I’ve recently added a new category to this blog site titled “Pipe Smoking”. To be clear, when I mention pipe smoking, I’m referring to tobacco pipe smoking and not any other form. Anyway, the content posted there was imported from another blog site that I used to manage. As my own pipe smoking is very much a part of my own Saintly Life, I decided I would move that content here and shut down the other website.
Now some may argue and suggest that any form of smoking can’t be considered very Catholic or Saintly. While I can see the point with regards to cigarettes as most cigarette smokers I know simply use the cigarette as a means to consume nicotine. But cigar and pipe smokers in my opinion use tobacco in a much different manner. In other words, not all tobacco products are equal.
Unlike cigarettes, pipe and cigar smokers typically don’t inhale and again unlike cigarettes, pipe and cigar smoking isn’t addictive. I can go days (or even weeks) at a time without smoking my pipe. The tobacco used in pipe smoking isn’t loaded with hundreds of cancer causing chemicals like cigarettes. Also the cost of pipe tobacco is much, much cheaper.
For me and others like me who enjoy smoking a pipe, the time spent is often contemplative. I can load up my favorite pipe with a favorite blend of tobacco and spend the next 30-45 minutes in prayer or getting lost in reading a G.K. Chesterton book.
Speaking of G.K. Chesterton, pipe smoking has been enjoyed by many good Catholics such as J.R.R. Tolkien, Hilaire Belloc, Pope St. Pius X, St. Damian of Molokai, Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati and of course my favorite Catholic author, Mr. G.K. Chesterton himself.
While it’s been about 18 months since I’ve written any content specific to pipe smoking, I do plan to continue writing about it here. This will include pipe and tobacco reviews and just anything else I can think of related to the hobby of pipe smoking. You’ll find all that content under the Pipe Smoking section of the blog site.
Until next time….
Fratus tuus in Christo,
Jerry