Faithful Catholic blogging and diocesan jobs

[LiturgyGuy]

If one were to have a faithful Catholic blog associated with their real identity, which would on occasion respectfully call out wrongdoings of clergy, and later the blogger applies for a diocesan job, would they be likely to be refused because of their blogging (if the employer is liberal)?

 

[Andre1000]

This may or may not happen. Some liberals even like this other hate it. My liberal diocese would have permitted me into the priest seminary although I told them that I am always going into a SSPX church and support them.

 

[LiturgyGuy]

This may or may not happen. Some liberals even like this other hate it. My liberal diocese would have permitted me into the priest seminary although I told them that I am always going into a SSPX church and support them.

Well, your case doesn’t have to do with being liberal but the objective schism of the SSPX. I support the diocese’s decision in this particular case.

 

[AnnArbor]

If one were to have a faithful Catholic blog associated with their real identity, which would on occasion respectfully call out wrongdoings of clergy, and later the blogger applies for a diocesan job, would they be likely to be refused because of their blogging (if the employer is liberal)?

I doubt it will matter if the employer is liberal/conservative, however you want to define those terms. What will matter is whether it really was respectful, and whether you had exhausted all possible manner of dealing with issues privately before you made them public. Also, whether you are willing to give it up once you are employed.

 

[pianistclare]

Diocesan jobs don’t have a great track record fro being stable. The staff mostly is on a revolving door.
You’d be much happier in a parish, but no…even respectful finger wagging is discouraged in ANY line of work. People say they welcome constructive criticism, but I’ve never met anyone that really did.
:twocents:

 

[Lily_Bernans]

I welcome it from those who taught me in college, but in general, no, I don’t welcome it. I should, but I don’t. I figure I’ll learn from my mistakes on my own, and I know I make them.

 

[Joe_5859]

If one were to have a faithful Catholic blog associated with their real identity, which would on occasion respectfully call out wrongdoings of clergy, and later the blogger applies for a diocesan job, would they be likely to be refused because of their blogging (if the employer is liberal)?

The answer is: it depends.

What you consider “respectfully call[ing] out wrongdoings of clergy,” someone else might construe as a pattern of disrespect towards the hierarchy. I’ve seen a lot of blogs whose authors claim they are being respectful whose tone doesn’t seem so respectful to me. But even if it really is respectful, not everyone may interpret it that way. It’s easy to misread tone online and even easier if we disagree with the person whose comments we are reading.

On the other hand, what are the chances that whoever is doing the interviewing attempts and is successful at tracking down your internet presence? That will depend on the place. I’m sure some are adept at such things while other dioceses languish behind the technological curve. It also depends on your name. Is your name common or unique? Is there someone more famous than you with the same name whose web presence will always be further up in Google’s rankings than your own?

In any case, I think we always need to be cognizant of what we put out there on the internet, particularly if it is associated with our name. Either we can refrain from posting things we do not want forever associated with our name. Or else we own it and accept the fact that not everyone out there is going to find it acceptable.

Then you have to ask yourself, would you even want a job working for a place that had major problems with your theological perspective? It might not be the best work environment.

 

[Joe_5859]

Diocesan jobs don’t have a great track record fro being stable. The staff mostly is on a revolving door.
You’d be much happier in a parish, but no…even respectful finger wagging is discouraged in ANY line of work. People say they welcome constructive criticism, but I’ve never met anyone that really did.
:twocents:

Perhaps it depends on the place. I know some who have been in the same diocesan job for decades. But then I know others who hop around a lot.

Yeah, not many of us take criticism well. If I were the one doing the hiring for a job in the Church and I came across a candidate saying critical things on the internet, it would be a huge strike against them in my book. I’d always be wondering if they would turn around and start blogging even more critical things once they got on the “inside” where it is often even easier to see the warts.

A lot depends on what the OP means specifically, though. If he has said on his blog that there has been a dearth of catechesis for many years with even some priests and bishops shouldering responsibility, I could tolerate that. If he is naming names and saying, “Fr. so-and-so is using oil candles around the altar rather than ones made from beeswax as he is supposed to. It’s liturgical abuse and the world needs to know!” Then I’d be putting his resume at the bottom of the pile.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

Criticizing your employer isn’t a good idea, no matter who your employer is. And social media activities may influence whether you get a job offer or not, again no matter who the potential employer is. If someone else is offered the job you really wanted, you don’t know if you just didn’t interview well, if the other candidate had stronger qualifications, or if the potential employer checked out your blog, your Facebook page, or your Twitter feed and decided that you lacked discretion or just “wouldn’t fit in” with the other employees.

 

[pianistclare]

Criticizing your employer isn’t a good idea, no matter who your employer is. And social media activities may influence whether you get a job offer or not, again no matter who the potential employer is. If someone else is offered the job you really wanted, you don’t know if you just didn’t interview well, if the other candidate had stronger qualifications, or if the potential employer checked out your blog, your Facebook page, or your Twitter feed and decided that you lacked discretion or just “wouldn’t fit in” with the other employees.

THIS^^^^. Exactly right.

 

[Lily_Bernans]

Criticizing your employer isn’t a good idea, no matter who your employer is. And social media activities may influence whether you get a job offer or not, again no matter who the potential employer is. If someone else is offered the job you really wanted, you don’t know if you just didn’t interview well, if the other candidate had stronger qualifications, or if the potential employer checked out your blog, your Facebook page, or your Twitter feed and decided that you lacked discretion or just “wouldn’t fit in” with the other employees.

I, too, think you’re exactly right.

I have relatives who work in IT, and when someone applies for a job, the first thing HR does is Google their name. If anything “bad” shows up, they move on to someone else.

I also have seven uncles who are priests. They Google people as well, sometimes for a parish job, sometimes just out of curiosity.

If a working person is going to use his or her real identity on the Internet, he or she really has to keep his or her reputation “clean,” really “clean.”

 

[Horton]

Criticizing your employer isn’t a good idea, no matter who your employer is. And social media activities may influence whether you get a job offer or not, again no matter who the potential employer is. If someone else is offered the job you really wanted, you don’t know if you just didn’t interview well, if the other candidate had stronger qualifications, or if the potential employer checked out your blog, your Facebook page, or your Twitter feed and decided that you lacked discretion or just “wouldn’t fit in” with the other employees.

Prior to my retirement I worked for a large government agency. We actually had a written policy regarding social media. We were not permitted to post in detail about our work nor post about co-workers, supervisors, or clientele in a negative manner. Of course we were not permitted to access social media from our work sites.

I feel it’s a good idea for employers to consider social media in hiring decisions, whether it’s facebook, twitter, blogs, or whatever else is out there now.

 

[Lily_Bernans]

If one were to have a faithful Catholic blog associated with their real identity, which would on occasion respectfully call out wrongdoings of clergy, and later the blogger applies for a diocesan job, would they be likely to be refused because of their blogging (if the employer is liberal)?

I wouldn’t single anyone out. Don’t call our wrongdoing unless you want to alienate yourself from the diocese. If you want a religious blog, write about general topics. Let people who don’t care where the chips fall do the calling out.

Personally, if someone needs calling out, I think it should be done privately.