Welcome to Sunday Snippets hosted by RAnn at This That and the Other Thing. Join us, won’t you? Share your posts for the week or just comment.

Monday I wrote a little about Our Lady of Guadalupe and included links to other posts regarding her that I’ve written.

For some lovely Advent and Christmas music, visit my posts: Mannheim Steamroller: Veni, Veni, Emmanuel and Sabbath Moments. You might get hooked as I have been.

If, by any chance, you are going to see some quirky relatives over the holidays, St. Benedict has some really good advice I wrote about in Patiently Bear Weaknesses.

Since we are going out of town over the holidays, at most I’ll have only one or two additional posts until after Christmas.  To all my readers, may the Christ Child come into your hearts and bless you abundantly in the coming year.

Christmas Carol - Wislawa Kwiatkowska

In winter, Jesus is born in a manger; watching with fear over the Child,
a multitude of angels bow. Mary, like a lily, wraps the Child in swaddling clothes.
Brightness pulses from the candles, from the stars, from the snow.
Give warmth to your little Son, Mary, full of grace.
Let the angels in silver armor withdraw.
Let the compassionate animals draw near and warm the baby with their breath.

Kazimiera Illakowiczowna, Z pastoralki

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V. Praised be Jesus Christ!

R. Now and forever!

(Click on the link above to read why I end my posts this way.

Not a great deal is made of this feast in the Catholic calendar.  True, it is celebrated in the Divine Office and in the propers of the Mass, but it is not a Holy Day of Obligation.  Yet the birthday of Our Lady heralded the immanent coming of the Light that shone in the darkness so I don’t want to let this special day pass without honoring the Mother of God at my blog.

Rorate Caeli published a beautiful meditation on the Nativity of Mary that I recommend to all my readers for a deep appreciation of Our Lady’s role in salvation history.  It is far better than anything I could write:

Our Lady in the Month of Her Nativity

The Birth of Mary, 1486-90, Domenico Ghirlandaio ((b. 1449, Firenze, d. 1494, Firenze), Fresco, Cappella Tornabuoni, Santa Maria Novella, Florence

Just when you think that finding another old master painting is impossible, a treasure is discovered.  In this case it is the great Renaissance man’s work, Salvator Mundi – meaning “Savior of the world.”  When I was a teen I used to clip all the art columns out of TIME Magazine and study them carefully.  By far, the old masters, and da Vinci especially, were my favorites.  This is why I am excited by this discovery.

The National Gallery of Art in London will be displaying Salvator Mundi later this year.  Numerous experts have authenticated it through comparison of paint colors, brush strokes, and other criteria.  Although other paintings similar to this one were done by da Vinci’s students, the art world is convinced that this was the original done by the master himself.

Nick Pisa of the Mail Online from the UK writes this:

Da Vinci painted the picture 500 years ago following a commission from Louis XII of France in 1506 and he finished it seven years later.

The image of Christ giving his blessing to the world was a popular subject in French and Flemish art and the half-length pose is typical of the Renaissance era.

During its long history the painting also ended up in the possession of Charles I of England and following his execution it went to Charles II and it remained in London for 400 years.

It eventually ended up in the collection of Sir Francis Cook and in 1958 it was sold by Sotheby’s for just £45 and attributed to a student of Da Vinci called Giovanni Boltraffio.

A source close to the panel added: ‘On the open market today the painting would easily fetch at least £120 million – it’s unique and nothing like this has emerged for decades.”

At this time in history when nation after nation is repudiating Christianity and the words of Jesus are twisted for various ideological purposes, up pops His image which attracts enormous attention simply because a great Renaissance painter fulfilled an important commission 500 years ago.  No, world, Jesus Christ is with us and will always be with us until we join Him at the end of time.  He is the Savior of the World. You may squelch His teachings, but you cannot erase Him from the memory or sight of all faithful Christians.

Read more interesting details about this painting: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2010309/Leonardo-Da-Vinci-Is-long-lost-120m-Salvator-Mundi-painting-authentic.html#ixzz1SUbWU3BK

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V. Praised be Jesus Christ!

R. Now and forever. Amen.

(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)

Just why the North American Bishops decided that forty days after Easter was unimportant and moved the great feast of the Ascension to Sunday, June 5, I don’t know. Most of the rest of the Catholic world celebrates it June 2.

I am convinced that the change is one more strike of the axe severing our sacred liturgy from its Biblical roots.  Forty days is forty days and it means something.  In the Bible something important always happened at the end of a time period of forty, whether days or years.  So for most of the Catholic world forty days after Easter really is, and always has been, Ascension Thursday.

This great feast commemorates Christ taking possession of the Kingdom of Heaven with the promise of His return to judge the living and the dead.  The introit strikes me as somewhat humorous in a way.  Perhaps it is because I can put myself in the shoes of the apostles and disciples so easily.  Acts 1:11 has angels telling the gawking apostles, “Ye men of Galilee, why wonder you, looking up to heaven?  He shall so come as you have seen Him going up into heaven.”

I can just see them staring into the heavens with their mouths agape as Jesus vanishes into the clouds.  This was truly wondrous, but sad, too, because they would never see Him again during their lifetime as He was with them on earth.  I can imagine them thinking, “What are we going to do without Him?”  At the same time, the joyful proof was right before their eyes that the kingdom of heaven belongs to all who believe in Jesus, our Head.  If the Head is the King of heaven, the Body, we, will follow and partake of the inheritance.  More proof of the faithfulness of our God.

The Ascension was both very joyful and full of hope, and at the same time, a little bitter for those who had walked along side Jesus on earth.

I love sacred art from the 12th to 16th centuries.  Please enjoy this lovely fresco by Giotto di Bodone and think of it when we celebrate the Mass of the Ascension Sunday, June 5.

The Ascension, 1304-06, Giotto di Bodone (b. 1267, Vespignano, d. 1337, Firenze), Fresco, Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua

Our Lady of the Sign - The Star of Evangelization

May is Mary’s month and today I bring you an exquisite icon all of us Catholic bloggers can adopt as an image reflecting what we do in spreading the love of Christ to all.

In recent years I’ve really begun to appreciate icons.  Growing up I wasn’t exposed to them except for Our Lady of Perpetual Help.  Every Tuesday evening people would gather at the side altar of our parish church where her picture hung to pray a novena.  We children were taught to have a devotion to her in all our needs.

No one explained what an icon was and I thought they were strange images – so different from the beautiful Renaissance images of Our Lady and the lovely statue of Our Lady of Grace my parents gave me for First Communion.

At first I didn’t like icons at all.  But over the years I felt I was missing something about them and had no idea of their deep and ancient  symbolism.  So I set out to learn more, and doors to understanding our Eastern liturgies and the blessings of icons flew open.

Marek Czarnecki, owner of Seraphic Restorations and writer of the icon in today’s post says this about iconography:

Iconography is a fundamental liturgical art originating in the earliest days of the Christian Church. Developed, practiced and preserved primarily by the Eastern Rite, iconography provides authentic, meaningful and dignified images which exemplify the larger consciousness of the Christian Church. Icons carry a patrimony of both theology and art, conveying essential dogmatic and biographical information, embodying the presence of the holy ones depicted.

One who creates icons is called an “icon writer” and he must follow a prescribed set of rules or Canon.  Czarnecki lists these as:

• Proper compositional structure
• Proper development of a “schema” or design illustrating the historical likeness of the person depicted as well as expressing the truths realized by his or her life in symbols, without altering the integrity of the Canon.
• Proper development of the “schema” using traditionally prescribed colors.
• Use of natural and durable materials
• Development of harmonious, artistic immediacy and beauty without compromising symbolic depth.

If you have ever seen a video of icon writers, you will notice that they always make the sign of the cross before beginning and often fast ahead of time.  This is sacred work.

Our Lady of the Sign – the Star of Evangelization is an adaptation of the ancient Byzantine prototype, written to illustrate Pope John Paul II’s praise of Our Lady as the “star of evangelization”. I think it is the most beautiful icon of Our Lady I’ve ever seen and very fitting for our age when the Popes are repeatedly calling the laity to evangelize.  It was commissioned by Holy Spirit Friary, Franciscan University of Stuebenville OH.

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V.  Praised be Jesus Christ!

R.  Now and forever.  Amen.

(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)

Awareness of God

Welcome to Sabbath Moments where Catholic bloggers join Colleen at Thoughts on Grace to share times during the week when we find God in the ordinary and when we rested in the Lord.

The iris started blooming this week and they are truly gorgeous.  They seem to be more prolific than ever before.  Here is a digital painting I did of one of the many colors we have.

The “Will Goodwin” clematis we planted around the light pole in the front yard is also blooming.  Every year it has more blooms and is a color my dad (RIP) really loved.  This digital painting of it is one he especially enjoyed.

On Monday early in the morning a cardinal sat just outside my open window and sang for all he was worth.  It was exciting to hear him that close.  When I got up to peek at him he took off.  A case of meant to be heard and not seen!

In the hour of Lauds from the Divine Office this Easter season, we have the short reading from St. Paul’s epistle to the Collosians, 3:1-2.

If you have risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.  Mind the things that are above, not the things that are on earth.

I spent time meditating on this scripture throughout the week and will continue to do so throughout the Easter season.  To me it’s about detachment from worldly things and worldly pursuits for their own sake.  So I am considering the following:

• What are the “things that are above”?
• How attached am I to things which will pass away?
• Am I a good steward of the things God has loaned to me – my body, mind, soul?  My home, my garden, my dog, the car?  My family, friends, and other relationships?
• Are worldly events, national events, local events distracting me from my relationship with God?

This Bible verse can provoke more questions than these, but for now, this is plenty to consider.  And now, I must be about grocery shopping where I will thank the Lord for the food He is giving us.

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V.  Praised be Jesus Christ!

R.  Now and forever.  Amen.

(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)

Washing of the Feet, 1308-11, Buoninsegna (b. ca. 1255, Siena, d. 1319, Siena), Tempera on wood, Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, Siena

A significant part of the Holy Thursday liturgy is the washing of the feet.  We’ve all read the Bible verses describing this, but St. Thomas Aquinas has given us insights into the deep symbolism of Christ’s acts that are not obvious at first. In all my 65 years I’ve not heard a sermon that goes where St. Thomas takes us.

Something as mundane as washing dirty feet, Who does the washing, and the meaning behind it take us on a journey into the wonder of redemption.

Here is St. Thomas’s explanation from Meditations for Lent which I reviewed here.

After that, he putteth water into a basin, and began to wash the feet of the disciples, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded (John 13:5).

There are three things which this can be taken to symbolize.

1.  The pouring of the water into the basin is a symbol of the pouring out of His blood upon the earth. Since the blood of Jesus has a power of cleansing it may in a sense be called water.  The reason why water, as well as blood, came out of His side, was to show that this blood could wash away sin.

Again we might take the water as a figure of Christ’s Passion.  He putteth water into a basin, that is, by faith and devotion He stamped into the minds of faithful followers the memory of His passion. Remember my poverty, and transgression, the wormwood and the gall (Lam. 3:19).

2.  By the words and began to wash it is human imperfection that is symbolized.  For the Apostles, after their living with Christ, were certainly more perfect, and yet they needed to be washed; there were still stains upon them.  We are here made to understand that no matter what is the degree of any man’s perfection he still needs to be made more perfect still; He is still contracting uncleanness of some kind to some extent.  So in the Book of Proverbs we read, Who can say: My heart is clean, I am pure from sin (Prov. 20:9).

Nevertheless the Apostles and the just have this kind of uncleanness only in their feet.

There are however others who are infected, not only in their feet, but wholly and entirely.  Those who make their bed upon the soiling attractions of the world are made wholly unclean thereby. Those who wholly, that is to say, with their senses and with their wills, cleave to their desire of earthly things, these are wholly unclean.

But they who do not thus lie down, they who stand, that is, they who, in the mind and in desire are tending towards heavenly things, contract this uncleanness in their feet. Whoever stands must, necessarily, touch the earth at least with his feet.  And we, too, in this life, where we must, to maintain life, make use of earthly things, cannot but contract a certain uncleanness, at least as far as those desires and inclinations are concerned which begin in our senses.

Therefore Our Lord commanded His disciples to shake of the dust from their feet.  The text says, He began to wash, because this washing away on earth of the affection for earthly things is only a beginning.  It is only in the life to come that it will be really complete.

Thus by putting water into the basin, the pouring out of His blood is signified, and by His beginning to wash the feet of His disciples the washing away of our sins.

3.  There is symbolized finally Our Lord’s taking upon Him the punishment due to our sins.  Not only did He wash away our sins but He also took upon Himself the punishment that they had earned. For our pains and our penances would not suffice were they not founded in the merit and the power of the Passion of Christ.  And this is shown in His wiping the feet of the disciples with the linen towel, that is the towel which is His body.

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V.  Praised be Jesus Christ!

R.  Now and forever.  Amen.

(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)

Since I am spending time with St. Thomas Aquinas this Lent I rounded up a couple of paintings of him by Stefano di Giovanni ((b. 1394, Siena, d. 1450, Siena), also known as Sassetta, to share with readers.  Sacred art from the 12^th – 14^th centuries attracts me because, while not “realistic” as later art is, it’s simplicity and symbolism is easily accessible.

St. Thomas Inspired by the Dove of the Holy Ghost astonished me the first time I saw it a few years ago.  Painted in 1423, it clearly shows how the sacred liturgy was celebrated then – and the liturgy is my first love.  Seeing evidence from six centuries ago that the manner of celebrating the Extraordinary Form remains unchanged puts to rest many false claims made of this Mass, such as, “It’s only 500 years old”, “Pius V’s Mass”, etc.  Moreover, the saint kneeling reinforces that never is man so holy that he does not need to kneel before God.

Sassetta created this painting for the predella of the Altar of the Eucharist, known as the Arte della Lana Altarpiece and is his first known work.  It was commissioned by the woolmerchants’ (Arte della Lana) guild for the church of the Carmelite Order in Siena in 1423. The Carmelites most likely developed the schema for the various paintings in this project.  The altarpiece as a whole, was moveable yet elaborate, a gothic triptych that the guild used for its outdoor celebration on the feast of Corpus Christi and otherwise remained in its place in the chapel.

St. Thomas Aquinas is known for his devotion to the Holy Eucharist, for his many hours of prayer in front of the Blessed Sacrament.  Because of his clear theology and his Eucharistic-driven piety, he was asked by Pope Urban IV to write the entire liturgy for the feast of Corpus Christi – both Divine Office and Mass Propers.  Thus we have the link between the portrayal of St. Thomas as a subject and the purpose for which the altarpiece was commissioned.

This painting, then, shows St. Thomas deep in prayer in front of a marble altar in his monastery.  Above the altar are a series of panels, the center of which is a Madonna and Child.  Above that is God the Father surrounded by angels sending the Holy Spirit to the saint.  You can’t see it very well here because of the smallness of the image, but the Holy Spirit is painted on the door to the right of St. Thomas, with lines leading to the Father.

St. Thomas is rapt in prayer, oblivious to the monastery courtyard with fountain and the monastic library nearby which symbolizes his learning. The use of gold in the painting symbolizes heaven and holiness – the transcendent reality toward which we are all drawn.  A person kneeling at the predella before this painting would be inspired to have the same orientation towards God that St. Thomas had, the same sentiments of piety and love, the same desire to devote all his being to the Being who created us and sent His only Son to die for us.

I love Sassetta’s work because of the vivid colors, the use of flowing graceful lines, and the ability to convey deep things simply.  Although his later work became more decorative under Gothic influence, he kept the gift of transporting the viewer from earth to heaven without distraction.  This painting is tempura on wood and resides at the Szépmûvészeti Múzeum, Budapest.

If you want to learn more about Sassetta, visit Art in Tuscany.  If you would like to see a much larger image, visit The Web Gallery of Art and type in “St. Thomas Inspired by the Dove of the Holy Ghost” in the search box. (I can’t get a more direct link for you.) Then click on the painting.

Want to subscribe to posts by email? Visit the third box in the sidebar.

V.  Praised be Jesus Christ!

R.  Now and forever.  Amen.

(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)

As we officially enter Lent this week, most practicing Catholics are making lists of resolutions of things they will give up in the spirit of fasting.  But what about adding something? Carving out a few moments every day to ponder the mysteries of salvation?

This week I found a link to the Vatican’s virtual tour of the Sistine Chapel and was blown away by Michelangelo’s great work.  Interns from Villanova University assisted the Vatican in creating this tour, so kudos to them.

A click of the mouse takes you up close to every inch of the walls, floor and ceiling without craning your neck or getting dizzy – an exciting 360° view.  And you don’t have to get on a plane and fly to Rome – you can visit any time at no cost.

Having this Catholic world treasure to view stimulates my Lenten devotion, but I can also see this as a great opportunity for homeschoolers to teach both art and religion.  Click on the photo and you will be transported immediately to the Sistine.

Sistine Chapel

This link, http://mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/CSN/CSN_Main.html lets you access explanations of the paintings.

You can also find virtual tours of St. John Lateran and St. Paul outside the walls.

Want to subscribe to posts by email? Visit the third box in the sidebar.

V.  Praised be Jesus Christ!

R.  Now and forever.  Amen.

(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)

This is a close-up image with added special effects that I took of my brother’s Christmas tree a couple of years ago.  I did some tinkering to create a custom-made Christmas Card – just for you readers.

We are the ornaments hung lovingly on the Tree of Life by our heavenly Father, while Christ, the Light of the world, bathes us in His grace.  He brings joy and peace to all hearts who open themselves up to Him. No place is so dark that His light cannot penetrate. We are most beautiful in its rays.

This is what I pray for the whole world – to know Him, love Him, and serve Him now and for eternity.

Emmanuel is here.  Jesus is here. May He come again in glory soon. Merry Christmas and a very blessed New Year.

Here we are with another round of Sunday Snippets, hosted by RAnn at This That and the Other Thing. Visit her to read other Catholic/Christian bloggers’ posts for the week.

My favorite source for Advent meditation is the beautiful Rorate Caeli Desuper (Advent Prose), both from a music and prayer standpoint.  I wish I had a superb recording of the Benedictines of Fontgombault to put behind a video I’d like to make of it, if only I knew how!

I put several little inspirational things to meditate on quickly at Something to Chew on for Advent.

Advent with Mary and Joseph is an article in the December Una Voce Arkansas Ozarks Regional Newsletter.

At Hail, Mary I put my favorite painting of the Immaculate Conception, quotes from Mass and the Divine Office for the day, and tied it up with a comment on concupiscence. I like short quotes that run in the back of my mind all day on a feast.

Sabbath Moments are real blessings from God.

Praying the Psalms – Psalm 48 is my meditation from a Christmas perspective.

Our Lady of Guadalupe under the title: Morning Star, Norma Salazar Orozco, oil on canvas

Today just wouldn’t be right without a picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe and a link to my article about her along with a quote from my December 11 post from last year.  I can’t believe I’ve been blogging for over a year now!

The painting of Our Lady of Guadalupe in this post is by Norma Salazar Orozco, a gifted Mexican artist from a family of gifted artists.  Visit her site and see how she has used Our Lady’s image from the tilma to illustrate Mary’s different titles.  Among their many subjects, the Orozco family is obviously devoted to honoring the Blessed Mother in art.  If you love art, you will love the work of this family and their story.

V.  Praised be Jesus Christ!

R.  Now and forever.  Amen.

(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)

Immaculate Conception c.1626, Peter Pauwel Reubens, oil on canvas, Museo del Prado, Madrid

This is my all time favorite painting of the Immaculate Conception. Perhaps it is because of the gold Reubens used to paint the rays and the stars.  Surely the biblical symbolism is wonderfully executed.

From today’s liturgy:

Introit: Is. 61:10

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, and my soul shall be joyful in my God: for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, and with the robe of justice He hath covered me, as a bride adorned with her jewels.

Collect:

O God, Who, by the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin, didst prepare for Thy Son a worthy habitation, we beseech Thee, that as Thou didst preserve her from every stain by the foreseen death of this Thy Son, so Thou wouldst grant that we also being cleansed from the guilt by her intercession, may come to Thee.  Through the same our Lord Jesus Christ, Who lives and reigns with Thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, world without end.  Amen.

Gradual: Jud. 13:23; 15:10

Blessed art thou, O Virgin Mary, by the Lord the most high God, above all women upon the earth.  Thou art the glory of Jerusalem, thou art the joy of Israel, thou art the honor of our people.

Alleluia: Cant. 4:7

Alleluia, alleluia.  Thou art all fair, O Mary, and the original stain was never in thee.  Alleluia.

Offertory: Lk. 1:28

Hail, Mary, full of grace; the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women, alleluia.

Vespers of the Divine Office:

V.  Today is the Immaculate Conception of the holy Virgin Mary.

R.  Who with her virginal foot crushed the head of the serpent.

Today at Mass I found myself pondering: Imagine a life without concupiscence. Then I was reading Father Lovasik’s book on Kindness and found this quote from St. John Vianney: “We must ask for the love of crosses, and then they become sweet.”

A life without concupiscence is a life without sin.  To be without sin is to be modeled after Jesus and Mary.  To be without sin happens when we truly love the cross.

V.  Praised be Jesus Christ!

R.  Now and forever.  Amen.

(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)

Magnificat Antiphon for the Second Sunday of Advent (Divine Office, Vespers):

Behold there shall come the Lord and King of the earth * and He shall take away our yoke of bondage.

This antiphon contains parts of the Rorate caeli desuper I covered yesterday.

*****

From my Advent reading, the book The Hidden Power of Kindness: A Practical Handbook for Souls Who Dare to Transform the World, One Deed at a Time by Father Lawrence Lovasik (1913-1986):

To do good to others in the hope that, in turn, our Lord will be good to you is a supernatural motive, even if it is self-centered. To do good to others with the consciousness that Christ asks it of you is less egoistic.  To do good to others because you are convinced that Christ will consider it as having been done to Him personally is a sign of pure love of God.  To do good to others because thereby you can please God, and you want to give Him the best you can, is perfect love of God.

Three Miracles of Zenobius, 1500-05, Sandro Botticelli (b. 1445, Firenze, d. 1510, Firenze), tempera on panel, Metropolitan Museum of New York

In front of an astonished crowd, St. Zenobius raises a young man already lying on his bier from the dead. He also saves a man who fell from his horse while transporting the relics of saints. The scene in the interior shows St. Zenobius healing his sick deacon. The latter gets up immediately in order to use the water St. Zenobius has blessed to bring a dead relative back to life. For enlargement, visit the Web Gallery of Art.

V.  Praised be Jesus Christ!

R.  Now and forever.  Amen.

(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)

Welcome to Sunday Snippets.  How about joining us at RAnn’s blog, This, That and the Other Thing, to read posts from other Catholic/Christian bloggers? Participating in the meme has been great for me this year because I’ve encountered many wonderful and talented people and I’m sure you will, too.

This week I wrote about one of my favorite saints on his feast day: St. Andrew, the Relationship Broker.

Another Catholic Blog I Like is an introduction to David’s Wheat for Paradise site.

Sabbath Moments and Praying the Psalms – Psalm 47 were two other posts.

This week was also a milestone for me because I went “live” with my new site, editing&proofing.com with a blog of tips for writers in addition to offering my services of editing and proofing.  If you know a writer who needs an editor, send them over – please!  No doubt I’ll have to do a little more tweaking on the appearance, but at least I’m not embarrassed to have others see it now.

V.  Praised be Jesus Christ!

R.  Now and forever.  Amen.

(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)

OK, now let’s really praise Him. Take a look at this striking video of time lapse photography by Tor Even Mathisen published here under the Creative Commons license. HT to APOD.

Flowing Auroras Over Norway

Over the past several days I’ve been looking at many, many blogs for a number of reasons:

1. What other blogs would be helpful to my readers?
2. What other blogs can contribute to my well being and spiritual development?
3. What ideas from other bloggers’ sites might make mine better – give my readers a better experience?
4. How can I improve my writing?
5. How does my blog fit in the universe of blogs?
6. Whose site would I like to visit regularly and why?

It’s been a fun and interesting experience.  I’ve learned a lot, met new people, and now want to give fellow bloggers out there some tips about how to appeal to visitors who have visual, auditory, and neurological challenges (that’s me) – how to make it easier for an older person like me to enjoy your sites.

Basic philosophy

Blogging well is more than writing good posts and throwing them up on the internet. We really ought to know something about what colors are pleasing together, what will make the blog easy to read, and how to create a logic and organization to the page that makes sense to somebody besides ourselves because…

Content may be king, but it’s not #1

***Visual ease of taking in information is #1. If the blog has too many things going on with it, if the type is too small, if it’s too hard to read the type color against the background I can’t even get to the content.

My Dad tipped me off to this when I was publishing my first Una Voce newsletter in 10 pt. type back in 1999.  “It’s too small for older eyes to read,” he said, “even with glasses.”

Now it’s payback time for me.  My eyes have enough trouble seeing stuff that isn’t there and not seeing stuff that is. Landing on a page that has images, ads, and buttons all over the place, often of different sizes, shapes, and colors plus flashing objects and signs, are just too dizzying.  I quickly click away.

Moreover, if I can’t visually tell the post from an ad, I have no incentive to read, even if what the blogger has to say is good information because I don’t go to somebody’s blog to read their ads.

Sidebar Story

Sidebars have a good purpose.  We bloggers just have to keep them uncluttered and organized logically according to what we’re trying to accomplish. I’ve tried a number of different things in my sidebar.  I’ve added widgets and taken out widgets.  A lesson I learned is that just because certain widgets are available does not mean I have to use them. I also learned that just because somebody whose blog I like has a certain widget, it does not mean that widget would work for me.

One thing I’ve done is refuse to carry widgets on the sidebar that exceed the dimensions of the bar. On my site it puts the page way out of balance, although on other people’s pages it’s not so bad if the background of the posts and sidebar and the background of the page are the same color and texture.

Also, sidebars with a gazillion different shapes and boxes and clashing colors made my eyes skip all over the place.  I hurried to get out of those places before my brain exploded.

Be careful in the dark

Beware of dark, especially black, backgrounds! From an artistic standpoint dark backgrounds can look really classy, but they require special design skill to make a blog readable. The template designers may have put together some great combinations of colors and typefaces, but if only younger people can read it easily, the blogger is cutting off a huge percentage of potential readers.

Background knowledge

Basic principle: Contrast is king.  Choose your background carefully and be sure you have enough contrast between the background where your posts are and the typeface color so the visually disadvantaged reader can see it. I left many blogs without reading for this reason alone, along with tiny lettering.

The original color of the typeface at my blog was gray.  Yikes!  It’s one of the first things I changed for improved visibility of posts.  And the original color of the type on the sidebar was too pale to see so I changed that, too.

Color choice

Most templates allow us to use a variety of colors.  There’s no reason you can’t take your favorite color and apply variations to make a harmonious appearance. Some templates already have good use of colors and if you can find one you like, run with it.

Hint: Take blog colors from the image you use as a header if you are not going white on white. You can find information on the internet about the color wheel, the principles of color usage, and making pleasing combinations.  I saw many blogs with clashing colors that made me want to run for cover and I saw some that were gorgeous and restful.

Another hint: keep in mind that some people have red-green color blindness so be careful how you use your type colors.  Depending on the severity of their problem, the type can look varying shades of gray, depriving them of the contrast necessary to make letters easier to read.

Blog Examples

One of my favorite places to visit is Wanda’s blog, Moments of Mine. This is just an awesomely well-designed blog.  I love the green mid-range tone of her background and the darker green where the post goes. They are an ideal background for her photography – let the background colors support your posts! The type size and colors make it very easy to read.  Pure eye candy, all in all, and the message is clear.  The sidebar doesn’t distract from the posts but enhances them – more eye candy.

Another blog, Vultus Christi by Father Mark Kirby, OSB, is pure Benedictine in its simplicity. Although the type size is smaller than I normally like, the space between the lines helps compensate for the little extra effort it takes for me to read.  The soft and plain, medium-light background provides excellent contrast with the type, and you can always count on interesting pictures not easily found elsewhere.

Both of these sites are a pleasure to visit because they communicate well visually and I don’t have to work hard to read them.

In conclusion

We bloggers all do this for various reasons.  Whatever they are, everything we do regarding blog design should be in support of our message.  We need to avoid creating distractions of all kinds.  The colors, typefaces, type size, arrangement of the sidebar, images and graphics are the background for our written message.  The total look says something about who we are.  It communicates a feeling to the viewer.

The questions I ask myself are: does the appearance of my site help or hinder my visitor, especially if the visitor has visual challenges. Is the appearance of my site inviting enough and easy to deal with so that visitors will want to come back?  Am I tinkering with my site because I’m bored with it, or because I am trying to make it better?

What else would you add?

V.  Praised be Jesus Christ!

R.  Now and forever.  Amen.

(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)