Religion on the screen: It’s not just for televangelists anymore. And it’s not just for Catholic shut-ins.

It’s also for Catholics who surf the web.

 I’m not talking about live streaming of Masses, either, although that’s available through EWTN’s regular online programming (ewtn.com) or at Latin Mass (latinmass-ctm.org/mass/online.htm).

I’m talking about a variety of contemplative blogs that offer holy readings and meditations.

 I’ve grown especially intrigued with a few blogs hosted by nuns, probably because I’m an adult convert to the faith. My knowledge of nuns while growing up was pretty much limited to what I saw in The Blues Brothers movie (“We got to go in and visit the penguin”). I also haven’t had much exposure to them as an adult, except for reading about media-grabbing heretical nuns, like the nine who were ordained priests on the St. Lawrence River last summer.

A number of “Nun blogs” have proven a great corrective to my warped perspective. Not only do they offer insightful and edifying contemplative passages, but they also give views inside today’s convents.

If you want to cyber-venture beyond the convent walls, you might start with Live Jesus, which is sub-titled “Monastic musings in the tradition of Saint Francis de Sales and Saint Jane de Chantal” (livejesus.blogspot.com). You will find reflections about feast days and saints, including more obscure ones, like a nice tribute earlier this month to Blessed Andre Bessette. You will also find pithy and entertaining posts about convent life.

You could also try Nun Blog (romans8v29.blogspot.com), a heavily autobiographical blog by Franciscan Sister of Peace Anne Flanagan in Chicago, along with Living Christ, Communicating Christ (ifstpaulwerealivetoday.blogspot.com), a blog maintained by one of Sister Anne’s youngest fellow nuns at the Daughters of St. Paul.

You might also consider Moniales OP (monialesop.blogspot.com), an entertaining blog with a light touch and lots of pictures.

If you want a contemplative look from the male side, one of the best blogs is Contemplata aliis Tradere (contemplare.blogspot.com), written by Fra Lawrence Lew, who identifies himself as “very much a novice with the Order of Preachers (Dominicans) in England.” When I first visited his site, I knew I’d like it, given this signature quote by Hilaire Belloc that you find on the first page: “Wherever the Catholic sun doth shine, There’s always laughter and good red wine. At least I’ve always found it so. Benedicamus Domino!”

Though a bit long-winded at times, Fra Lew might be the hardest-working religious blogger in the blogosphere. His blog hits many angles — saintly sketches, commentary on days in the liturgical year, meditations, pictures, plenty of links to great sites. And he updates almost daily. Highly recommended.

Daughter of Eve

Length is crucial in the blogosphere. The best bloggers post more than a stray quote or sentence, but stay away from lengthy exegesis (which, in the fast-flying blogosphere, pretty much means anything in excess of 600 words). The ideal post is 100 to 400 words — long enough to get a little substance, but nothing bordering on self-indulgence.

Eve Tushnet (eve-tushnet.blogspot.com) usually hits that range, and she’s a fine writer. Award-winning Catholic blogger Mark Shea (markshea.blogspot.com) says of her, “Eve Tushnet is one of the best bloggers, finest thinkers and most inspiring Christians in the world.” I don’t know whether Tushnet’s life is inspiring (we’ve never met), but the first two descriptions are apt, based on the content of her blog.

A former Register staff writer who understands the need to economize words, Tushnet also paces herself and makes every post worthwhile. Some bloggers post a lot, even if every post isn’t the highest quality. Not Tushnet. She never wastes the reader’s time. The blog isn’t updated daily, but every post is thought-provoking and worthwhile, and she adds fresh content frequently — at least a couple of times every week.

Tushnet says her blog is a “grab bag.” It ranges from economics to art to current affairs. In her words, “I put up a lot of art/writing posts, as well as links about just conduct in war, homosexuality, marriage, family life and the free market. I talk a little bit about my adventures in the kitchen and provide interesting recipes. Lately I’ve been heavy on movies.”

If any of that sounds interesting to you, check out Tushnet. She never fails to entertain.

St. Blog’s Parish

Last month I implied that “St. Blog’s Parish” is defunct. That’s not entirely accurate. It’s more like St. Blog’s is in a state of flux.

It’s not easy to get your arms around St. Blog’s. The difficulty comes from there being three different ways to define it — a web ring, an aggregator and a directory — all of which have used the name “St. Blog’s.”

To complicate the matter further, the moniker is also used informally to refer to all blogs maintained by orthodox Catholic hosts. (If you’re a defender of the faith online, you are automatically considered a member of “St. Blog’s Parish.”)

If I were a relatively new surfer in the blogosphere and looking for Catholic blogs, I wouldn’t worry about the web ring or aggregator. I’d go straight to the directories, starting with St. Blog’s Parish Directory, by John Bowden (stblogsparish.com/bloglist.php). He has a large list of Catholic blogs, as well as a great assortment of other Catholic links.

Bowden is in the process of working with the St. Blog’s web ring and St. Blog’s aggregator to provide for a more automated method of keeping the directory up to date with new blogs. You should also try the Catholic Blog Directory at catholicblogs.blogspot.com.

Readers Say …

I’ve received some great blog recommendations from readers since the last column. Please keep sending them. Despite the hours I spend in the blogosphere, scores (hundreds?) of worthy blogs escape my notice. If you don’t write to me at [email protected], I may never hear of them.

This month’s Reader Recommendation: Alternate Dementia (clioratha.blogspot.com). The blog describes itself as a “window into the life of a thirty-something professional geek, wife and mother, stitcher, bibliophile, old-school gamer, and whatever other roles she finds herself in.”

Here you’ll find news, humor, amusing diary entries, devotions and history. It’s updated about twice a week, making it worth a weekly visit.

Until next month, may your long winter nights be enlivened by good reading and your cold hand warmed by the movement of your mouse.

Eric Scheske’s blog is

The Daily Eudemon:

ericscheske.com/blog.