TCS Blog

CPA design review

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 22:00:00 +0100

Here are a few tips that I took away from Ed Henninger’s design workshop at the CPA convention in New Orleans: Think about space and what you don’t see. Next time you see a FedEX logo, look for the arrow. White space is an element that you can use to tell a story. Remember to balance your page so it doesn’t fall over. Shape can be defined by: A. type B. form C. contrast D. dimension E. proportion F. unity ...

How did you get so many Twitter followers?

Sun, 20 Jun 2010 22:00:00 +0100

Since @catholicspirit eclipsed 10,000 followers people have been asking us how.We have been using an automated Twitter client called Tweet Adder. With it we can target specific profiles to create lists, auto-follow and auto-unfollow those who do not follow back in kind. We're also able to automate recurring tweets and schedule tweets for the future.If you want to give it a try you can find it here:Tweet Adder ...

Ecumenical Prayer Service

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 22:00:00 +0100

I just found out that there is an ecumenical prayer service sponsored by the Commission for Ecumenism and Interreligious Affairs of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, and the Minnesota Council of Churches scheduled for June 17 at UST.Events like this are always interesting. I read a lot of apologetics usually so it is good for me to take my focus off of our differences and celebrate the similarities we share with our separated brethren. ...

Tooting our own horn a little

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 22:00:00 +0100

The Catholic Spirit was recognized by the catholic press at the Catholic Media Convention last week with the following accolades:General Excellence - 2nd Place Web Site - 1st Place News Writing about a National Event - 1st Place; "U.S. Bishops want Healthcare for All -- Including the Unborn" Maria Wiering 3rd Place; "Modern-day Slavery a Reality in Minnesota, Across Globe" Julie CarrollBest Regular Column on Culture T ...

Two great new photos galleries: Ordination 2010 and Archbishop Flynn

Sun, 06 Jun 2010 22:00:00 +0100

We recently added two new photo galleries with some great pics.The 2010 Priestly Ordination photos can be found here.Archbishop Flynn's 50th Ordination Anniversary photos can be found here. ...

Most read stories - May 2010

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 22:00:00 +0100

As the Year for Priests comes to a close our readers have been most interested in stories about our shepherds.Have a priest that you would like to thank? Visit www.facebook.com/ThankYourPriests Soon to be priests Sanctity and sacrilege: Catholic priests in film Record-setting day for bishops 100 years ago Appointments: Father Hoffman to head Indian ministry; nine others receive new assignments 2010 Salute to grads Catholic teen faces kidney transplant hurdles Convert looks forward to ...

Catholic Spirit writer wins Egan Award

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 22:00:00 +0100

Congratulations to our own Julie Carrol who was named a winner of a 2010 Egan Award for Journalistic Excellence! Julie was recognized for her article “Modern-day slavery a reality in Minnesota, across globe”. The Egan Awards are given annually by Catholic Relief Services to journalists who write about humanitarian and social justice issues for Catholic publications in the United States.Here is the press release announcing the winners: EGAN AWARD FOR JOURNALISTIC EXCELLENCE WINNE ...

New Blog - 'Eye on Faith & Science'

Sun, 30 May 2010 22:00:00 +0100

Our intrepid editor, Joe Towalski, has started a new blog over at COMMUNITY entitled, 'Eye on Faith & Science.' The blogs theme is 'A look at the latest science news through a Catholic lens.'Be sure to check it out along with our other COMMUNITY blogs...Bobz Book Reviews - Book reviews by our associate publisher, Bob Zyskowski.Faith Outdoors - A Catholic perspective on the outdoors, hunting and fishing from our photographer and writer, Dave Hrbacek.Tech Bites - A blog fo ...

In your paper...

Wed, 19 May 2010 22:00:00 +0100

This week's print edition includes an insert from Trappist Caskets. These are made by the monks of New Melleray Abbey in Iowa. I am impressed with the way they prayerfully construct the caskets as a work of corporal mercy. If you are interested make sure that you detach and send the postcard to receive a catalog and a handmade keepsake wooden cross. Also inserted in this issue, The Saint Paul Seminary is offering an opportunity to support their mission through the I Will Give You ...

Most read stories - April 2010

Sun, 02 May 2010 22:00:00 +0100

The sexual abuse scandal, its coverage and a tribute to our priests for this Year for Priests celebration are among the most read stories in April. We must heal the divisions caused by sexual abuse Proud to be priests Farming for family Federal judge rules national prayer day unconstitutional US Catholics growing more critical of pope's handling of abuse scandal Why no meat on Fridays in Lent? Cardinal Levada says New York Times unfair in its stories on pope Divine Mercy cel ...

Pietà to remain at the Cathedral of Saint Paul, National Shrine of the Apostle Paul

Sun, 02 May 2010 22:00:00 +0100

The Cathedral of Saint Paul, National Shrine of the Apostle Paul is reporting on its website that the replica of Michelangelo's Pietà which was temporarily residing there in the Sacred Heart Chapel has found a home. The lifesize sculpture will remain in the Cathedral permanently thanks to an anonymous donor.I have made several visits to view the replica and believe me this news is truly a blessing to anyone who hasn't had an opportunity to see it. Wrapped in mystery Piet&a ...

Have a Blessed Easter Triduum

Wed, 31 Mar 2010 22:00:00 +0100

From the entire staff of The Catholic Spirit — Have a Blessed Easter Triduum.

"Greater love than this no man hath,
that a man lay down his life for his friends."

Most read stories - March 2010

Wed, 31 Mar 2010 22:00:00 +0100

Readers were wondering about Alice, meatless Fridays, Anglicans and the Shroud of Turin this month: Why no meat on Fridays in Lent?Major provisions of health care reform legislation100 traditionalist Anglican parishes seek to join Catholic ChurchThe Symbols of St. JosephCable TV features an Easter-season special on the Shroud of TurinCatholic movie review - Alice in WonderlandRegulations for penance, fasting and abstinence during Lent Fish fry Fridays - The inner workings of a Lenten tradi ...

Cut your printing costs and support The Catholic Spirit

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 22:00:00 +0100

We're excited to offer our visitors and readers an opportunity to save money on printing costs — and support The Catholic Spirit.www.TheCatholicSpiritPrinting.com You can now order all of your printing products online and have it shipped to you via UPS cheaper than going to a print shop. Some of the items you can purchase —Business Cards - 1,000 for $39.958.5 x 11 Brochures - 1,000 for $199.954 x 6 Postcards - 1,000 for $119.95And many more items . . . ...

Video: St. Albert's Lenten Fish Fry

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 22:00:00 +0100

Staff writer, Maria Wiering, visited the popular fish fry at St. Albert's in Minneapolis and captured it on video. Look for her article about the event in the March 11th issue of The Catholic Spirit. If you're looking for a great place to eat on Friday's during Lent, be sure to check out our Fish Fry section of the calendar. [video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJVSdtHmc5k 450x400] ...

Most read stories - February 2010

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 22:00:00 +0100

Lent is on the minds and hearts of readers this month. Lent and the beautiful replica taking up temporary residence at the Cathedral of Saint Paul, National Shrine of the Apostle Paul. Why no meat on Fridays in Lent? Former NHL star, seminarian are Olympic torch-bearers Regulations for penance, fasting and abstinence during Lent Question of the Day for Lent 2010 Why do we receive ashes on Ash Wednesday? Haig, a Catholic who served as US secretary of state, dies at age 85Vatican makin ...

Most read stories - January 2010

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 08:04:09 +0100

In January readers remembered Emilie Lemmons and searched for ways to help after the devastation in Haiti. Finding joy in the midst of darkness Catholic movie review - Avatar Vatican, world's largest particle physics lab plan to collaborate Catholic Schools Week CRS distributes food from Haitian warehouses, Dominican Republic Catholic movie review - The Book of Eli Remembering Emilie Pro-life ad featuring college quarterback to air during Sup ...

Surfed my first Google Wave today...

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:00:00 +0100

This morning, while reviewing the latest on Twitter , I saw that the Georgia Bulletin was hosting a Google Wave and were inviting readers to participate.I've had a Google Wave account for a few months, but have not used it, so again using Twitter, I DM'ed the Bulletin and asked how to join. Which I did once I figured out how to join a Public Wave.It was a brief and impromptu meeting, but I believe the potential exists for this to be a useful collaboration tool. Not only between readers ...

Website of the Week: Flocknote.com

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:00:00 +0100

According to their site, Flocknote.com is "A free, easy way for Catholics to share & receive information." I agree. The service allows dioceses, parishes, schools and any Catholic organization to publish content that subscribers can receive via email. It's a great way to build a mailing list or if you already have one, they offer the ability to transfer it. Flocknote is a useful addition to any Social Media/Networking strategy. Visit the site and see if your ...

We Are One Body - 2010 Catholic Services Appeal

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:00:00 +0100

Starting today, all registered parishioners in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis will be receiving our latest 'Extra' edition in their mailboxes.The theme of this issue is the 'Catholic Services Appeal' and you can read all of the content HERE at http://SpecialEditions.TheCatholicSpirit.com. It includes a special message from Archbishop Nienstedt, a Q&A with James Fennell, Director of Development and Stewardship, a great collection of stories on the difference t ...

Website of the Week: ForYourMarriage.org

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 22:00:00 +0100

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops recognized that there are many difficulties in our modern world for married couples, and initiated www.ForYourMarriage.org to help defend those marriages. It's packed with resources, articles, a blog and even a daily tip. I especially appreciate that it's savvy about social media and has a presence with Facebook, Twitter, and Del.icio.us.Have you found a website we should feature here? Send us an email with a link and des ...

Website of the Week: VocationBoom.com

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 22:00:00 +0100

Utilizing a clean and modern look, VocationBoom.com is an effort started by Jerry Usher to attract men to the Priesthood.The site has links to seminaries and vocation directors, and includes a good collection of videos. Sites like this go a long way towards recruiting the best and brightest for a Sacred Calling. Have you found a website we should feature here? Send us an email with a link and description of the site. We'll take a look and possibly spotlight it here on the The Ca ...

'March For Life' gaining momentum on the web

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 22:00:00 +0100

People are pouring into Washington, D.C. to participate in the March For Life tomorrow. For those who cannot be there physically - you can participate in a Virtual March for Life. Here's their Facebook link.On the Twitter front, it's looking like #MarchForLife is the preferred hashtag to include in Tweets.Father Frank Pavone, from "Priests For Life", has created a YouTube video outlining some of the events...[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDn_6SjHOtw 400x400] ...

What would be your motto?

Sat, 16 Jan 2010 22:00:00 +0100

When becoming a bishop, Archbishop John Nienstedt chose as his motto a phrase from the Gospel of John: "That all may be one." How about you? If you could choose a motto -- words to live by, a big hairy goal to strive toward -- what would that be? One that comes to me are words of advice from long-time Catholic educator and Catholic newspaper columnist Mary Jo Tully: "Live a lot, write a little."Love to hear yours.....Bob Zyskowski (zyskowskir@archspm.org) ...

Community Contest - Win an iTunes card

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 22:00:00 +0100

This one is REALLY easy. Just register for an account at Community (yes...it's free) and you're entered to win.Every week for 10 weeks, we'll randomly select an account to win a $15 iTunes card. We'll update this blog post with the winners each week.Ready? Click HERE. ...

To save a life

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 22:00:00 +0100

A Christian-themed movie, "To Save A Life", is coming to theaters January 22nd.You may have seen an advertisement for it in the print edition of The Catholic Spirit. Click the link below to watch a trailer...looks promising. ...

Get ready to Pay It Forward for LENT

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 22:00:00 +0100

The Catholic Spirit is kicking off its third annual Pay It Forward project for this year’s Lenten season. The project is based on the New Testament parable of the stewards and its lesson that good stewards don’t just maintain what is given to them — they help it grow.Last year's participants raised over $7,000! Here’s how to participate: Tell us in no more than 300 words how you — individually or as a group of friends,family members or co-workers — would u ...

Updated Archdiocesan Website

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 22:00:00 +0100

If you get a chance, be sure to check out the newly re-designed website for the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis.

'DP' doesn't stand for 'Dumb Polack'

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 22:00:00 +0100

They were often three or four years older than us when they would come into our 4th or 5th grade classroom in the early 1960s.A head or so taller than the tallest of my Catholic grade school classmates, they would join us for reading lessons in order to improve their English, a second language for these young people with the funny accents who spoke Polish to the Polish-American Sisters who taught at St. Bruno School in Chicago.Our parents called them and their families "DPs." They were ...

A Christmas message from Venezuela

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 22:00:00 +0100

We received a letter from the Archdiocesan mission parish in Venezuela... December 29, 2009Dear Friends at St Joseph’s Parish,Many warm Christmas greetings to all of you in Waconia from all of us at Jesucristo Resucitado Parish!!! I have been showing the people here photos of what the winter storm has been like for all of you via the internet and it is hard for the people here to really grasp the cold and the amount of snow all of you have been dealing with there! The Vene ...

2009 Wrap and Review at TheCatholicSpirit.com

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 22:00:00 +0100

As 2009 winds down, let's take a look back and reflect on the past year, from the 'online' perspective at TheCatholicSpirit.com. You can also read the print-edition review of 2009 HERE. Statistically speaking, it was a good year for traffic. We had approximately 250,000 unique visitors to the site and they viewed over 600,000 pages. Here are a few more interesting stats:37% of our visitors came from search engines (Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc.).June was our bigges ...

Slideshow - 2009 Cathedral Photo Contest

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 22:00:00 +0100

Here's a slideshow of all the submissions we received for the "Picture the Cathedral" photo contest.[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QypF08Xfi48 400x400]In all, we received around 280 photos from 170 people. Bob posted about the winners and honorable mentions... Picture the Cathedral.In addition, we used Animoto.com to put together a unique slideshow set to modern music... 2009 Cathedral Photo Contest UpdateThanks again to all of the participants! ...

Catholic Spirit tourney continues tonight and Wednesday

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 22:00:00 +0100

Roseville, Minnetonka, Cretin-Derham Hall and Totino-Grace all were first-round winners in the annual Catholic Spirit Christmas High School Basketball Tournament.Roseville handled St. Bernard, 80-54, but the game was closer than that for three quarters thanks to the offense of Jake Demarais and Ricky Suggs. St Bernard -- last year's tourney champ -- was devastated by graduation. Holy Angels self-destructed by over-passing -- or trying to -- in falling to a stron ...

Bishop Sirba's Ordination

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 22:00:00 +0100

Photo's from Bishop Sirba's Ordination Mass in Duluth last week have been a popular destination on our website. If you haven't seen them yet...here's a taste... ...

Picture the Cathedral, we challenged -- and boy did you!

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 22:00:00 +0100

Head down Selby Avenue toward downtown St. Paul and the dome dominates your windshield.Come from the east side as Tedesco turns into LaFayette and its magnificent architecture hovers over the workplaces of busy St. Paul like a watchful guardian angel.Take I-494 west from Woodbury and as soon as you hit the Dakota Bridge over the Mississippi one man-made creation grabs your attention from its seat on the river bluff: the Cathedral of St. Paul.The cathedral is a landmark that's visib ...

How do you fit a 20ft. Christmas tree through a 10ft. door?

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 22:00:00 +0100

3 ... 2 ... 1 ... PULL!!!

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rd-XigVFVTY 400x400]

Snowmageddon 2009

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 22:00:00 +0100

Minnesotans love to discuss the weather. Things have been a bit quiet around these parts the last couple months. "Kinda nice for this time of year" has been sort of the status quo. Thankfully, we have something to talk about again...Snowmageddon2009 has arrived.For a live Google feed on Snowmageddon2009, click HERE. ...

New social media logo

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 22:00:00 +0100

We've updated our social media logo to something a bit more interesting than just the blue and white TCS.

Look for it on our Twitter and Facebook pages.

2009 Cathedral Photo Contest Update

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 22:00:00 +0100

Response to our 2009 Cathedral Photo Contest was incredible. In all, 263 photos were submitted and I do not envy the judges one bit. There are some awesome shots in the collection.It's amazing to see this beautiful structure from so many angles and perspectives. We are truly blessed here in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis.Here's a slideshow of some of the entries . . .[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhDLxlkqaG4 450x400] ...

Has 'The Spirit' moved you?

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:00:00 +0100

Every so often readers let us know how The Catholic Spirit has made a difference in their lives. They’ve read about something one parish is doing and adapted it successfully in their own. They’ve clipped a column and discussed it with a faith formation class or adult or RCIA group. Parents have left The Catholic Spirit open on the kitchen counter and “lured” teens to read articles that make for teachable moments. Priests use items they’ve read in The Spirit ...

CNS CrossPlayer

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:00:00 +0100

In case you haven't heard, we have a new multimedia news tool provided by CNS (Catholic News Service), called CrossPlayer.

Some of the features include:

Video news
Audio clips
Photos
Story text

Be sure to check it out.

All about COMMUNITY

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:00:00 +0100

Last month, we rolled out a new Social Media Network called 'COMMUNITY'. TheCatholicSpirit.com is a great place to get news stories, but we wanted to create and develop a deeper connection with our visitors. Our slogan is 'FAITH, LIFE, CULTURE', since that is what connects us a community. Some of the things you can do...Create a profile and connect with others.Join or start a discussion group.Upload and share your photos.Share links to YouTube videos.In addition, we're p ...

Want to know what's happening on the ground at NCYC 2009?

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:00:00 +0100

One of the great things about Twitter is it's search tools.I went ahead and created a search query of the hashtags* that might be used by Twitterers at the National Catholic Youth Conference - #NCYC, #NCYC09 and #NCYC2009.Click here for the real-time results.Now, you can grab an RSS feed of this search query or just re-tweet it.That's the power of Twitter. ;)*Hashtags are a way of categorizing individual tweets, you can find out more about them HERE. ...

National Catholic Youth Conference 2009

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:00:00 +0100

Our very own, Maria Wiering, is going to the National Catholic Youth Conference tomorrow in Kansas City, MO.

She'll be blogging the event at http://ncyc09.tumblr.com and sending updates through Twitter at http://twitter.com/MariaWiering.

Be sure to check it out!

A BIG thank you to all of our Social Media family

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 22:00:00 +0100

Today, we reached 3,000 followers on Twitter!We also have some winners to announce for our Social Media Twins Ticket Giveaway. Congratulations to @CatholicVote, @FrCorySticha and @Pam_Stenzel!Thanks to everyone for taking part in the contest and most importantly, being a part of our Social Media family. Your support is incredible. ...

Incredible Vocations Video

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 22:00:00 +0100

Came across this on Twitter a few moments ago. Powerful stuff.

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQ1UygBT7SE 400x400]

Matthew Pafko final update

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 22:00:00 +0100

I was saddened this week to get a notice that Matthew Pafko, 16, died July 20. You may recall the April 30 story in The Catholic Spirit about this inspiring young man.He and his family started a fundraiser through his Caring Bridge Web site www.caringbridge.org/visit/matthewpafko to raise money for Sharing and Caring Hands, a safety-net organization in Minneapolis. The family noted on the site Monday night that Matthew has raised about $7,000 through the site and fundraisers ...

IMPORTANT: RSS Feeds Updated

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 22:00:00 +0100

A little while back, Feedburner (where we get our RSS feeds from), migrated all of their feeds to Google who they were purchased by last year. If you've subscribed to any of our feeds in the past, they 'should' continue working indefinitely, however, we strongly suggest that you drop by our RSS page and update them. Another reason to grab the updated feeds is to get the snazzy features for sharing like email, Facebook, Digg and StumbleUpon. ...

Bullet points for better life in general

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 22:00:00 +0100

Here's something that's refrigerator-door-worthy. It's from Mary T. Carty's book, Perfect Marriage Aptitude Test, published by Glitterati Incorporated and used with permission. No two people are exactly alike. No two people think exactly alike. You cannot read your partner's mind. Your partner cannot read your mind. We are human and make mistakes. It is impossible to change other people. It is possible to change your actions and attitudes. Treat the other person the same wa ...

Bernie and Emilie remembered

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 22:00:00 +0100

One of the touching moments during the annual Catholic Media Convention is always the Memorial Mass, and this year I admit to having had to force back tears.At the end of the liturgy names are read, litany style, of those Catholic media members who passed away during the preceding 12 months. I was privileged to be one of two people who read the names this year.As good fortune would have it, the other reader proclaimed the names of Bernie Casserly, long-time Catholic Bulletin editor, and Emilie L ...

An Institue of Twin Cities Catholic Art?

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 23:00:00 +0100

If there were an"Institute of Twins Cities Catholic Art,"what would be in it? The Catholic Spirit asked a question similar to that a while back -- okay, a long while back -- and over the past two years we've been collecting photos of a passel of the items suggested. For lack of a better title, we're calling them "Treasures of the Archdiocese," and some really blow you away with the beauty, the skill and the craftsmanship. The variety is amazing, too.&n ...

Meet the Staff of the Catholic Spirit

Sun, 08 Feb 2009 23:00:00 +0100

In conjunction with Catholic Press Month, we've created a multimedia slideshow to introduce some of our staff members to the public.You can watch it HERE.To build this slideshow, I used a recently purchased copy of SoundSlides. It's a great piece of software, designed with journalists in mind, which allows you to quickly put together an audio slideshow. The Pro version also allows you to create a non-audio slideshow. This is a unique and powerful way to tell a story, and we hope to creat ...

Just for kicks

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 23:00:00 +0100

I got a chance to watch lots of soccer last Thursday at the Metrodome. In back-to-back games, the Academy of Holy Angels girls and the Totino-Grace boys were playing for Class A championships. I was there to take action photos of both games. Naturally, I hope the Catholic schools win, which, in soccer championship games that I have witnessed over the last 12 years, seems to happen more often than not when they make it that far. With two chances at a title, I was optimistic ...

Just what is so splendid about the Vatican's art?

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 23:00:00 +0100

I've visited the Minnesota History Center's exhibit Vatican Splendors twice now, and trip three is planned for Tuesday evening. As I wrote in a July column, I consider art to be a visual story of our Catholic faith's history, and it's a wonderful way for Catholics to trace the growth of Christianity. And that's one of the great advantages of this particular exhibit. It offers a chronological lesson to Catholic history, starting with paintings depicting prominent ...