Welcome

 

INTERNET: A NEW FORUM FOR PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL

 For the Church the new world of cyberspace is a summons to the great adventure

 of using its potential to proclaim the Gospel message. This challenge is at the heart

 of what it means to follow the Lord's command to "put out into the deep"

 (Luke 5:4)

 MESSAGE OF POPE JOHN PAUL II FOR WORLD COMMUNICATION DAY MAY 12, 2002
 

 "...a definitive learning resource for all Catholics, and an ideal point of contact for the

  curious non - Catholic...it should be among the most influential Catholic sites of 2006,

  world wide...bookmark it as an essential reference."

   N Z Catholic March 2006


"I was fascinated by the work you are doing in researching websites that people can

 use to deepen their appreciation of the Faith."
  Bishop Patrick Dunn, Auckland, New Zealand
"This is an essential ministry and you are the one for it... Your balanced approach and

 commonsense theology..."

  Fr. Bernard Kiely, Administrator, St Patrick's Cathedral, Auckland, New Zealand

 

"I find this website easy to use and a great tool for catechetical study and devotion.

  I would endorse it for our parish."

  Fr Cory Rohlifing, Most Holy Redeemer, Montgomery, Minnesota, USA

 

******

Review: NZ Catholic March 2006

Cybermonk casts out into the deep

                                                                                 

Saint Isidore of Seville, patron Saint of the internet, stares outward from the top of the page, his bionic eye warmly greeting each visitor to the site. This, the banner tells us, is the domain of Cybermonk, an elusive figure whose CatholicNET site ushers in a unique approach to catechesis.

The site design is simple, incredibly so. A menu on the left offers navigation, as do links on each page. After a few short scrolls, however, users are immersed in the content, which is where this site comes into its own. Cybermonk has spent literally years creating an online companion to the Catechism, and making it as simple as possible for anyone to use. As an online introduction to Catholicism, this is a superb resource.

Cybermonk's vision was for a powerful catechetical tool to accompany Catholics on their faith journeys, making the teachings of the Church as accessible as possible by using dozens of approaches. The final product both meets and exceeds this vision, providing a diverse, comprehensive and enduring directory of information, with cohesive logic leading readers from one site to the next.

Each page of the site begins with appropriate quotes on the topic at hand, from Isaiah to the Vatican Councils to G.K. Chesterton and C.S.Lewis. Once the reader has reflected on these, subheadings lead to different websites exploring the topic - from many different angles. Under the first section, God, the first page is We believe in God, The one and only God. Headings from "The one true God (early Church fathers)" to "GOD exists? There is no GOD!" link to articles, poems, surveys, stories, interviews... and that's just the first page of hundreds!

CatholicNET could be considered a large directory of web pages, but it is much more than that. The logical progression of topics, parallels with the Catechism and the accessible language combine to make this a definitive learning resource for all Catholics, and an ideal point of contact for the curious non-Catholic.

Cybermonk has dedicated several years of his life to making this site a reality, and it should be among the most influential Catholic sites of 2006, worldwide. All readers are invited to share in this remarkable initiative, and to bookmark it as an essential reference.

******

Illustration:

            Saint Isidore of Seville, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
            Patron Saint of Computers and the Internet
            April 4

Isidore was Archbishop of Seville, in Spain, from about 600-636 C.E. Isidore was undoubtedly the most learned man of his age and exercised a far-reaching and immeasurable influence on the educational life of the Middle Ages. He was an indefatigable compiler of all existing knowledge.The most important and by far the best known of all his writings is the 20 volumne etymological encyclopedia, "Etymologiae." It was written shortly before his death, in the full maturity of his wonderful scholarship. Throughout the greater part of the Middle Ages it was the textbook most in use in educational institutions. So highly was it regarded as a depository of classical learning that in a great measure, it superseded the use of the individual works of the classics themselves. Not even the Renaissance seemed to diminish the high esteem in which it was held. In style this encyclopedic work is concise and clear and in order.
Isidore's quest for knowledge and his interest in compiling it and making it accessible qualifies him to be the Patron of the Internet.