes, the good Council of the Lateran, fifth by that name!<br /><br />Of course, the priest does receive faculties from his bishop and these are generally respected by all the bishops; unless there is some special circumstance.<br />The priests generally receive a "card" from their bishop which asserts that they are in good standing and faithful.<br />[this would seem to fulfill pretty well what the council asks for]<br /><br />The final part of the quotation is also very good ... I have seen some "catholic theologians" on-line who are obsessed with predicting the future ... very dangerous!<br /><br />Peace to you. +Father Ryan Erlenbushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07557817305024750902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-45412331577988960182011-08-11T15:57:36.883-07:002011-08-11T15:57:36.883-07:00@ Father Erlenbush 3:37 pm
Father, in terms of bl...@ Father Erlenbush 3:37 pm<br /><br />Father, in terms of blogging for priest, I was thinking something that would ressemble (but updated ) what the Fifth Lateran Council taught a long time ago. This Council dealt with the problem of persons who were preaching heresy, and making false prophecies. Here is a quote:<br /><br />'We decree and ordain, with the approval of the sacred council, that nobody -whether a secular cleric or a member of any of the mendicant orders or someone with the right to preach by law or custom or privilege or otherwise -- may be admitted to carry out this office unless he has first been examined with due care by his superior, which is a responsibility that we lay on the superior's conscience, and unless he is found to be fit and suitable for the task by his upright behaviour, age, doctrine, honesty, prudence and exemplary life. Wherever he goes to preach, he must provide a guarantee to the bishop and other local ordinaries concerning his examination and competence, by means of the original or other letters from the person who examined and approved him. We command all who undertake this task of preaching, or will later undertake it, to preach and expound the gospel truth and holy scripture in accordance with the exposition, interpretation and commentaries that the church or long use has approved and has accepted for teaching until now, and will accept in the future, without any addition contrary to its true meaning or in conflict with it. They are always to insist on the meanings which are in harmony with the words of sacred scripture and with the interpretations, properly and wisely understood, of the doctors mentioned above. They are in no way to presume to preach or declare a fixed time for future evils, the coming of antichrist or the precise day of judgment; for Truth says, it is not for us to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority. Let it be known that those who have hitherto dared to declare such things are liars, and that because of them not a little authority has been taken away from those who preach the truth .''<br /><br />Thanks,<br />Michael.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-73545849707365546852011-08-11T15:37:14.556-07:002011-08-11T15:37:14.556-07:00Michael,
A book receives an imprimatur from one b...Michael, <br />A book receives an imprimatur from one bishop and is dispersed throughout the world.<br /><br />If a blog is published in a particular diocese, with the permission of the local Bishop, then I see no reason why any further oversight is needed. Unless we are going to claim that some bishops are protecting heretics, I don't see why another level of oversight is required ... certainly if there were a serious problem (and, personally, I don't know of any) then the CDF could be alerted.<br /><br />[this is why there is such danger when lay bloggers claim to be "Theologians" (it is great to have lay-bloggers, but they should be careful about how they present themselves -- I don't even call myself a theologian, and I am licensed by a Pontifical University to teach theology in seminaries!) ... these "theologians" have no level of oversight from the bishops, but the priests are generally fairly well guided by the bishops -- in this respect, we recall that it is a very serious matter for a person to publish "official" theological books or Bible translations or Catechisms, etc without the approval of the local bishop]<br /><br />Peace. +Father Ryan Erlenbushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07557817305024750902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-49734922461020488042011-08-11T15:26:58.713-07:002011-08-11T15:26:58.713-07:00@ Father Erlenbush 3:17 pm.
True enough Father, p...@ Father Erlenbush 3:17 pm.<br /><br />True enough Father, priest have the faculty to preach. But that faculty is given by and large to preach in their own diocese under the authority of the Bishop. With internet, this becomes somewhat of a problem and some oversight is needed for priests.<br /><br />I agree that lay-bloggers represent a problem when they claim to be this or that. However, their errors don't carry as much wait as the same error (doctrinal) carried by out a priest, precisely because he is a priest and folks will tend to lend credence to whatever a priest may say, even if its doctrinal error or heresy for that matter.<br /><br />All the best.<br /><br />Michael.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-30949639525985593792011-08-11T15:17:55.375-07:002011-08-11T15:17:55.375-07:00Michael,
Very true!
btw, there is oversight for pr...Michael,<br />Very true!<br />btw, there is oversight for priests who teach Catholic doctrine -- they either have the faculty to preach or they don't. If they don't have that faculty (given by their bishop) then they probably shouldn't be publishing on-line either.<br />[for example, I have both the faculty to preach and express permission of my Bishop to write for this blog -- I should think that most blogging priests have the same] <br /><br />[in this respect, I am far more worried about lay-bloggers who claim to be "Catholic Theologians" or "Catholic Apologists"... since many of them have not received any approval from their local bishops -- in this regard it is worth noting that Mark Shea (among others) regularly insists that he is NOT writing as a "Catholic Apologist/Theologian"; he has a great blog and is quite smart to emphasize that he is simply sharing the faith as a layman and not as a quasi-authority figure]Father Ryan Erlenbushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07557817305024750902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-50073696149220210232011-08-11T15:03:40.734-07:002011-08-11T15:03:40.734-07:00Interesting post Father. Like all catholic blogger...Interesting post Father. Like all catholic bloggers, priest have to be especially careful when it comes to expounding catholic doctrine. A great many lay 'Catholic bloggers' out there sometimes teach outright heresy and actually believe its sound catholic doctrine. Many souls can be lead astray. This can be particularly made worse when priests make doctrinal errors and assert false teachings. No one is immune from doctrinal error, false teachings or even heretical teaching. Anyhow, I would be in favour for some kind of oversight for priests (from their Bishop for example) to teach Catholic doctrine. All the best Father.<br /><br />Michael.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-62632484715264703982011-08-11T11:31:49.827-07:002011-08-11T11:31:49.827-07:00@Stacy, :-)
@RC, I am not familiar with "Fr....@Stacy, :-)<br /><br />@RC, I am not familiar with "Fr. Jenkins" as an apologist blogger ... the only Fr. Jenkins I know of is the priest from Notre Dame University ... could you give a link to the website of the blogger Fr. Jenkins? Thanks!Father Ryan Erlenbushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07557817305024750902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-22461238566759437022011-08-11T11:30:36.360-07:002011-08-11T11:30:36.360-07:00"Set down that garbage and pick up the Summa!..."Set down that garbage and pick up the Summa!"<br /><br />Ha!ha!ha! That's a good one. I agree. <br /><br />VeronicaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-4770383861933532242011-08-11T11:29:07.231-07:002011-08-11T11:29:07.231-07:00I agree with Stacy; you are a blessing, Father!
T...I agree with Stacy; you are a blessing, Father!<br /><br />The only drawback with priests/bishops blogging that I can see is that many Catholics in the pews are spiritually starved and starving, and may take up more of your time than you have to give. But that is the reality of being a Catholic in the year of Our Lord 2011. <br /><br />VeronicaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-31459607192177563372011-08-11T11:23:56.783-07:002011-08-11T11:23:56.783-07:00Julia,
Yes, I too have seen priests "rant&quo...Julia,<br />Yes, I too have seen priests "rant" on-line ... not very helpful.<br />But do be patient with us poor priests, we all have so far to go!<br /><br />I recently heard a homily from Bishop Swain (Sioux Falls) in which he reminded us of a quote from St. John Vianney: "There are no bad priests, only priest for whom there is not enough prayer" (meaning that priests need to pray more themselves, and that we all need to pray for our poor priests).<br /><br />Blessings and peace to you, and thank you for the comment (it is a good reminder to myself as well). +Father Ryan Erlenbushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07557817305024750902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-65205943850829949882011-08-11T11:20:52.306-07:002011-08-11T11:20:52.306-07:00Fr Finigan,
Great answer! I too find that not watc...Fr Finigan,<br />Great answer! I too find that not watching TV gives me a ton of time for theological study.<br /><br />What I really love is when some (generally older) priests will say that they don't think a priest has time for theological study (or, I suppose, for a blog), but they faithfully read the New Yorker and other trash!<br />Set down that garbage and pick up the Summa! <br /><br />Peace and blessings to you, Father, and keep up all the good work over at The Hermeneutic of Continuity!Father Ryan Erlenbushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07557817305024750902noreply@blogger.com