Catholic blogging

I recently wrote about Catholic bloggers in NCR, highlighting the popular Philadelphia blogger Rocco Palmo, who writes the gossipy Whispers in the Loggia, which these days is covering the African Synod, Cardinal Francis George's new book and the Phillies playoffs.

Palmo tries to distance himself from other Catholic bloggers because too many of them are used primarily to point fingers and rant, usually at fellow Catholics. I wrote, "While it’s nice and democratic that the Internet gives everyone a soapbox (or at least everyone with Internet access), some might want to use that soap to wash out their mouths. Call me biased, but I think the majority of these mudslinging sites are by traditionalist Catholics -- perhaps because it seems more Catholic blogs slant to the right than to the left."

Last week was a perfect example. Father John Zuhlsdorf, a columnist for the Wanderer, directed readers of his blog, What Does the Prayer Really Say?, to vote in U.S. Catholic magazine's poll about the apostolic visitation on women religious. Nothing wrong with that, right?

Perhaps suspecting what might happen, Zuhlsdorf warns his readers, "I suggest that you keep your comments – if you comment – which I don’t suggest – extremely concise and very cordial when making points. Don’t descend to the level of the liberals. Show them some class."

Unfortunately, they don't. Check out the comments on U.S. Catholic. And feel free to vote, while you're there!