Bigger, even, than Gesu Church. The Catholic community is signing on to a new worldwide congregation.

Catholic bloggers are building their own communities online to challenge and reinforce their faith.

Catholics in particular are picking up the Internet as a way to exchange opinions and network.,”

It's bigger than the St. Joan of Arc Chapel.

Bigger, even, than Gesu Church. The Catholic community is signing on to a new worldwide congregation.

Catholic bloggers are building their own communities online to challenge and reinforce their faith.

Catholics in particular are picking up the Internet as a way to exchange opinions and network.

William Thorn, assoicate professor of journalism and director of the Institute of the Catholic Media, said he looked online expecting to find middle-aged liberal Catholics but was surprised to find writing from all points of view.

"I thought it would be primarily college-educated liberals and I was wrong," Thorn said. "There were so many differing opinions, which I think is great."

Many religious bloggers are lay people who are looking to connect with others who share the same faith, or to defend their faith.

The same sort of online community formed through social networks like Facebook.com and MySpace.com is also formed among religious bloggers.

But bloggers do not always agree.

"You have to understand that Catholic blogs are as diverse as the people of the Catholic Church," Thorn said.

On the Web site catholicblogs.blogspot.com, the directory lists hundreds of blogs across the world varying in topic from the history of the Catholic Church to being a single parent.

The Rev. Frank Majka, the associate director of University Ministry, runs his own Web site, frankmajka.com, which offers short reflections on spirituality.

"The diversity of opinions of online Catholic bloggers mirrors what we value in our diverse culture," he said.

Majka said he started a Web site instead of a blog because a blog would be more work and would rush his reflections.

Majka said he writes small letters of reflection because people are more likely to read short messages than long ones.

The author of the Web site wicatholicmusings.com, who preferred to go by her online name 'WICatholic,' said she writes about anything from a Catholic perspective.

"I have written about Terri Schiavo, about finding the birth parents of my adopted children, about propaganda in the media and other topics relevant to Catholics," she said.

She said she has been running the blog since 2005 and updates her blog every day.

WICatholic said she finds herself looking at other blogs repeatedly to see what they're saying about the same topics.

"I find that I know what those people are thinking when they write about topics because usually I agree," she said. "I also agree with what some people say but disagree with other things they say."

She said other Christians have been blogging for years but just recently Catholic blogs are becoming more numerous.

"I find that they are hooking up more and using each others' blogs to support their own," she said.

Sister Katy LaFond is a young nun who started her own blog to chronicle her daily life.

Her blog can be found at one funnunslife.blogspot.com.

"We were looking to connect with young women to show that the religious life is a viable option," she said. "The blog is also a way for the older sisters to read about my life as a young nun."

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