By Daniel Imwalle
Now That I’m Catholic Blog
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e-learning & online 1/29/21 2:04 PM
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n the swirling, ever-expanding media unidelves into the subject of the Rite of Christian verse, blogs might seem dated or not as Initiation of Adults and explores fundamenappealing as a new, flash-in-the-pan social tal questions such as “How much does RCIA media app. But blogs have stuck around cost?” (it’s free) and “Do I have to finish the despite the constantly shifting sands of the program once I’ve started?” (no). digital environment. It might have something Johnston mixes a practical approach to to do with the staying power and popularnuts-and-bolts-type questions with more ity of journaling. Or perhaps it’s the niche reflective blog entries on questions such as interests that well-written blogs home in on. “Why was Jesus baptized?” He also has a keen Whatever it might be, blogs have persisted, interest in the history of the Catholic Church and, for Catholics and Catholic practices. and those interested Johnston’s entry titled in Catholicism, there “The Nicene Creed: is no shortage of Introduction” delineblogs to engage with. ates not only the what, In fact, there are so but also the how and many that it might be the why behind the hard to know where oft-repeated creed as a to start. After scrollresponse and repudiaing through a dozen tion of various heresies or so Catholic blogs, that threatened the one that stuck out in direction of the early terms of its quality and Church. strength of voice was History buffs will Now That I’m Catholic find a kindred spirit (NowThatImCatholic. in many of Johnston’s com), written by a Charles Johnston stands with Bishop Thomas Olmsted blogs, but he also keeps man named Charles things current. At the outside the Sts. Simon and Jude Cathedral in Phoenix. Johnston who lives in outset of the COVIDthe Diocese of Phoenix, Arizona. 19 pandemic, he was quick to post a blog urgJohnston had converted from an evangeliing people to stay home from Mass if they felt cal Protestant denomination to Catholicism, unsure or unsafe. This was prior to the major and he felt the call to share his newfound shutdowns that occurred last spring. Other Catholic faith with others as it had been timely content on Now That I’m Catholic shared with him. Evangelization is not always includes posts on holy days and feast days, a strong suit for Catholics, but those who have such as “Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord” converted from other denominations or reliand “St. John Ogilvie.” Along with the written gions often bring with them an enthusiasm to word, click around Johnston’s website to find spread the word about Catholicism. Johnston links to podcasts, videos, and social media is a perfect example of this phenomenon, and channels. Wherever you land on his website, his blog reflects both his energy for the faith you will find this blogger striving to meet the and an interest in deepening his knowledge of high bar set in his blog’s subtitle: “Exploring Church history and teaching. His post from the truth, beauty, and goodness of the Church January 14, 2021, titled “What Is RCIA?,” Christ founded.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF CHARLES JOHNSTON
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