So Long, Farewell...

The time has come for me to say farewell to the world of blogging.

For me, it is time now to focus more of my time and attention on living a life of prayer and penance. That, really, is my “calling”, and I know it. There are others who are called to blogging; and I know you will all keep up with the good, orthodox, faithful Catholic bloggers out there! Be sure, also, to get your daily dose of “The Vortex”, and if you haven’t done so already, sign up for a Premium Membership to ChurchMilitant.TV, and learn more about the faith through their excellent programming.

I have been considering this change for some time now, and on a recent long drive, I listened once again to Rod Pead’s talk on the “Sword of Unity” (it is also available in the form of a written article). I’ve mentioned Mr. Pead’s work before (here and here);  Rod Pead is the editor of Christian Order magazine, and the talk was delivered at a “Faith of Our Fathers” conference almost 14 years ago. Yet, it makes every bit as much sense today as it did then. If you haven’t listened to the talk or read the article, you should.

In his presentation, Rod Pead notes that many of us know about the problems in the Church – about the crisis in every measure of Church health (vocations, Mass attendance, etc.) – but he makes us think again:

If we know this; if we are really aware of all this; why do we resist tailoring our prayer life and our thoughts and our actions accordingly? If we consider ourselves so aware and savvy about this travesty of truth and unity, then why, as the Jesuit, Father James Schall states, are Catholics so wimpy?

In another place, Pead adds:

…It is true that while at the moment we find we can't live with the bishops, we know, too, that by God's design we can't live without them, and that there is only so much we can do. But have we done even that much? Have we prayed and fasted and done penance and really begged God on our knees to convert the hearts and minds of the bishops? Have we consistently pleaded with Him to take the hirelings who will not respond to His grace to their early reward, and send us real Catholic Shepherds in their stead?

… Christ Himself told us, in the parable of the unjust judge, that we should pray continually and never be discouraged [Lk 18 1:8]. … Our Lord told the people: "will not God give redress to his elect, when they are crying out to him, day and night? Will he not be impatient with their wrongs? I tell you, he will give them redress with all speed." And then Christ immediately adds…, "But ah, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith left on earth?"

And so…are we really praying for the conversion of the hirelings or their replacement by strong, solicitous, Catholic Shepherds – as if we believe? Given Christ's promise, I can't imagine that enough of us are.

And so, because I am called more to prayer and penance than to blogging, that is what I will do…at least for the time being. God only knows what the future holds.

I have met many wonderful people through this blog – thank you for your friendship, your encouragement, and your prayers!

Stay in touch! My email address is drjayboyd@msn.com.