Mark's new project

Mark reports that MOJ's circle of related blogs is expanding (Prawfsblawg, Bainbridge, and now Commonweal -- maybe we can even count First Things).  This is great news.  We're counting on lots of traffic directed to MOJ from dotCommonweal, Mark!

In his welcoming post, Mark writes:

The Catholic conversation today, however, seems to be less of a conversation than a competition of monologues from what can be called left and right, faute de mieux. The general media, furthermore, tend to turn to voices on the extreme right and, paradoxically, to Catholics with highly agonistic attitudes toward the Church for "authoritative" voices.

A few quick thoughts:  First, Mark's observation about the "Catholic conversation" is probably right.  That said, "Mirror of Justice" remains an exception (a small, quiet one, of course, but an exception nonetheless), and I think it is fair to say that we have worked hard to make it one.  Next, I do not think it is true to say that the general media tends to turn to voices "on the extreme right."  I'm assuming (maybe incorrectly) that Mark is referring to Weigel, Neuhaus, etc., and -- whatever one thinks of their views -- they cannot reasonably characterized as "extreme."  (Of course, if Mark has others in mind, I'm happy to stand corrected).  Finally, my own impression is quite different from Mark's, in that it seems to me that the "general media" (I'm thinking of "Meet the Press" and The New York Times) still, by and large, relies on its Rolodex of prominent liberal Catholics for commentary on "things Catholic."