The 52nd Catholic Carnival Is Up!

It's the 52nd Catholic Carnival, which I reckon makes it about a year since this started. We here at Our Word have only been involved for about half that time, and this is only the second time we've hosted, but I suspect the Carnival has come a long way in the last year. Let's see what this week brings...

We start with a few thoughts on the importance of marriage. The deliciously-named Confessions of a Hot Camel Sundae heard the story about the new trend - divorce parties - and asks the question, "What's shame got to do with it?" She says it's tragic, and I agree. Fortunately, not everyone looks at marriage as something to treat so cavaliarly: Ales Rarus reflects on the Church as the bride of Christ, and looks at how the marriage was consummated (hint - The Cross). And for you married couples ready for the happy event, Bearing Blog has a great answer for you to give when someone asks about the sex of your unborn baby if you don't do ultrasounds or prenatal testing.

[For those of you who read last night's post, I've just come back from looking at the blimp.]

Marriage can be a trip, to be sure. Some of our other posts feature different travelers of one kind or another. Kicking Over My Traces takes us on a road trip to the first-ever convention for Godbloggers, a "rip-snorting good time." At Exultet, Therese takes us on a different kind of trip: her real-life experience with an angel, and it's not what you'd expect. It is, however, what you'd want.

Speaking of journeys, faith is often a rugged one. Along the way we often run into doubts - about ourselves, about our faith, about what it all means. A Penitent Blogger takes a look at the different kinds of doubt and how we can deal with it. And many would say, looking at the latest pedophile scandals, that the Church is in for a rough ride once again - Herb Ely says that the Church needs another reformation: this time, a managerial and corporate one.

In the theology department, HMS Blog looks at Sunday's Gospel reading and helps us understand how to give Caesar his, and God His. That's always been one of those that's easier to understand than explain, but HMS does a great job. Meanwhile, la nouvelle theologie looks at Wolfgang Smith's book on Telihard, and offers us a defense of the man whom Cardinal George wrote his doctoral dissertation on. And Veritas notes the theological illiteracy of a self-described progressive Catholic, indicative of a broader tendency among those who make similar claims.

Finally, from yours truly, we offer The Anti-Vegas. Vegas is, you know, the city where what happens there stays there. Too many of us have the same opinion of what happens in church - and that's no way for us to treat the inheritance we received from Christ's disciples.

So these are the entries for the 52nd Carnival, and here's hoping the next year is even better! As Jay often mentions, make it a point invite any other Catholic bloggers who might be interested to join - I can't tell you how many excellent sites we've been introduced to through the Carnival. Growth in the number of participants can only bring growth in the intellectual and spiritual quality of our blogs, and a wider audience for us all.