NCR reports on a May 2 meeting on Catholic blogging sponsored by the pontifical councils for culture and for social communications. 150 folks were chosen to attend, including such well-known players in the Catholic blogosphere as Rocco Palmo (Whispers in the Loggia,) Elizabeth Scalia (The Anchoress,) and Hillary White (Orwell's Picnic.) I don't know if dotCommonweal was among the elect at the gathering or not, but we were at least there "in spirit." The Anchoress delivered a talk that included this gem:

Lets face it, when the ego is ignited and the passions are galloping, we all too easily ignore our own better angels, and sacrifice charity for the satisfaction of a what we consider to be a well-deserved jab at some poor misguided other.Need I say, I go to confession a lot more frequently since I have been blogging. Bless me father, for I have sinnedits that damned editor at Commonweal, again

But further, she made the case for the significance of the blogs in the life of the Church:

The church needs us, to assist in evangelization; she needs us to disseminate information and especially to correct information which can often become distorted in the press....The church needs us to be where the sheep are grazing, so that we may help them find the better pastures.

So, denizens of the blogosphere, whaddya think? What's the role of the myriad Catholic blogs--including our own, prize-winning dotCommonweal--in the service of the faith and the life of the Church?