Patheos peeps!

Blogging has been light the last couple days, but not because I’m battening down the hatches for Stormageddon or Frankenstorm or whatever they’re calling this year’s meteorological catastrophe (though drawing the curtains and breaking out the rosary might be a good idea).  No.  I’ve been away from the keyboard because I took part in a couple of panels at the 20th anniversary Conference of the Society of Catholic Social Scientists on Long Island.

I moderated one panel, titled (cheekily, I thought) “And God Said ‘Tweet’: New Media and the New Evangelization,” which featured Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle of EWTN, Gary Jansen from Image Books; Claudia Volkman from Servant Books, Pat Gohn of the podcast “Among Women” and, of course, Patheos; Patrick Archbold from the National Catholic Register and Creative Minority Report; and that “Bad Catholic” from Patheos, Marc Barnes.

Below is a shot of our Patheos posse, featuring Your Humble Blogger with: Lisa Mladinich (who organized the participation of the Catholic Writers of Long Island and reached out to me about being involved), Pat Gohn and Marc Barnes.

On Saturday, I attended a couple fascinating talks, including one on the married priests of the Pastoral Provision (who, according to a comprehensive survey, are much more orthodox and devout than their cradle Catholic siblings) and another on Catholic cinema, led by future deacon and film critic Steven Greydanus. Lunch included a talk by that cuddley barrel of laughs, William Donohue of the Catholic League. In the afternoon, I took part in a panel on Catholic journalism moderated by Tom Wehner of the National Catholic Register. The panel featured Richard Hinshaw of the Long Island Catholic; Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle; Pat Archbold; Alice Gunther and Mary Ellen Barrett of the Long Island Catholic; and Jim Krug, president of the Long Island chapter of the Catholic League.

A good time was had by all. Our hosts at Kellenberg High School were both hospitable and generous —what a gorgeous school, and what great kids!—and I hope they invite me back again.

Now, must go out and raid the grocery store for foodstuffs…