Catholic Blogger Colleen Spiro

As I recall, I first "met" Colleen Spiro in the early days of my blogging, back when there was a Catholic Carnival. (Cue the long rambling remarks about walking uphill to school...) It's been a joy and a pleasure to get to know her better over the years and to continue to learn from the insights she shares.

She's not limited just to one blog these days: Colleen has a website (Catholic Prayer Life), her blog (Thoughts on Grace), a survivor's blog, and a podcast. Colleen's also a long-time contributor here at CatholicMom.com.

Tell us about your blog in five words or less.

Sharing my love of God.

Why did you start blogging?

I had written my first book, The Third Floor Window, my memoir about being an incest survivor and how God helped me in my healing journey. I was told blogging was a good way to help market my book.

It did not take me long to realize that there were many Catholic bloggers out there. I decided that I would rather use that blog to write about my love of God and being Catholic, not to publicize my book. So I changed my focus and made it my Catholic blog.

I then started my "survivor blog," Surviving by Grace.  I have not written in that one for about a year but I keep up in case others can be helped by it or I need to go back.

Just as the Catholic blog became part of the online Catholic community, so did my survivor blog become part of an online survivor community and I both received and gave a lot of support to other survivors of child sexual abuse.

Why do you keep blogging? What's your inspiration to continue?

I love writing about God and where I find Him in my life. I love sharing and helping others see where God is in their lives as well. I give retreats for the same reason. I am called to share God's love with others.

And again, another big part of it is that sense of community with other Catholics.  I would miss that if I didn’t blog.

When you think of the New Evangelization as a Catholic blogger, what excites you? What makes you want to continue?

I think it is exciting. I love that we Catholic bloggers are seen as people who can evangelize and do it well.

Blogging has been recognized as one of the ways to reach others and teach and evangelize our faith.

What's the most rewarding aspect of your blogging?

Again, that sense of community and knowing that my writing may help others in their prayer life and their life with God.  It is a way of combining my love of God with my love of writing (and reading).

In your spare time, what are we likely to find you doing?

Reading. Writing. Praying. Hanging out with the love of my life, my husband of 35 years.

Want more Catholic Blogger interviews? Here you go.

Read more of our Tech Talk columns.

Copyright 2014 Sarah Reinhard