Friday, February 20, 2009

Readers Respond . . . .

As I blog here, it occurs to me that I don't invite suggestions about topics to discuss--and perhaps I ought to do so. In the past two weeks, I've had the refreshing experience of having a score of folks contact me through the email feature on my profile page. These include some people with whom I've lost contact over the years, and with whom I'm very glad to renew acquaintance. They also include some people I'm honored to have reading the blog, and whose feedback I appreciate.

In the comments section on the blog, my recent posting about the effects of the restorationist movement on one American Catholic family provoked interesting responses, and I'm thinking of doing a follow-up to that posting. In particular, I want to engage a question some of those comments implied, about how extensive the influence of this movement actually is in the American Catholic church.

All of this to say: I always welcome feedback and value it. One can have the impression, when blogging routinely, of talking in an echo chamber in which the only voice sounding is one's own. That's a disconcerting impression. Comments and feedback help correct me and point me in directions of interest to readers. I'd dearly love to know, for instance, what the sudden readership this blog has picked up in places like Rome want or expect to hear from me . . . .

And as I talk about recent postings on this blog, it occurs to me to mention two outstanding reflections on Vatican II that have appeared recently on the Queering the Church blog, and which provide a valuable counterpart to what I've said on that subject. They're (here) and (here).