Jonathan Ryan's Blog, page 50
October 9, 2016
Five Sacramentally Scary Books You Should Read for Halloween
(Possible Spoilers Ahead) As a supernatural thriller writer, I’m asked all the time about my favorite scary books. My answers always surprise them, because most of my favorites are not recent. In fact, the only modern horror writers I read are Stephen King, Dean Koontz or Peter Straub. And, maybe more shocking, I’m not [Read More...]
October 6, 2016
Dark Devotional: Monsters Inside Me
I’ve never been much for being scared out of my mind by horror flicks or haunted houses. I don’t need trumped up Halloween lure to find myself terrified. And I am hardly fond of demon talk and exorcisms and such. Yes, I know it’s all true and real and all that. But my mind does [Read More...]
Spooky Pilgrim Ghost Stories: Julia’s Tale
Sick Pilgrim reader Julia Kriz Dzierma sent in today’s totally true ghost story.If you want to submit your own, email Jonathan at authorjryan@gmail.com In October 2011, my mom and I went to a family gathering. My mom’s favorite cousin, Carol, related to my mom and me a story that happened that past summer. I’d never [Read More...]
October 5, 2016
Spooky Pilgrim Strange but True Stories: Lehua’s Tale
(So, we here at Sick Pilgrim love all things spooky, weird and strange. We thought it was pretty fitting to tell real life stories of the strange and unusual, especially during the month of October. Itreminds us there is an Unseen world to consider and try to understand. Plus, as Catholics, we have a long [Read More...]
October 4, 2016
Bring Your Cat to Church: It’s the Feast of St. Francis
I’d wanted to purchase a little sailor suit for him to wear to church, because unlike most cats, mine is relaxed enough to be carried around in my arms. In the car, through crowds, among dogs, he lounges with perfect equanimity. He has rarely transformed himself into a furious, scowling, arching puffball. He is happiest [Read More...]
Why Are Your Kids Leaving the Church? They’re Materialist Magicians
As someone who watches Catholic media for a living, it’s hard to ignore the mass panic among various outlets about young people leaving the church. A recent article in OSV illustrates the point. In response to those surveys, people try to come up with different answers forhow to address the problem. A variety of solutions [Read More...]
October 2, 2016
Notre Dame and Sick Pilgrim will host Mary Karr and others for “Trying to Say God,” A New Kind of Catholic Literary Conference
Sick Pilgrim has partnered with the University of Notre Dame to create a new conference that we hope will invigorate and inspire contemporary Catholic writers and artists. On June 22-24, 2017, “Trying to Say God” will bring together both well-known and emerging writers, artists and musicians for a new kind of Catholic literary conference–one that [Read More...]
October 1, 2016
October, Sick Pilgrim style: Patron of the month, Creepy Fulton Sheen
October is our favorite month for so many reasons. Down in southern Louisiana, the weather will finally start to cool off to like, 90 degrees. Matt Lafleur will enjoy days of brilliant blue skies and nights where he might even be able to open the windows or wear a long sleeve t-shirt. Up North, we’ll [Read More...]
September 30, 2016
Dark Devotional: Out of the Dust
The hand of the LORD came upon me,and led me out in the Spirit of the LORD,and set me in the center of the plain,which was now filled with bones. He made me walk among the bones in every directionso that I saw how many they were on the surface of the plain. How [Read More...]
September 28, 2016
‘Twas the Night Before Michaelmas
Apologies to Clement Clark Moore ‘Twas the night before Michaelmas, when all through the blog All the creatures were hoping to see a Balrog; The Dark Devotional was ready for Friday, so bleak, (That is if we remember to post it this week); Good Christians were nestled, all holy and snug, While we the Sick [Read More...]
