Blogging Church - Online Advent Community Gatherings and More

Many blogs will feature ways to pray together during Advent. We have our St. Edward the Confessor Advent Reflections 2010 here on this blog and at that one. Please join us in reading and praying through the season and if you are so inclined, please consider submitting a reflection. Contact me for information and available days.

It is a gift to be a part of a powerful Catholic Christian blogging community via Loyola Press. Our brothers and sisters at Loyola are featuring an Advent journey for us all at various sites of theirs. Please click on that image to see what it is all about.



Friend of the blog, Meredith Gould has begun one of her fine Advent and Christmas traditions at her blog. For the first look at the annual humorous but yet quite serious, Schlep of the Magi, click here.

Another fine friend of our blog, Fr. Austin Fleming - aka, The Concord Pastor, will continue to offer up some of the finest Catholic blogging that you will ever experience. For example, in this post, he offers us some true Advent (as opposed to Christmas, which happens at the end of Advent) music.

Right here in Albany there is an exceptional Catholic blog that has quickly become part of my regular reading, my regular reading being a little scattershot due to the demands of my schedule.  Dating God is written by Brother Daniel Horan, OFM, who is in residence at Siena College.  Here Dan ushers in the new (liturgical) year which Advent brings us to.

And also here in Albany there is yet another great Catholic writer and blogger, Mary DeTurris Poust. Mary's blog, Not Strictly Spiritual is a great source of wisdom, prayer and family life.  Mary also blogs at OSV Daily Take and has a fine Advent piece that you can read here, which include yet more Advent resources.

From across the Atlantic, we have UK blogger and poet, Philomena Ewing to visit. Phil is one of the most generous bloggers that I have come to know and she lavishes so many fine things for us to consider at this time of year and always. See her work at Blue Eyed Ennis.

Coming to us from France and Puerto Rico, a unique Catholic voice is heard from Claire Bangasser at her blog, A Seat At The Table. She is wise and deep and will enlighten you and challenge you with her words and images. Her blog is a table at which I am always fed.

Scientist and Catholic writer Michelle Francl presents thoughts worth pondering at her blog, Quantum Theology. I am ever moved by her words and thoughts and I think you might be as well. 

Through the blogging community at Loyola Press, I got to know Andie, from Meandering Through Life. She is a catechetical leader and a fine writer. Here is her post bringing us into Advent, which is quite wonderful. 

The Jesuit institution of higher learning, Creighton University has long offered daily scriptural reflections year round. Father Pat introduced me to them as we began our first parish reflections in Advent 2007. You can find them as well as other spiritual inspiration here and here.

Speaking of Jesuits, the Irish Jesuits have a wonderful daily inspirational prayer website called Sacred Space.

Blogging from Salt Lake City where is a permanent deacon at the Cathedral of the Madeline, Scott Dodge puts forth some deep theological thoughts for us to enter into prayerfully and in community. Read Scott's post on Advent beginning here.

In our ecumenical corner I introduce you to another Christian blogger. Each year, Methodist minister, writer and artist and Jan Richardson presents a blog called The Advent Door. It is always a place worth visiting.

Another ecumenical addition is the fantastic website of ecumenist, liturgist and Anglican priest Fr. Bosco Peters from New Zealand. His website is called Liturgy and includes web resources for prayer and worship as well as a blog. It is an amazing place to visit and Fr. Bosco is truly a man of God.