Category Archives: Meanderings

Voting begins today!

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This is a rare digression from the usual postings here, namely it is personal and FUN! (Well, sort of fun.)

There is Something in our attic. Something big and lumbering. My wife and I think it is a raccoon, as it is their mating season and they usually take up residence somewhere to lay their baby ‘coons.

Anyway, my friend Mike L over at What Does Mike Think? has a poll for you to vote in .

We do plan to call specialists for a humane removal of… the Something.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

My contribution to “Catholic Media Promotion Day!”

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As I posted earlier: Today is Catholic Media Promotion Day!

Therefore, here are my picks:

For my 3 blogs:

I will place a dear, sweet, lady first:

Dymphna’s Well, described as “Celebrating beauty in art, music, poetry and scripture.”

I discovered Dymphna’s blog years ago. Long before I had my own computer I had made it a point that whenever I was online her blog would be on the list of sites to review.

Next up:

Stumbling Back Home: “A posterous to document my spiritual journey. – A spiritual seeker’s diary of returning to the Catholic church, after a long time in the desert.”

Anything about “spiritual seeking” involving Catholicism or returning to it draws my attention. Laymonk does a great job.

Then:

Roger’s posterous: “A blog, an eclectic collection of things, an experiment.”

Roger is an online friend of mine, and is helpful and supportive of some of my online doings, namely Recovery for Christ.

I picked Dymphna’s, Laymonk’s and Roger’s blogs as although I read a bunch of blogs and probably communicate on Facebook, Twitter and Plurk with other bloggers more often, these are really the only 3 that I go to without bothering to see their feed in my RSS feed reader first. No disrespecting any other bloggers, it is just how things resonate.

For my 3 podcasts:

First, the “Home Office”: Radio Vaticana. Vatican Radio has some great podcast resources, from the Pope’s weekly audiences and Angelus broadcasts, to English language news and such.

Then:

Where I learn stuff:
Catholic Roundup

Sean’s a wonderful guy, and Canadian!!!!! How kewl is that!

Last up:
Catholic Weekend — An SQPN Featured Show

For my 3 Media picks:

Rob Williams, is the Tupelo Geek: “Using Technology for Personal and Professional Growth!”

And um, Oh My God… It’s Full Of Stars. Just because Chris is cool, too.

Lastly: Catholic Web Solutions:”Bringing the Expertise and Gifts of Catholic Organizations to the Internet”

For random Catholic stuff:

My wife Rose’s site, which feature her photography and other work, including links to her online store. These store are places where you can purchase her work. Yes, as in BUYING MY WIFE’S excellent photography and other artistic endeavors (HINT-HINT-HINT)

ARTIST4GOD: Rose Santuci-Sofranko

Then, a great idea for a browser startup page: myCatholic.com : “Customizable Catholic Homepage”. It has been my home page for years. It is customizable!

Finally, the premier Catholic radio station in the world, after Vatican Radio:
Station of the Cross

For my projects:

There’s my primary blog: Sober Catholic: “Conversion, Penance, Recovery, Sobriety, Scripture, Prayer, Catholicism.” Also The Four Last Things: “Death, Judgment, Heaven, Hell.”

I also run a small social network: Recovery for Christ

I’ll cheat and mention a fourth project: CatholicPreachy.com : “Preachin’ da WORD to da HERD :-)”

CP is a joint project I share with Bro Jer, one of my bestest online buddies, and to whom I owe a lot.

Well, that’s all for that. I Tweeted an idea to Sean that maybe this CMPD should be held on March 25th, the Feast of the Annunciation. Just a thought!

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Today is Catholic Media Promotion Day!

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Today is Catholic Media Promotion Day! Read Sean’s blogpost for details on how you can participate: Catholic Roundup 91- Catholic Media Promotion Day

(Via Catholic Roundup.)

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

A Catholic New Media Advent- the Catholic Roundup Podcast

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It’s now “Official”, the Catholic New Media Advent Calendar has been announced on the project’s home page here—> A Catholic New Media Advent- Catholic Roundup Podcast 87

(Via Catholic Roundup.)

Click on the link and download the podcast into iTunes or whatever you listen to podcasts on. You can also play it in your browser by going to the “Recent Episodes” box along the right-hand side and click on the “Podcast 87” thingy scrolling along. Just remember to plug in your headset.

Your’s truly was mentioned, as I am assisting him a bit, but that is unimportant 😉

It isn’t too late to get involved. You can email Sean through his blog (or me through this one) and we can set you up with what you need to know and do.

During the podcast Sean brings up a interesting point about those of us who write blogs or record podcasts. For the most part, we do this alone. It is not as if there is an office building where we arrive at daily, sit at our desks and post to our sites. We do this at home. There is a sense of loneliness and isolation due to the obvious disconnection from our readers and listeners. I write a blogpost and you might be reading it years later and thousands of miles away. And I do not know what you look like or sound like. We will probably never meet. And sometimes it’s a wonder if anyone is out there.

There are sites like “St. Blog’s Parish” and “Amateur Catholic- The ‘B’-Team”, but they’re hardly interactive. There has been only recently conventions of bloggers and podcasters, but that costs money to travel to and stay at unless one is held in a city near you.

What am I getting at? Projects like Sean’s New Media Advent Calendar are events that enables us to work together. It brings us closer inasmuch as we become aware of each other’s existence and work. The attention and traffic that it might bring to our online endeavors is important, too. But in working together and reading or viewing each other’s contributions gives us a sense that there is a community of Catholic New Media people out there and we are a part of something wonderful.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Care for Creation book review

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Once again I have been asked by Tribute Books to review one of their recently published works. This time it is Care for Creation by Christy Baldwin and Shelly Draven.

The children’s book is an nice little tome in which children are introduced to the basics of stewardship of the Earth by way of standard environmentalist (or conservationist) beliefs and practical solutions.

Each point is interspersed with a selection from Sacred Scripture (NIV and “The Message” translations, neither of which are Catholic) that is relevant to that point. This offers a refreshing break away from the arbitrarily political and scientifically questionable arguments made along the “climate change” front. A good, solid Scriptural basis for common-sense care for the creation of God that we are entrusted with is a good way to involve the next generation in this work.

Throughout the book there are wonderful illustrations on each of the points made to care for creation.

I accepted the offer to review this book by the reason that as we are to care for ourselves in our recovery from alcoholism and addiction, we can extend that outward towards the world about us. I occasionally write that we are to “go outside to get outside” of ourselves. That is, we are to experience the beauty of God’s creation so as to get outside or our own heads. Helping the generation inheriting our planet is a fine way to go about doing that.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

ARTIST 4 GOD

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In another blogpost on art as a vehicle for spiritual progression I must mention my wife’s new website: ARTIST4GOD.

Rose (my wife) has an extensive site detailing her work, which includes lots of nature and religious photography. Nature walks and exploration, along with prayer and going to Churches, are my personal methods for “going outside to get outside” so, I have a soft spot in my heart for these portfolios of hers.

In addition to tabs and links to her portfolios, she is also attempting to develop an online community. The “Forums” section of her site has dedicated sections for Catholic Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy, as well as other charitable service and volunteering topics. Not to mention a nice section for artists to gather, discuss things and get to know each other.

Her work is offered for sale, with links to external sites that hosts some of her projects. She adds new artwork often.

Please take a moment to explore her site! Anything that connects you to God helps you to stay away from your addiction. Art that is done well, whether it is photography or painting, assists in that.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

The Mystical “Magical” “Real-life Sci-fi” Mysteries of the Catholic Mass

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A good online friend of mine has an incredible and I think potentially very useful project from an educational perspective.

His name is Bryan Bustard and his project is a series of paintings on The Mystical “Magical” “Real-life Sci-fi” Mysteries of the Catholic Mass

Most Catholics do not understand exactly what the Mass is. It is not simply yet another “worship service” like the Protestants have. The Mass is a union of Heaven and Earth, where the Last Supper is presented again and the sacrifice of Jesus on Calvary is ongoing, from across time and space. There is only “one sacrifice”, and Jesus did it, but it is continued from 2,000 years ago at every Catholic Mass.

When you are at a Catholic Mass, it is as if you are present at the Last Supper and are at the foot of the Cross with Mary, the Mother of Jesus and the others.

Bryan’s artistic endeavor attempts to, well, illustrate this reality through a series of paintings. He needs funding to do this and to that end is requesting donations through the Kickstarter Project. Kickstarter is a way form people to obtain funding and patronage for the works.

Bryan has about 17 days left to raise the money needed and has a long ways to go to accomplish this. Hence, I am blogging about the project here and am asking that you take a look at the site: The Mystical “Magical” “Real-life Sci-fi” Mysteries of the Catholic Mass and please consider contributing.

This may be the first of a series of posts on Catholic art. Art, either the creation or appreciation of, is to me a form of spiritual development as good art takes you outside yourself and connects you to God.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Purge of Untruth

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Spirit Daily has another excellent article on spiritual progression to consider:
IT’S PRIME TIME TO DIG DEEP AND ASK GOD TO CLEANSE YOU OF UNTRUTHS — HIDDEN OR OTHER

The author puts forth the notion that summertime is a prime time for spiritual cleansing, just getting rid of the gunk in our inner lives.

Through prayer, especially the Rosary, and petitions to the Holy Spirit for help in discerning truth from lies, we can clear out the garbage polluting our spiritual lives.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

The Hitchhiker

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Ever need evidence that the Holy Spirit guides people into life-changing (and sometimes saving) happenings? Bro Jer, one of my best friends, recorded and posted an audiofile about such a “God-incidence” to his blog Bro Jer’s Blog in a post entitled The Hitchhiker.

He tells of a situation in which he felt strongly prompted by the Holy Spirit to pick up a hitchhiker. The challenge for Bro Jer was in reconciling himself to respond to this prompting in light of following what he thought was God’s will versus the discomfort in what appeared to be a difficult divinely-inspired change of plans. Plus, the hitchhiker looked real scary.

Jeremiah 1:5: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.”

Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare, not for woe! Plans to give you a future full of hope.”

(Via USCCB.)

So, click on the audio link, listen, and try and recall similar “God-incidents” in your life. Perhaps you can post about them in the comments.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

New gadget added for socializing, sharing and chatting

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I have just installed a fun new tool to this blog, the “Wibiya Web Toolbar.”

It is an interactive toolbar draped across the bottom if this blog. Right now I have customized it with only a few features, but will add more once I explore the Wibiya site.

Right now, the basics are included. There is a translation app, plus search and share features (so you can share on Facebook, Twitter and such blog posts you might like.)

There is also a CHAT FEATURE! Yes, you can log in using your Facebook, Twitter or tinychat ID and chat with me or any other reader who is logged in! I recommend a Twitter login, as this is a blog mostly about recovery, Twitter allows anonymous user names. A Twitter login ID might be useful as more and more sites will be integrating with Twitter for logins. So even if you don’t “Tweet”, a Twitter login ID might come in handy. And based on what I’ve gleaned so far from the Wibiya site, you can Tweet from my blog so it might be an interesting way to communicate with other readers (aside from the chat feature).

Wibiya can be found by clicking on this link: Wibiya It also happens to be an Israeli invention. Israelis invent cool and useful things: the remote car starter for one, and the car windshield sunshade for another. I’ve never used either, but living in the American Snowbelt, have considered the remote car starter.

One thing to note: I did have trouble installing it using the Firefox browser. Perhaps my privacy and security settings and add-ons interfered. I was successful by installing it using the Opera browser. It does work in Firefox, afterwards.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)