Hey, look who’s got a new blog at Patheos: Father Matthew Schneider!

I’m delighted to welcome a longtime social media pal, faithful priest, and all-around great guy, the Rev. Matthew Schneider, LC, who has just launched a new blog at Patheos, Through Catholic Lenses. 

Father Matthew has a few faithful followers on Twitter — over 42,000 at last count — and I’m sure they’ll be curious to read what he has to say on his blog.

His introduction:

We all look at the world through different lenses. These lenses affect how we see everything. This can be shown if you look at certain websites in the USA today where it is very clear that the authors read this through the lens of their party or political philosophy. Catholicism doesn’t correspond to any one political party but provides a certain lens through which we can view the world.

In this space I try to view the world through Catholic lenses and help you, the reader, to do the same. To this end, a portion of this blog is giving news analysis from a Catholic perspective and a portion is more thoughtful and completely original pieces that try to go deeper on an important topic. Each article presents a part of the puzzle that helps us see the world in a Catholic perspective, or a Catholic worldview.

I don’t guarantee I’ll cover every topic or give each topic its proper weight. Like everyone, I have certain topics that move me more to write and others that move me less. What I do guarantee is that I will come at every topic from a Catholic worldview and help you see the world with the clarity that Catholic lenses give it.

About Father Matthew:

Jesus loves us. I love Jesus. I’m a priest with the Legionaries of Christ and Regnum Christi. I try to fulfill our mission of helping people know and experience Jesus, be transformed by him, and become his apostles.

I began working in youth ministry and wrote some of the material for the Conquest and Challenge Clubs but in recent years I have moved away from that. In relation to youth ministry, I wrote the only book on doing 1-on-1 spiritual mentoring with teenagers called Spiritually Mentoring Teenage Boys based on my experience (90% it probably applies to teen girls too but I don’t have much experience there).

I’m currently studying a Licentiate in Theology (between Master’s and Doctorate) from Sacred Heart Major Seminary, work on the North America communications team for Regnum Christi, assist with the sacraments at Our Lady of Bethesda Retreat Center, post inspirational stuff and Catholic commentary online (including this), help with sacraments at local parishes, and occasionally talk publicly on subjects I discuss here (use the contact form  if you want this). I do this while living in the Legionary community in the Washington metro area.

This week, he’s posted a thoughtful two-part analysis of the pope’s new document on holiness. Check it out. 

I’m happy to have him here at Patheos. Father Matthew is the real deal: no ax to grind, no agenda to push, just a young guy in love with the Lord and eager to share that with joy and fidelity to the faith. Welcome!