Readers and friends of catholic dialogue know that I am a big fan of the National Catholic Reporter down in the US. NCR commentaries and articles have often provided the spring-board and inspiration for my own blog posts. It is one of my go-to sources for international Catholic news as are The Tablet in the UK and our own Prairie Messenger here in Canada. Unlike some Diocesan sponsored newspapers, these journals provide a wide range of voices and critical reflections on the Church in our world. In the spirit of dialogue, I try to read a few more conservative journals also. I enjoy hearing all sides to an issue and seeing how diverse views are presented.
A couple of weeks ago, an editor from NCR sent me an email. He had come across the catholic dialogue blog and the Prairie Messenger columns. He liked what he saw, and wondered if I would be interested in joining the NCR Today Blog Team. In hind-sight, responding with an email that said ‘are you kidding me?’ was probably not the most professional response. But it was an honest one.
I continue to be amazed at the connections that are made through the internet, and in the blog world. The opportunities for open dialogue and networking are phenomenal. In the past, most church conversations took place in curial halls or behind pastoral doors. Today, passionate and committed lay women and men, religious and priests share their voices and share their faith across the miles and across cyber-space. True faith requires a journey of exploring and questioning. Faith grows when we have the opportunity to test out new thoughts on others, to enter into respectful dialogue that seeks understanding.
And we learn. Each and every day we learn from what others are saying and writing. I chose a relatively safe topic for my first NCR Today blog post – an invitation to share experiences on the New Roman Missal. It provided a lively discussion on this blog, and managed to nudge a healthy response on the NCR blog also. In fact, the responses are far wittier and interesting than the post itself! 😉
Here is the post,
20 Sundays of ‘And with your spirit’ | National Catholic Reporter.
catholic dialogue 
Thanks, Isabella for giving voice to the concerns of so many in the pews! Just read you blog for NCR and comments. Appreciate your insights.
Thanks so much, Kathy! I really appreciate the insights of others. Here’s to more dialogue!
Well done! …what an amazing and insightful replies! Good for you! 🙂
Thanks for the support Cathy. A new venture is a tad nerve-wracking….ok, sometimes very nerve-wracking! 😉
I complete understand that! What I thought was very poignant is that you set the context very nicely, then the dialogue began…a mirror to the title of your blog! All will be well. Take a breath…and give thanks! 🙂