As part of her prayer chapel blog, Catholic recording artist, author and blogger Susan Bailey has released “Lenten Devotions for Busy People,” a blog containing a daily podcast, a weekly Friday video on the Stations of the Cross, music and reflections. The blog can be found at www.prayerchapel.info.
What makes this blog different? The vast majority of devotions lasts no more than 5-7 minutes, making it a perfect place to pause for busy people. It also explores Lent from the Eastern Catholic perspective.
The idea for the blog came to Susan because of a little-known podcast she heard back in 2006. “I first discovered podcasting during Lent in 2006, and I found this wonderful podcast called “Theosis,” hosted by Fr. Seraphim Beshoner, T.O.R., a history professor at Franciscan University. This little 5 minute per day podcast transformed my Lent.”
“Theosis” is based on the Eastern Church’s tradition of Lent (known to them as Great Lent). The Eastern Catholic Church, which is in full communion with the Roman Catholic Church, has 14 liturgical traditions (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Catholic_Churches for a complete list) including Melkite and Maronite. Susan was initially interested in “Theosis” because her husband is studying to be a deacon in the Melkite Church.
Pope John Paul II was keenly aware of the Eastern Church and its beautiful traditions and repeatedly challenged the Church as a whole to “breathe with both lungs,” bringing together the West and the East. Fr. Beshoner does a wonderful job of explaining Eastern traditions for Western listeners.
“Lenten Devotions for Busy People” also includes a weekly 5 minute video on the Stations of the Cross, posted each Friday.
Music, other reflections and future surprises will be included.
For more information on the blog, visit www.prayerchapel.info. You can listen to Fr. Seraphim Beshoner’s other podcast, “Catholic: Under the Hood” at www.sqpn.com.
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