LIMA: The Blogger's Role today...in Catholic View(my thoughts after the CBCP Bloggers' Meeting)

I was there when the CBCP Media Office called on a meeting with writers and bloggers today. Though we were little in number, we can still sense some good pot brewing out of the few number of attendees. They were writers who have love for life, and they maintain certain websites which defends life and opposes the alternative resorts which our folks at government try to pass on as law. 

For my part, I came as the neophyte, the youngest among them all. Being so, I have a but a little idea on how hard the fight is. Through the experiences shared by the people who were obviously way older in experience, I realized further how deep this endeavor is. Indeed, this is a no-joke. And though I am already writing for the past five years, still this thing is new to me.

What was the meet-up about?

It was about the role of bloggers in the fight for life and family. Moreover, it tackled on writing and blogging in a Christian perspective. As the country's pressing issues take the community into extreme spectra, bloggers would definitely have a helping hand in delivering the right perspectives on the same. Using the Christian slant, we are sure to deliver the right views and present the details in its right shape and form.


The Church had seemed late in seeing the importance of Blogging in the Evangelization. It is especially evident in the Philippines where there are only a little number of Catholic blogsites which contribute to the spiritual growth of the online community. Some blogs on Catholic Faith and Morals, and yet they fear that they could be criticized, or what we may call illegitimate criticism. Others go secular, including the freethinkers, and those who don't care about the faith, and just post ideas just to impress, or to exercise their right of expression. Yet, now through the newly-shown importance of the Church towards bloggers, we can clearly see the great potential that Catholic Blogging could possibly have.


Certain Blogsites like Fr. Abe's site (http://thesplendorofthechurch.blogspot.com/) were given ample notice for their right contribution to the fight for the faith. Fr. Abe's blogsite tackles on Apologetics, and the responses of the Church to the common people's questions, including those of the unbelievers. For those present at the meeting, this is an example of a Catholic Blog which shows adherence to the Church teachings, while maintaining the personal style of delivering it to the reader.

'Media is not only about talking or writing; in our context (as Catholics), it's about delivering Christ's message.' These are the inspiring words of Msgr. Pedro Quitorio, director of CBCP Media Office,  the official media output of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines. And truly, the Church nowadays considers the media of the present as an effective instruments towards a renewed and integral evangelization. While the secular world of media, including the freethinkers and those who share bad sentiments through their blogposts or tweets, continue to roam around the web and do their own thing, bloggers who are guided by the teachings of the Church and the light of the Holy Spirit are being seen as the beacons of light which guides the readers towards the full understanding of the Magisterium and the Scriptures.

In his message last World Day of Communications, Pope Benedict XVI wrote, In the final analysis, the truth of Christ is the full and authentic response to that human desire for relationship, communion and meaning which is reflected in the immense popularity of social networks. Believers who bear witness to their most profound convictions greatly help prevent the web from becoming an instrument which depersonalizes people, attempts to manipulate them emotionally or allows those who are powerful to monopolize the opinions of others. On the contrary, believers encourage everyone to keep alive the eternal human questions which testify to our desire for transcendence and our longing for authentic forms of life, truly worthy of being lived. It is precisely this uniquely human spiritual yearning which inspires our quest for truth and for communion and which impels us to communicate with integrity and honesty. He invites every Christian who has access to the Internet to be a witness of Jesus in this new avenue of communication and communion. If we really know why we have our FB or twitter account, or a blogsite in my case, and use it in the eyes of Christ, then we are sure to have achieved its goal: of having relationship with people towards the truth of Christ: LOVE, without boundaries.

In other words, we are called, as writers by hobby or profession, to write as Christians, read as Christians, and understand and comprehend as Christians. This is what Catholic bloggers aim to do these days. We tend to show the Philippine blogosphere that we have something to say, that being a part of the fourth estate we are also to give information at the light of God's guidance. Before, we are just a silent voice, with a little audience to hear us. Now, we begin to stand, and shout to the top of their lungs that we have Christ in their side, and with his divine guidance, we can lead our fellow faithful towards life and truth!

As Msgr. Pepe said it, 'What we want is not just Media in the Church, but Media as Christians.' Through the bloggers' meeting, I realized that my blog should be a continuing avenue of spreading God's Word and of the Church's eager teachings while still maintaining my personal views and showing-off my witty writing skills at the same time. Five years is yet a young age, there is still a long way to go. Nevertheless, the meeting is just an headstart towards what the CBCP Media Office is desired of us: to unite as Catholic writers, opposing the factors which could kill life and the family, and promote the sanctity and dignity of what it is being a Catholic.

And SirBitz@Blogger would always be there to respond to the call of Catholic Blogging. It would always be of service to the Christian Community through posting enlightening ideas, and views which would help form the spirit for it to be in tip-top shape. This would be its vow, as it celebrates its fifth anniversary. Though we could not go straight-forward in blogging (like our friends in apologetics or resources), nevertheless the views and opinions that you would be reading here from time to time, would be written, as it always was, in the Light of Christ. 


(Just when I thought my anniversary post as a blogger would be a flashback on my first ever blogpost, midnight came and this post was saved at the day of the posting of my very first post. Well, a work of Divine Providence!)


And now, for some pluggings...
CBCP for Life Web Portal: http://cbcpforlife.com
News write-up regarding the Bloggers' Meet-up (courtesy of CBCP News Service): http://www.cbcpnews.com/?q=node/15726