Catholics are urged to give up texting for Lent By ARIEL DAVID Associated Press Writer
Published: Wednesday, March 4, 2009 at 10:37 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, March 4, 2009 at 10:37 a.m.
ROME - Roman Catholic bishops in Italy are urging the faithful to go on a high-tech fast for Lent, switching off modern appliances from cars to iPods and abstaining from surfing the Web or text messaging until Easter.
The suggestion goes far beyond no-meat Fridays, giving a modern twist to traditional forms of abstinence in the five-week period Christians set aside for fasting and prayer ahead of Easter.
And it shows the Church's increasing focus on technology's uses - with many of the Lenten appeals posted on various dioceses' Web sites.
Dioceses and Catholic groups in Modena, southern Bari and other cities have called for a ban on text messaging every Friday in Lent, which began last week with Ash Wednesday.
"It's a small way to remember the importance of concrete and not virtual relationships," the Modena diocese said in a statement. "It's an instrument to remind us that our actions and lifestyles have consequences in distant countries."
The diocese said the "no SMS day" seeks to draw attention to years of conflict in Congo fueled in part by the struggle for control of coltan mines. The mineral is an essential material in cell phones.
The Turin diocese is suggesting the faithful not watch television during Lent. In the northeastern city of Trento, the church has created a "new lifestyles" calendar with proposals for each week of Lent.
Some ideas: Leave cars at home and hop on a bike or a bus; stop throwing chewing gum on the street and start recycling waste; enjoy the silence of a week without the Internet and iPods.
Italian laity and clergy have reacted cautiously to the proposals. Some say Lenten abstinence should be a personal matter, and others contend that people who need technology to work shouldn't be asked to do without.
"What does giving up mean? If the use is capricious, then abstinence is welcome, but if technology is needed for work it makes no sense," said the Rev. Giancarlo Angelo Andreis, a priest at a Rome basilica.
"I have to decide how to experience the Lent period. I should give up something if I really feel it, not because the Church says so," said 26-year-old Angelo Dente.
The Church is trying to balance an increasing appreciation of modern communication with a wariness of new media.
In January, the Vatican launched its own YouTube channel, with Pope Benedict XVI welcoming viewers to this "great family that knows no borders."
Benedict praised social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace for forging friendships and understanding, but cautioned that online networking could isolate people from real social interaction.
The pope has also warned about what he has called the tendency of entertainment media to trivialize sex and promote violence.
(Thank you Hanya for the article)
Welcome to my blog * thoughts and things * poetry, pictures * ideas * opinions * kindness * video * stay and read a while.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Popular Posts
-
Join us this Sunday, April 21th, at 9 or 11 a.m. for our celebration service as we dive deeper into our April "Giant Gentleness" t...
-
Blogging on line has become easy and accessible to everyone through a growing number of free online services availalbe to choose from. Blog...
-
There may be things I have to correct in my behavior. There may be social issues I have to attend to. There may be injustices I speak up abo...
-
My friend Matthew Duran is doing the AIDS/LifeCycle ride again this year. He keeps trying to enroll me but I haven't had the courage yet...
-
This April, we focus on the power of gentleness and its impact on our relationships and inner well-being. I’ve recently been exploring how t...
-
I believe that Hell is a state of mind I believe that Heaven is a state of mind. I believe that there is one “whatever it is” Spirit. I...
-
In life's journey, we encounter individuals who radiate a light of wisdom and strength, inspiring us to walk a path of purpose and meani...
-
To see the video below on YouTube, click here . A prayer: Let us let go of everything else, for just this moment, and enter into the...
-
As we stand on the threshold of 2024, I find myself contemplating the journey ahead. It's tempting to say it's going to be a tough y...
-
Aubrey and Chris settle in for lunch and beverages before beach time. The morning spiritual practices were wonderful and already we ar...
5 most recently updated from the blogs I'm following
Designed By Templateism | Seo Blogger Templates
No comments:
Post a Comment