Dear Catholic Exchange:
With all due respect, how is it that we hold forums among Catholics who seem yet to be under-informed and malformed of faith?
I took a peak…gobbledygook as so much else in such 'net places… Won't be back…
Try having forums based on the reading of a single work — good, solid apologetics, etc., that the subject matter may have a certain focus on which to make enlightened comments.
God bless all, at any rate… With limited income and the gift-giving season where Christ expects us to give some gifts to others for His birthday, still hoping to make a contribution to CE… Lots of charities in need… woof!
But, I'd miss you since I use you as my 'net portal…
Warren Jewell
Dear Mr. Jewell:
Thank you so much for your loyalty to us as your Internet portal. And we offer special thanks to all readers who remember us during this season. Your support keeps us going — literally.
We do appreciate knowing what you think about our newest feature although admittedly the first staff reaction to this was, “Oh, well, you can please some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time, but you'll never please all of the people all of the time.” But perhaps this is a chance to help you and our other readers understand our goal with regard to the forums.
As for the “gobbledygook” aspect, that is kind of what you have to expect. But it is hardly the whole story — in just the short time we have had the forum, some hearts hardened with bitterness have been softened, some hurting people have been comforted and minds have been changed or at least opened to change. And that is really the mission here. We want to keep poorly-formed Catholics hanging around our website. It is just the thing that might help turn them into well-formed Catholics!
This is the very rapidly evolving, cutting edge of Catholic media. The “blogosphere” was the biggest media story in the '04 election. And we are determined that this wave will not pass us by. We know that our most well-formed Catholic readers and supporters have little time to spend hanging around on forums as most of us have jobs, families, apostolates, hobbies, and other activities that keep us busy. But those who do take the time to show up and interact are often there just at the right moment to help people who are reaching out for some contact.
Our forum also gives our readers a chance to interact with some of our featured writers.
We want to draw forum participants of a high caliber to the CE Roundtable and we are open to suggestions on how to do this. So if anyone has an idea about how to improve our forum or elevate the level of discourse, please let us know.
We serve the Lord of All — and all includes the Internet. Fellow Catholics, let's not abandon this field. Join us and help us claim it for Christ!
Mary Kochan
CE Senior Editor
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