Now You’re Welcomed. A Benedictine oblate blog

A Young Globular Cluster Forms New Light

Recently, I spent all night reading spiritual blogs to add to my list of interesting blogs — see the sidebar list titled, “Blogs and Web Sites for Monastics.”

While I was sleep deprived and surfing all over the Internet, I had many good thoughts about the blogs I was reading — it was inspiring. There is an ancient spirit moving in the lives of many people and communities.

In just a few cases, I found myself wanting to have an easier way to get the main idea behind the blog. That led me to take a look at my own blog. I decided that I probably would have the same feeling about this blog — where is the introduction of what’s this blog about?

So, I added a Welcome box in the top right sidebar. It contains the famous Benedictine principle that all guests are to be welcomed as Christ (Chapter 53 of the Rule). The Welcome box also has links about questions first-timers might ask.

I also expanded the first blog entry (linked as “More about this blog” in the Welcome box) telling a bit more about the blog and why I write it and how it is related to my web site, Oblate Spring.

If any sleepy Internet surfers find this blog, they will quickly be able to know about this blog just by reading the 65 words in the Welcome box.

Here are the new blogs I added to the “Blogs & Web Sites for Monastics” on the sidebar.

Blogs & Web Sites for Monastics

Oblate Spring's list of Handy Oblate Resources
Added Catholic Encyclopedia -- The best all-around source of learning about monasticism
The Order of Saint Benedict
Added Prince of Peace Abbey --- excellent concise information on the life of a monk and oblate
Added Crescat -- Keep beauty before you at all times in your monastic life
Added Monastics on a Journey --- Many women have taken advantage of this optional opportunity to live with the community for an extended period of time, while remaining financially independent and either continuing their current employment or volunteering in community ministry.
Holy Trinity Monastery
Fr. Boniface Patrick Hicks
Oblates of the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration
Added A glimpse into the life of a Benedictine novitiate
Added Contemplative Horizon
Added Wisdom of the Church Fathers
Added Subiaco Abbey -- Arkansas, USA
Added The Byzantine Anglo-Catholic
Added Monastic Mumblings, a Friar's Journey
Added MONASTIC SKETE---notes from the hermitage
Quarr Abey Oblates
Added Me Monk. Me Meander
Added At the edge of the enclosure -- Living alongside a monastic community
Chant Blog
Added Notes from Stillsong Hermitage
St. Gregory's Abbey
Added Take with You Words
Added Monk's News
Added A Nun's Life
Abbey of Saint Walburga
Desert Pilgrim
Haligweorc - liturgy
St. Louis Abbey
Carmelite spirituality and the practice of mental prayer
Other than Being
Added Rome Is Where the Heart is
Added Oblate Offerings
Amy Weldon Saint Books for Pre-teens
Catholic Blog Directory
Sacred Destinations -- Maps & Photos

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Footnote:

The "A Young Globular Cluster" is from
APOD
Credit: Diedre Hunter (Lowell Obs.) et al., HST, NASA