Sweet Tweets for 5/31/14 – Tuning Out and Tuning In.

It’s so easy to fall “off the grid” occasionally.

It happened to me this week when I took some time offline to attend my son’s college graduation. My laptop, usually a fixture in my day to day routine, collected dust. The most “tuning in” I did was via my phone, with an occasional glance at email and twitter.

I have to share that at times, being “tuned out” can feel intoxicating. Some of the great things that bring me the most joy about being a blogger — the community, the intensity of reading and reacting to the news, and the constant stream of intentions for which we must pray — also bring me occasionally dangerously close to burn out. So a break every once in a while is a good thing. It both refreshes my soul and reminds me again why I do what I do.

Pope Francis’ tweet from earlier this week reassures me about why tuning in to my faith is so critical: “May we enter into true friendship with Jesus, so that following him closely, we may live with and for him” tweeted our pontiff on May 29. For me, living with and for him is more easily accomplished when I not only follow what is happening in the world around me, but also when I do so actively, and with purposeful prayer.

I pray that you too had an amazing week!

• Papal Tweet: “May we enter into true friendship with Jesus, so that following him closely, we may live with and for him.”  (Pope Francis May 29th)
• Vatican Radio: technology in the service of mission (Vatican Radio) ow.ly/xd0Gc
• The official Vatican website “vatican.va” is now available in Arabic,
  w2.vatican.va/content/vatica…
• Peace & War & Memorial Day | Call To Holiness ow.ly/xei67
• Remembering & Giving Thanks on Memorial Day « Seek First the Kingdom: Cardinal Donald Wuerl-Archdiocese of Washington ow.ly/xghKO
• Soldier Adopts Dog That Saved His Life – Heroic Video (God Vine) ow.ly/xgj1J
• Memorial Day Video: About war hero Fr. Emil Kapaun during Korean War (Christopher Stefanick) youtu.be/AZuPrQBSDCs
• Here’s why the Pope won’t join Facebook ow.ly/xhdRX
• The New Evangelization Must Be Good Cheese — Reverb Culture ow.ly/xifKC
• Giveaway for Scott Hahn’s Latest Book! | William Newton – Blog of the Courtier ow.ly/xiAu9
• Catholic Author Opportunity: 2014 – Tuscany Prize for Catholic Fiction ow.ly/xjHBG
• Audio: American Women, American Nuns | On Point – NPR ow.ly/xjFUS
• NEW Movie about Thomas Merton — commentary with Fr. Jim Martin, S.J. vimeo.com/96646636
• Video: Why Are Some Saints Called Doctors of the Church? #AskFrBarron (WOF)youtu.be/DJ5BmW4G-yY
• Reflections on Catholic education – By Sr. Joan L. Roccasalvo, C.S.J. (CNA) ow.ly/xlh8y
• Giving: Great cause to support my friend Podman Dan | Fundraising Giving Campaign for Special Chronicles Nonprofit ow.ly/xjf2u
• Holy Land: Vandal tries to set fire to Dormition Abbey :: Catholic News Agency (CNA) ow.ly/xmRHD
• Archbishop of Miami to kick back for charity at Man Cave event – Miami-Dade – MiamiHerald.com ow.ly/xmUlZ
• Catholic Church grows at a faster rate than the global population (Rome Reports) youtu.be/nPPJh1Z4qOY
• Call to the priesthood – Two Dominicans talk about their journey (CNS) youtu.be/gQGfflPyXpk
• Digital diplomacy, communications and the Holy See – Nigel Baker ow.ly/xmV9C
• Prayers for Meriam: Modern-Day Martyr | American Catholic Blog ow.ly/xmRWC
• Children as Commodities – NC Register (Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse) ow.ly/xoLxj
• Video: Fr. Robert Barron on Why the Ascension of the Lord Matters (WOF) youtu.be/PxDTY_9w6ws
• This Is The Most Spiritual Place In Your Home State (Huff Post Religion) ow.ly/xoOme
• Sister Cristina will face the final judgment… on The Voice | CNS Blog ow.ly/xoTrx
• Mass on Capitol Hill sends bishops off to lobby on immigration (CNS) ow.ly/xpWx7
• Tech Tips: 10 insanely great iPhone gadgets | Computerworld Blogs ow.ly/xk6dU
• Web Design: 2014 – The Webby Awards Gallery + Archive ow.ly/xkdsg
• Catholic Cuisine: Feast of the Ascension – hilltop picnic tradition ow.ly/xiwF9
• Catholic Cuisine: Recipes for June :: Month Dedicated to the Sacred Heart ow.ly/xiwes
• Satire: Funny Prayer about Getting Old (HomeInstead) youtu.be/vPFCn3itBFE
• Maya Angelou’s Faith Made Her A Courageous ‘Child Of God’ (Huff Post – Religion) ow.ly/xmnal
• Maya Angelou’s Last Tweet: “Listen to yourself and in that quietude you might hear the voice of God.” ow.ly/i/5ILRX
• The Decision that Changed My Life: Keeping My Baby by Maya Angelou | Feminists for Life ow.ly/xoE7w
• Video: Asian Catholics embrace their culture (CNS) youtu.be/2KJxYOJqW0I
• Pope’s historic prayer deeply moves Jerusalem bishop :: Catholic News Agency (CNA) ow.ly/xqPy5
• The ‘Magdala Center’ opens its doors in the Holy Land (Rome Reports) ow.ly/xqP89
• Graphic to share: Faith is Like WiFi ow.ly/i/5JQfj
• Gazing: Finding an image that speaks to you… | Ann Chapin – Call To Holiness ow.ly/xqXk2
• Happy Feast of Joan of Arc from “Who Cares About The Saints?” with Fr. James Martin, S.J. youtu.be/dPhbl-tjSoc
• AMDG Movement: Hip Hop that “brings people to God” (ROME Reports) ow.ly/xqZXT
• Pope Francis convokes consistory for canonisations (Vatican Radio) ow.ly/xre8O
• Prayers Needed: Dozens killed, including Catholic priest, during Church attack in Central African Republic (Rome Reports) ow.ly/xrL4b
• Now THIS is News: Nicea 2025? Ecemenical Council with Pope Francis & Patriarch Bartholomew (Sam Rocha – Patheos) ow.ly/xs15z

Highlights of Pope Francis’ Historic Trip to the Holy Land May 24-26

• Video:  Pope Francis arrives in the Holy Land (CNS) youtu.be/hRJ_kjOSQ-k
• Map of Pope Francis’ visit to the Holy Land (CNA) ow.ly/i/5G1hf
• Pope Francis addresses Jordanian authorities in Amman – FULL TEXT (Vatican Radio) ow.ly/xdtsv
• Pope Francis meets with refugees, disabled youth – FULL Text (Vatican Radio) ow.ly/xdUEc
• Photo: Balloon Rosary sent skyward during the Mass in Jordan today with Pope Francis (News.va) ow.ly/i/5GaDo
• Heads up: Don’t read this blog if you’re hungry |Chefs honored to prepare meal for Pope Francis CNS Blog ow.ly/xe1jT
• Photo: Pope Francis at the River Jordan (Rome Reports) ow.ly/i/5GczQ
• Pope Francis urges interfaith dialogue – Middle East – Al Jazeera English ow.ly/xe90N
• Pope Francis makes unscheduled stop to pray at Israel’s security barrier (Vatican Radio) ow.ly/xeB4y
• Pope to Israeli, Palestinian presidents: “I offer my home at the Vatican to pray together for peace” (Rome Reports) ow.ly/xeBfi
• Pope’s homily at Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity – FULL Text (News.va) ow.ly/xeBkZ
• Common Declaration signed by Pope Francis & Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew FULL Text (Vatican Radio) ow.ly/xeRAX
• Patriarch Bartholomew’s Homily at Ecumenical Service | Salt + Light Blog ow.ly/xeSQ3
• Pope Francis speaks at ecumenical celebration in Jerusalem FULL Text (News.va) ow.ly/xeUpO
• Video: Pope Francis and Bartholomew appeal for respect for all Christians (Rome Reports) youtu.be/Fs_i_Tge8MI
• Pope Francis delivers blockbuster day in Middle East – John Allen – The Boston Globe ow.ly/xfjqO
• Children choir sings spectacular ‘Hallelujah’ cover before Pope Francis (Rome Reports) ow.ly/xfZCF
• Pope to Israeli President Peres: Jerusalem must be City of Peace – FULL Text speech (Vatican Radio) ow.ly/xfZRZ
• Pope Francis on the Esplanade of Mosques: May no one abuse the name of God through violence! (Rome Reports) ow.ly/xg0MA
• Pope Francis honors victims of Holocaust at Yad Vashem memorial (Vatican Radio) ow.ly/xg1lv
• Pope Francis prays for peace before the Western Wall (Rome Reports) ow.ly/xg2tn
• Two olive trees planted by two popes – Paul VI & Francis (Vatican Radio) ow.ly/xgvRc
• Pope Francis: homily in the Upper Room – FULL Text (Vatican Radio) ow.ly/xgINe
• News on return flight from Holy Land: Pope to meet with sex abuse victims + trips to Philippines & Sri Lanka (CNS) ow.ly/xhcWP
• Buckle Up, People: The Pope’s Brilliant Move | TIME.com ow.ly/xmsbr
• Encounter to pray together for peace will take place on June 8, 2014 (News.va) ow.ly/xpswa

John Clem is the Director and Media Minister at Catholic Web Services (http://catholicws.com/). John is currently in formation to join the Secular Franciscan Order, and loves to share his talents in faith, technology, and journalism in service to the church.  John also writes a blog entitled Call To Holiness  (http://www.calltoholiness.us/). Follow John on Twitter at @Catholicwebs, on Facebook and at Google+.