The King of the Internet

History always repeats itself and so we should expect new kings to arise in the future. A long time ago, I heard that when society begins to topple from its sins, a man on a white horse will appear. The new king will be an incarnation of Mao, Mohammed, or Charlemagne--take your choice.

How will the king take power and who will be the king? The first question is dependent on a third question--will the web survive the toppling of society? My guess is the web won't be destroyed because it is crucial to the success of all parties to the battles. Both devils and Saints want to touch others to condemn or save souls. Rather, I believe a peacetime web may be controlled rather than destroyed, with general consortiums of web villages achieving supremacy to control most of the other web villages.

Web villages bind people together because of similar religions, backgrounds, and political and social views. A village can cross bedrooms and oceans to provide homes for people of like mind. Village citizens are characterized by:

1. Little or no reading of local newspapers or watching of live TV
2. Frequent connection with other villagers through the web, email, and cell phone
3. Exposure to immense amounts of information that support the views of a particular web village
   
4. Sharing common experiences so that personal allegiance to the village matures
5. Activation of militants on projects designed to reach specific goals.

R.J. Stove writes in the Remnant News, "Should We Blog." Frankly, even though the world of the Internet has many temptations to sin, it is the framework that must be used if new Charlemagnes can come to the forefront of history. "Should We Work?" may be an alternative title for Stove's article, and if we are not yet dead, the answer has to be positive.

In the past, a one-to-many news system has meant the distribution of information from a few central locations to many people through the TV, magazines, and newspapers. In contrast, the internet is a many-to-many world, where everyone can be considered his own program director or editor. Moreover, new voices both listen and talk with their peers to form alliances and even generate more information, usually on an ad hoc basis to pursue a common goal.

The Internet democracy now consists of:

• Almost 60 million blogs
• Almost 130 million MySpace pages
• Over 70 million YouTube videos watched each day.
  

Yet most information is acknowledged to be wrong or worthless, and some even poses considerable danger. For example, the web can show you how to kill people (both en masse and secretly) and also how to commit suicide. Additionally, the web is full of important facts mixed with biased commentary--making all information not equal.

Special Internet tools are needed to allow people to use the web to rebuild Christian civilization. Internet filters are of much greater importance to the building of a Christian presence on the internet than is commonly discussed. Directories of Christian information and Catholic blogs are also very important. The establishment and growth of Christian web villages (e.g., blogrolls, leagues) are most critical, because the web shows a polluted people that must be converted using some of the same techniques that were used to proselytize them for evil.

Some of the techniques will involve "Hive" software (think bees that make honey and swarm to protect the hive) to enable the rapid working together of many people in a village. I suspect that even an iPod may be a necessary 'gun' of militant Catholics in the future, mounted on a belt, worn as a watch, or held in a pocket to promote and defend their faith whenever necessary. [If the current pace of computer storage capacity continues, by 2015, an iPod is estimated to hold everything ever printed or broadcast in the history of the world, in any language or medium. ] "Hive" software will be needed to use this information effectively and efficiently, as required by specific militant Christians who have volunteered to serve in special team roles.

Even more, I believe "Hive" software is needed to use the democracy of the Internet to tap the intelligence of the crowd. No, I'm not talking about deciding on religious doctrine, but how best to employ group intelligence that has been demonstrated by many experiments to better judge questions of fact than individual persons. As individuals contribute to such a process, they also buy into subsequent actions. "Hive" programs will allow contributions of proposed procedures/tasks to accomplish a specific goal, then to achieve agreement on the goal, and then to manage subsequent activities that must be performed. A superhive web environment will be needed to deal with many like-minded villages in different environments.

An illustration of where this tool could have been used is the recent Missouri Stem Cell Initiative. Opposition to the cloning amendment was not well developed on the web, partly because relatively few Christian bloggers or MySpacers were identified in Missouri and most worked not at all or were alone rather than in concert with each other. With the right tools, 200 active bloggers could have motivated more interest and activities on a daily basis. Moreover, 200 people would have contributed their own ideas on what efforts would achieve the most success. Many more than two hundred Christian blogs in Missouri is reasonable within the near future because of very high growth rates in web connectivity, knowledge, and blogging.

Is this really possible? Yes, it is happening in Estonia which seems to have a lot of internet-savvy citizens. The government of Estonia has set up a website called 'Today I Decide'. Some of the policies and actions suggested by citizens have now been implemented by the government. Others are generating a lot of heat in political discussions.

Are there bad things that will likely happen? Yes, certain persons may become renegades to challenge the village raison d’être. Other maverick villagers may try to expand their own universe of beliefs or achieve a personal agenda. In both cases, identified troublemakers should be removed from the village through voting or by a village leader. Web tools such as "Hive" software should insure non-friendly input is restricted in making village decisions.

Christian villages on the web will motivate Catholics and Protestants to take the fight to the enemy and rebuild the Church. While Christian unity in the one, true Catholic Church remains a far-away dream, a subset of that unity is now possible on issues related to life, secularism, and Islam. Villages are not local churches and so should encourage membership to any friend of Christianity.

Can good Catholic Internet villages restore the Church and eventually the world? I'm betting it has already started and needs more prayer, intelligence, development, and action. Eventually, Jesus Christ must be placed in his proper place as King of the Internet.

The New Totalitarianism

I tried to google a book of about 30 years ago entitled "The New Totalitarianism." I remember it was a very powerful book that discussed the new sexual freedom. Guess what? There are more than one new tyrant staring back at me.

1. Islamism
2. Thought police for "hate" crimes
3. A "Brave New World" which is numbed by frequent, meaningless sex that keeps the populace seduced and willing to accept government tyranny

The book published in the 70's addressed No. 3, pointing out the price Scandanavian countries paid for sexual freedom--government control of most aspects of personal lives. Thirty years later, here are the results for liberal Sweden as reported by the American Family Association:

• There is more crime in Sweden than in New York City, though they are comparable in population.

• Drug abuse is rampant, with the number of deaths from overdoses having doubled in the past 10 years.

• Sweden has one of the highest incidences of rape in the world.

• Burglaries are so numerous that many citizens have stopped reporting them, because the police are overloaded and cannot undertake to investigate them all anyway.

• Attacks on money transports (like highway robbery) are so frequent that the transporters are threatening to quit, thereby effectively closing ATM’s all over the country.

• Violent outdoor muggings are becoming routine, having increased 15% last year alone.

• In Stockholm, the police recently admitted having lied when they claimed to have neutralized some 130 of the city’s most prominent gangsters; in reality, their sting operation was a bust.

• Swedish courts are plagued with perjurious police officers who routinely lie to support fellow cops in trouble.

Thanksgiving Day

When I was young, our family and our aunts, uncles, and cousins on Mother's side would get together for holiday dinners, usually three times a year. Just before my Father's death, he turned to me and said, "Don't ever forget how important family gatherings are." He repeated that statement perhaps twice to make sure I wouldn't forget it and I haven't.

Tomorrow on Thanksgiving we will gather at a son's and his family's house. The family hosting the dinner usually supplies a meat and perhaps two or three other items and drinks, and everyone else brings something to complete the dinner. One person will fix a dessert, another will make a fruit salad, a third will bring a vegetable dish, etc. My job is to bring smoked hams and fruit pies.

The cousins will have a wonderful time, as always. They will play together and talk together and totally ignore the adults. The older girls will likely discuss their storywriting ideas. The little boys will race up and down the stairs and then scout out hidden places in the house to share secrets. The little girls will talk and probably play with the babies. The older boys will likely go outside because Kansas City is forecast to have one of the warmest Thanksgiving days on record.

Some of the dads will quietly consider whether they should ask their wives if they can leave after dinner for a couple of hours to race over grassy knolls hitting little white balls. Mothers will talk about children, and will find out how the newest mother-to-be is feeling these days. Most importantly, before we sit down to eat, we will all pray and thank our Father in heaven for his many, many blessings to our family.

New Mega Catholic Church

Texas likes to be bigger than anyone else. Here's a news announcement of the dedication of a new 33,000 sq ft Catholic megachurch in Round Rock, TX. Interestingly, it's not like the structures of Protestant megachurches.

St. Williams has a traditional look, with a painted ceiling and beautiful altar. The stained glass windows are more than 100 years old.

"They were made in Germany and they were in an orphanage in Philadelphia. And the orphanage closed and basically, these windows were lost in storage. And somebody discovered them and we said we want them put our name on them," [Fr. Joel] McNeil said.

McNeil has headed the church since 1999. He said they expect to expand the building to accommodate 1,000 more people over the next 10 years.

Dishwashing Lessons

My husband and I just finished washing and drying dishes together. This teamwork reminded me of when my siblings and I shared dishwashing and drying duties back in the 50's. That was a great lesson in learning to work together with contesting peers!

My younger sister and I were usually at odds over who would dry and who would wash. Mother would have to choose, and she quickly figured out that it was best to make assignments for an entire week. Even then we had arguments over whose turn it was to wash.

The person who washed the dishes had the worst job. He had to start first, scour out grimy pots and pans, and clean the cabinet top and sink at the end. The person who dried dishes would usually have the upper hand. She could come late (making the dishwasher angry because the rinse sink was now overflowing with dishes), or throw dirty spoons back into the wash water--with a "You forgot to clean this!"

In those days, Mother cooked daily meals from scratch using non-Teflon pans. The only thing that made the skillet easier to clean was the gravy which during cooking had released the stuck browned meat and flour. An electric clock hung above the sinks of wash water and rinse water. Looking at the clock's second hand, we held regular contests on who could hold their breath the longest.

The issue that led to the most fights was who got to sing. Naturally we did not like to sing together. We finally agreed that whoever started singing first could continue without interruption. Yes, dishwashing days are over in most families. A pity, because I can't think of a better way to practice getting along with your neighbors.

Praying with the Horse.... (in mind)

A very long time ago, a good Catholic nun told me this story in grade school. The nun first explained that we must concentrate on the meaning of the prayers we say, and not be distracted. She admitted it would be difficult. To show the difficulty, she told this story.

A woodsman was cutting trees in the forest when a stranger on a horse appeared. Dismounting, he asked the woodsman for a drink for himself and his fine horse. The woodsman took the well-dressed stranger to a nearby well and the two men sat down and talked as the horse finished drinking from the water bucket and began grazing.

In those days, it wasn't too long before the mens' conversation changed from a discussion of the weather, crops, and livestock to a discussion of religion. Soon the two men began to tell how they prayed while working. The stranger said he could not retire to a room and pray quietly, so he sang his prayers as he rode. The woodsman explained he prayed the rosary while meditating on the mysteries while he worked to chop down and debark trees.

The stranger sadly remarked he had problems in concentrating on his prayers, even though singing them helped The woodsman answered that he had learned to pray attentively when very young and could keep his attention focused on his prayers. The stranger vigorously objected that total attention was impossible but the woodsman vigorously disagreed.

Soon the argument flared into a bet. The stranger said he was so sure that it was not possible to totally focus on a prayer to the exclusion of everything else, that he would bet his horse that the woodsman could not say the Our Father without losing concentration. The woodsman accepted the bet and began to pray:

Our Father, who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
They will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,
... By the way, does the saddle come with the horse?

The nun proceeded to explain that if we lose attention during a prayer that we should not go back and repeat it, but should ask God to forgive us and continue with succeeding prayers. I've found that to be a good recommendation.

Local Archbishop in Boston Newspaper

The Boston Globe reports that Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas made an important statement at the Catholic Bishops' Meeting in Baltimore this past week. I think the Archbishop deserves a pat on the back and our continuing prayers.

"As teachers, we have an obligation to teach, not just about the things people agree with, but the difficult things as well. . . . We have a responsibility to try and help our people understand things that, because of the culture being hostile, aren't easily accessible to them."

Glorified Body on the Road to Emmaus

Catharina Senensis of The Cornell Society for a Good Time has initiated a great discussion on the sex of the resurrected body. A couple of persons have noted that Catharina has proposed "a fine question... one fit for Thomas' Summa." I'd like to add a few points for further consideration.

One of the stories in the Gospels that I've pondered a lot over the years is the story of Jesus' appearance on the road to Emmaus, as told in Luke 24:13-32. Two of Jesus' disciples were walking away from Jerusalem the day after His Resurrection from the dead. The Bible says Jesus Himself drew near and walked with them. The disciples talked with Him as a stranger about the happenings in Jerusalem and Scripture, apparently for some time, and finally asked Him to abide with them for the evening. They ate together, but did not recognize Jesus until the breaking of the bread.

How was it that they did not recognize Jesus? I speculate that Jesus, in his glorified body after His Resurrection from the dead, had the appearance of a young man, even as the boy He was when His Mother, Mary, and His foster-father, St. Joseph, found Him in the Temple.

Personally, I like the idea of having a young glorified body when we are free of sexual concerns, yet we still retain our identity as male and female. Was Jesus implying this when He said that we must be as children to enter heaven?

New Family Planning Doctor

Carol McKinley says this appointment is HUGE! I tend to agree with her.

Bishop Bruskewitz at the Bishops' Conference

EWTN's weekly news, The World Over, is hosted by Raymond Arroyo. This evening Arroyo focused on proceedings of the U.S. Bishops' Conference that is meeting this week in Baltimore. You really need to see the reruns of tonight's program that will be replayed early Saturday morning, November 18, 1 am EST and at several other times in the next couple of days.

Raymond Arroyo shows various clips of U.S. Bishops at the Baltimore meeting, including Bishop Bruskewitz quoting from Pope Benedict who has said a Bishops' Conference is not worth its weight in butterfly wings! (no, he really didn't say quite that--but you get the message). Even if you don't like some of EWTN programming--you should listen to this week's news of the Bishops' Conference as reported by Raymond Arroyo.

Chinese One Dog Policy

The Chinese policy limiting Beijing families to only one child has created an environment similar to the U.S. where people substitute dogs for missing children. Now Beijing authorities are setting a limit on dogs. Only one small dog is allowed per family.

The BBC and others report at least 200 people protested against restrictions on pet dog ownership. The police detained 18 demonstrators, but released them after organizers agreed to disperse the rally.

Benedict XVI in Turkey

The itinerary of Pope Benedict XVI has now been announced for his visit to Turkey on November 28-December 1. I am most intrigued by the statement that "On Thursday morning, Nov. 30, Benedict XVI will take part in the Divine Liturgy in the Patriarchal Church of St. George in Istanbul. He will deliver an address and sign a joint declaration."

The Pope is expected to encounter a chilly welcome from this 99% Muslim country. The Turkish Daily News implies the Pope could be assassinated, as described in a book written by Yucel Kaya, Plot Against the Pope (which Zenit says is one of the best selling novels in Turkey). The story was noted by Reuters back in September.

The cover of the Kaya book, sub-titled "Who will kill the pope in Istanbul?" features Benedict XVI with a cross engulfed in flames behind him, and a bearded man aiming a gun at the pontiff. The Vatican representative in Turkey is quite concerned because attacks on priests have become somewhat routine recently.

Mehmet Ali Ağca, the Turk who attempted to kill the late Pope John Paul II in 1981, stated from prison that the Pope should not travel to Turkey because he would be unsafe. Moreover, a 26-year-old Muslim has fired four shots into the air in front of the Italian Consulate in Istanbul to protest the Pope's visit to Turkey.

Gerald Augustinus of The Cafeteria is Closed and many others have expressed concern about the Pope in Turkey. The Vatican's secretary of state, Italian Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, has asked Christians to pray for the Pope's pilgrimage.

Great Moral Defect of the Catholic Schools

A close relative was a long time teacher in the Catholic elementary schools. She taught during the cross-over from the 'old' Catholic schools of the early '60s to the 'new' Catholic schools of the '70s. I asked her about her experiences, and she mentioned two. Her first observation was that the later children were definitely not as well-behaved and seemed to find learning more difficult. She believed these were the result of many more divorces of parents and especially of women working outside the home.

Her second observation was related to the first. Because so many children now had parents who were divorced, the diocese, in its teacher training program, strongly recommended that the sins of divorce and remarriage be slighted in the classroom. The purpose was to not to place a child in the situation of having his/her parents criticized by the teacher, especially if the teacher also taught the child that mortal sin condemns a soul to hell. An additional purpose was not to drive students away from Catholic education because their parents were divorced and attempted remarriage. Many Catholic schools apparently continue this policy today.

The results of the policy not to teach students about the death that mortal sin causes have not been good. In some Catholic schools, even though 90+ percent of the students are Catholic, they are not taught Catholic morals, if it means criticizing the practices of the parents. The schools seem afraid that they will lose students if they do this. Is it then surprising that the great majority of Catholic students do not attend Sunday Mass? Even up to 95 percent, as estimated by some friends?

Parishioners are promised that parochial schools will develop new Catholics for the future of their parish, but they begin to wonder why they should contribute to parochial schools when the results are so bad. Some good Catholic parents believe that this kind of compromise with sin is so much in error that they begin to home school their children. Some of the best Catholic children are lost to the Catholic school system. Good parents strongly believe it is necessary to follow the example of Jesus Christ who said to follow a narrow path to heaven and avoid sin, even those sins well-liked by some in the community!

Pope Benedict XVI reminded the faithful that mortal sin leads to damnation, in a sobering message at his Angelus audience on November 5. [See the related post on Fr. Gonzales' blog--BTW, he offers the new Tridentine Mass in Phoenix.] Yet how can sin and its effects be discussed in a classroom without offending parents of students? Short answer: It can't!

Teachers must teach about mortal sins, even those committed by family members of the students. The teacher can explain, as my own grade school teacher did for a student whose parents did not take him to Mass one Sunday, that the student is obliged to tell his parents that he really wants to go to Sunday Mass and that it is a mortal sin to miss. The nun then explained to our class that the student was not responsible for missing Mass if he did this, even when the parents did not take him to Mass.

With regard to other serious sins, this age requires the child to remind poor parents that serious sins will send them to hell. Teachers need to explain that children must continue to respect their parents in all things but sin, and give examples of the kinds of statements and questions that students should make to their parents living in sin. That has to become a major purpose of the Catholic schools. Yes, some students will be lost, some homeschooled children will now attend if the faith is taught clearly by the teachers, but the children who remain will know what God requires of us. Most importantly, they will begin to practice evangelization--starting with their parents!

The Remnant Analysis

I subscribed to The Remnant Newspaper beginning in the late '60s after Walter Matt resigned as editor of The Wanderer and began to write a new, small newspaper that claimed Vatican II was not good for the Church. Walter Matt and his columnist, Michael Davies, always seemed to say what I felt and wanted to say myself.

Walter died some years ago, and his son, Michael Matt, is proving to be a worthy successor to the highly respected father. I recommend Michael's recent analysis of the Universal Indult, in the context of current rumors and projected happenings in Rome.

Bloody Scars

I would like to personally congratulate Missouri Catholic bloggers who worked so hard to oppose the Cloning Stem Cell Initiative. Wolftracker, you led the way with blog after blog, day after day. Curmudgeon did much the same and introduced a final three major posts on the Clone and Kill Amendment: Perspectives from a Cleric, Lawyer, and Doctor. Catholic Knight, more than anything, your good post on spiritual measures needed to march into immortal combat brought the battle into perspective.

To all of you who prayed, lost sleep, made deep financial sacrifices, wrote blogs, passed out signs, talked with your neighbors, wrote letters, developed bumper strips, and gave deeply of yourselves to do God's work--May God bless you with His choicest gifts for recognizing His littlest ones. Our Lord Jesus Christ wants more people to fight like you fought. Your bloody scars will make you even more worthy combatants in the future. This war is a long one.

Una Voce - Arkansas Ozarks

Una Voce Arkansas Ozarks has developed five recent monthly newsletters. The latest one discusses Kansas City traditional Catholics.

The Ottaviani Intervention

One of the most important documents of the Catholic Church in the 20th century is the Ottaviani Intervention. The Intervention is a relatively small study developed in 1969 by a number of good bishops and theologians. It was presented to Pope Paul VI by two senior Vatican Cardinals who saw serious theological and other problems with the new Mass. You'll have to judge for yourself as to the validity of their observations.

The Fathers of the Second Vatican Council assumed that the great Roman Rite would be maintained in all its essentials and would continue to be the principal form of the Mass. This did not happen. Inside the Vatican magazine notes in a May 2004 editorial: "A New Mass was created that "attracts and 'enables' abuses because it was intentionally shaped to diminish the 'transcendent' and emphasize the 'profane' dimension.

"The New Mass has turned out to be a rite too rapidly produced and too influenced by the rampant secularization of the 1960s. Pope Paul VI himself was hesitant about the new Mass, as he was about so many things. He approved it half-heartedly. It is said that after he attended a 'trial run' of the new Mass, he said, 'But where is the mystery? The mystery is gone!' He himself felt something was missing in the new Mass, but promulgated it anyway."

Pope Benedict XVI is trying to patch up the New Mass, but I believe his efforts may take too long and achieve only limited success. Current news items indicate Benedict XVI soon may free the ancient, holy liturgy of the Roman rite that sustained the Saints of the past and allow it to be restored in almost all parishes. The restoration of the old Latin Mass seems necessary for the Church to come out of a very harsh 'winter' when many of our children and friends became spiritually weak and died.

Rat Poison in the Church

Don't forget to read the recent speech by Bishop Bruskewitz of Lincoln, NB.

....we should however, realize that the Catholic Church in the United States, and to a large extent throughout the Western World, is facing a very formidable series of crises.

....it is an aphorism that probably can be statistically verified that the largest religious group in the United States is the Catholic Church, but the second largest is fallen-away Catholics, lapsed, non-practicing, those who have abandoned the Catholic faith.

Unless there is a strong realization among practicing Catholics that there is a crisis, and that this crisis deserves our resolute determination to confront it and overcome it, we will not get very far, except to descend further into the bleakness of this sad kind of winter. Unless the patient realizes he is sick, he will not expose his wounds to the necessary healing medicine that would provide a cure for his problems.

Even the healthiest fish cannot swim along in polluted waters.

In Nebraska, where I come from, at this time of the year, harvest time, there are a lot of rodents who try to intrude themselves in, feasting on the corn, soybeans, and other products of the fields. This requires the farmers to put out appropriate amounts of rat poison to prevent this from happening. The rat poison that is put out is always 95% healthy, good, wholesome, nourishing food. It is only the 5% in the poison that does the killing. I think that this has been overlooked in the ecumenical and inter-religious dialogues sometimes, that inserted into things which might have elements of truth, are also very serious elements of error that place in jeopardy one's eternal salvation.

The clash of culture represented by the Muslim demography and onslaught in our time, which reflects the Islamic expansionism of times past, cannot be successfully confronted by an easy-going pluralistic tolerance. It can only be confronted by a reinvigorated Christianity, a reinvigorated Catholic faith.

Vocation to the Cloistered Life

Discalced Carmelites
CARMEL OF JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH
Valparaiso, Nebraska

A young woman from Kansas City was recently clothed with the garments of the cloister. In her investiture of early November, 2006, Lindsay Jennings assumed the religious name of Sr. Mary Pia of the Cross.

The Carmel of Jesus, Mary and Joseph in Valparaiso, Nebraska was dedicated on December 14th, 2001, the Feast of St. John of the Cross, and the Papal Enclosure was set by Bishop Bruskewitz. Over 25 priests were in attendance. Perhaps just as important, over 4,000 visitors attended the open house following the dedication.

One of the very interesting stories that happened at that time is told at the website of the Las Vegas Marian Center.

The Lincoln Journal-Star had published a really nice article about the dedication and more specifically about the high altar. They published two photos of the altar. One from the dedication and one as it was, back in the hospital chapel. Saturday morning a gentleman from Minnesota was traveling through Nebraska and had stopped to eat breakfast. While reading the paper he saw the article and could not believe his eyes! There on the page was the altar that he had disassembled over 30 years ago.

He immediately went to the monastery and when he walked in to the chapel he could not hold back the emotion. He sobbed uncontrollably. He never thought he would ever see the altar again. He was the man that was hired to disassemble it and for years it bothered him that he had been the one to take apart something so beautiful and it would never be seen again. Once again he was standing before it in all its glory. We had never seen a man so happy. He stayed and talked with the Sisters for over an hour. Just one more example of the countless graces and blessings being poured out on people as a result of the Sisters' prayers.

Photos of the investiture ceremony of Sr. Mary Pia of the Cross are courtesy of a friend who attended this important event. Other photos are here.

Kansas City Catholic Bloggers

Kansas City has a good stable of Catholic writers, most of which seem to be traditional Catholics of a younger age (with the exception of old man Jovan and me!) If you haven't visited their web sites, this might be the time.

Dr. Bombay is a student at a public university and has blogged since early 2006. The Dr. is a Senior Member of the Catholic Answers Forum and has almost 1,500 posts to his credit. His blog, Confraternity of Uber Catholics, often blows hurricane winds at modernist cows, who if they were standing at the beginning of his post, are laying down dead or laughing hilariously at the end. [Can modernists really laugh at themselves????]

Christopher Rossman started his blog in 2005 and will be ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas next Spring. His homilies are posted at An Instrument of God, but some of the early ones seemed a little light. He is currently writing a piece on the Sacrifice of the Mass that is beginning to sound very good. Finally, Christopher has done a superb job of explaining and motivating readers to pro-life efforts--especially regarding Missouri Amendment 2 that would allow human cloning.

Wolftracker began his blog, Kansas City Catholic, in Spring 2006 and quickly attracted a large audience. If you want to know what is going on in the Catholic church in this area, read his blog. Wolftracker seems to have an eye for good Catholic news. I always ask myself if he is an insomniac to produce so many good posts. He also posts to the Bishop Finn Fan Club.

KCPriest at Sacerdos in Aeternum initiated several very good discussions on his blog, but he hasn't posted anything since August. I hope he returns, because when he writes a post that asks a question, he can generate over 60 interesting comments in response.

Jovan at The New Crusade is a one-issue guy who has projected the Church's main enemy for the next 100 years--Islam. Give the guy credit for great long distance vision! I love the little pig in Crusade armor that accompanies Jovan to battle. Don't forget to give him a look.

Stephen of True Restoration is another busy and very prolific Catholic blogger with attachments to Kansas City. Stephen's excellent blog occupies the very important right flank of the army opposing Modernism. He recently organized a new Yahoo group that features a daily "one minute devotional" from a book of prayer or spirituality or an encyclical.

Curmudgeon has returned to his Cave, and I'm afraid it is a permanent loss. If anyone wanted to know what church was which and its history in the Kansas City area, you went to his blog. If you wanted to get a raspy opinion of what's wrong with the Church, Curmudgeon would clarify it for you. Curmudgeon never bit his own tongue to keep silent; rather he was that rarity of the news--a heretic biter. He constantly nipped at the heels of heretics in the Church--especially those who proclaimed loudly their loyalty but betrayed it with their actions.

Chad is a new (2006) Catholic who posts at Chad is Not Enough. He also contributes to a group blog at Per Christum. Chad first informed his readers last January that he was investigating Catholicism. Read his opening post on Figuring out the Church. The writer who had the most impact on Chad is Thomas Howard, author of Evangelical is Not Enough. I like his sidebar picture, "I Love Bishop Bruskewicz."

Mr. R. M. A. J. Romero is a 23-year old Catholic blogger who has posted at Caritas Christi Vrget Nos since January 2006. He loves God, Mary, the Church, and the poor. See Ave Maris Stella where he tells a little about himself and the Blessed Virgin Mary. I think I'm going to like him!

Then there are the great Kansas City voices who read and comment on Kansas City Catholic blogs. These include Alison, dotte, Cranky, .... Who am I missing?