This is the 2001st post on Catholic Faith and Reflections. Late in 2008, my son suggested I begin a blog. On a whim, I did so and have for the most part tried my best to maintain it as a place where matters of the Catholic faith are discussed, where short quotes are offered for spiritual reflection, my homilies are published, and articles on topics special to me are presented.
Perhaps my most favorite posts have been those on Pope John Paul the First, the patron of this weblog. Any of you who have read them know full well why I would say t his. He was an absolutely astounding man whose relegation to obscurity, it would seem, neglects to apprehend the enormity of the impact his short papacy had on the Church’s next three decades. I have said it before, and I repeat it here, I truly believe his successor, St. John Paul II continued what John Paul the First began, and now we have in Pope Francis the beginnings of the completion of Papa Luciani’s pontificate. More on that in a later post, sometime.
I know for certain that this blog has been viewed over 800,000 times in eight years. That is a considerable number, although certainly not nearly as many times as some Catholic blogs. To all my readers, thank you! I remind you that you are always welcome to leave a comment. All comments are read by me before they are published. Only rarely have I had to refuse to publish a comment because of language or offensivity. I thank you for being civil and respectful.
There is a certain loneliness for a blogger. It is a solitary activity, even though thousands are reading and thinking, even though I have other brother deacons, priests, bishops, religious and lay who blog. Being an evangelist in cyberspace is a necessary thing, but there is a certain disconnect one feels from those to whom he is ministering via the internet. I am inspired though to continue by the encouragement of you and our recent Holy Fathers who, like many of us, are now using this technology to spread the Gospel.
May God bless each and every one of you today and every day of your lives!
Deacon Bob Yerhot
