Question

Does anyone know what the story is with the Midwest Conservative Journal? It went silent back in mid December and I noticed yesterday that the site is now down. It was one of my favorite blogs.

Blog Bump

From time time I add new blogs to the sidebar so do check it out as I don't always announce changes. I do however want to draw your attention to a newly discovered blog that will either leave you deeply fascinated (me) or bored to tears. If you are a history enthusiast read on. It's called Shorpy and the blogger posts historic photographs showing scenes of life or subjects of interest from roughly 1850-1950ish. The photos are often taken directly from glass negatives and can be enlarged to offer breathtaking detail.

Click here to see a super detailed photo of what appears to be the boardwalk in Rockaway New York circa summer 1903. Is it just me or do the two kids in the lower left look like they are trying to break into the machine? Note the advertisements for five cent ice cream and lemonades and ten cents for a box of fresh peanut brittle, and the sign post warning that "Nuisances Prohibited."

These sort of photos that were taken of people going about their ordinary lives in another era allow one to almost feel like you could reach through time.

 P.S. See this page for information about, and photos of, the blog's namesake.

A couple of noteworthy posts from other blogs

 A Greek Orthodox Archimandrite has reportedly converted to Rome at the Monastery of Bellaigue.  That would be news in itself but supposedly he was received by Bishop Fellay of the SSPX.  Click here for the story.

There is a spectacular photo essay of life in an Orthodox parish by a professional photo-journalist.  Click here to visit her blog post.

OCA News ceases publication

As has been widely reported, Mark Stokoe's web site ocanews.org has announced it is closing down after almost six years of posts. The raison d'être for the site was to expose the serious corruption then rampant in the upper levels of the OCA mostly centered around the church's former chancellor Robert Kondratick.  Later Stokoe also took on the cult of personality and corruption centered around Metropolitan Philip of the Antiochian Archdiocese.  More recently the target of the website has been Metropolitan Jonah whose relationship with the Holy Synod and the Metropolitan Council has been severely strained.  (See this earlier post.)  At this years All American Council Metropolitan Jonah apologized and accepted full responsibility for the bad relationship and what he acknowledged as an "administrative disaster."

Quoting Ecclesiastes, Stokoe indicated that it was time to close down the site.  There have also been rumors that he was acting on the orders of his bishop. 

For my part, I thank Mark for his invaluable service to the Church in exposing entrenched corruption at the highest levels of its administration.  I don't think I am overstating things in saying that without him, Kondratick might still be the OCA Chancellor and Herman our Metropolitan.  Likewise, while his campaign to expose the cult of personality and corruption surrounding Met. Philip was less successful, at least he shined a light on some very dark spots that needed illumination.

All of which said, I believe Mark has made the right decision here.  His campaign against Met. Jonah was starting to look rather personal and at times peevish.  Whatever Jonah's shortcomings are (and they appear to be many) there has been no hint of real scandal.  This basically strikes me as a spate of nasty church political infighting.  That is not IMHO an appropriate venue for lay people venting.  Worse his seeming obsession with Met. Jonah gave cause for his own critics and enemies (and a man like him is going to collect them) to strike back.  Suggestions have been made that the real issue was Jonah's social conservatism vs an alleged quasi Episcopalian liberalism on the part of the Synod and people like Stokoe.  His homosexuality was cited as evidence to this effect in an effort to discredit him.

In any event the time is right for this move and I wish Mark well in his future.

Farewell the Ochlophobist as he closes his blog and returns to Rome

As I noted in a recent post Owen White is shutting down his blog of many years.  In a farewell post he answers a number of questions which I know people (including me) have been asking, either aloud or to themselves.  Most were more or less in line with expectations.  Although his decision to return to Rome took me by surprise.  But these things are always deeply personal and while I know some will criticize him, I cannot.  None of us are infallible in our judgments.  All we can do is try to discern right from wrong as best we can according to such lights as God grants us, and then act accordingly.  In the end we are all (or should be) slaves to our conscience. 

Farewell my friend, and may God grant you many years!

A sad note

For those not already aware, Owen White our favorite Ochlophobist, is ending his blog on May 1st.  My understanding is that he plans to delete the blog including its archives, which I find most regrettable.  There is a wealth of great material over there.  If you want to save any of it I suggest doing so soon.

The Religious Blog Awards competition heats up

I think Caroline Cannonball has hired Karl Rove as her campaign manager. No response yet from the Fr. Z campaign.