Pope Benedict XVI will send daily inspirational text messages to mobile phones of tens of thousands of young pilgrims during World Youth Day in Australia.
According to World Youth Day coordinator bishop Anthony Fisher, the 81-year-old Pope will go hi-tech at the July event, expected to attract hundreds of thousands of pilgrims to Sydney, to reach young people “in their social space”.
Not only will the Pope send out daily inspirational messages to pilgrims in Australia, the World Youth Day will also have an online social networking site similar to Facebook and “digital prayer walls”.
“WYD08 will be the most innovative World Youth Day to date,” bishop Fisher said. “We wanted to make WYD08 a unique experience by using new ways to connect with today’s tech-savvy youth.”
Pope Benedict will arrive in Sydney on July 13, ahead of the official start of World Youth Day activities on July 15. He will be officially welcomed to Sydney on July 17 and take part in World Youth Day events until July 20.
My comments:
Of course it’s not likely that Pope Benedict will type his daily messages himself on a papal Blackberry or iPhone.The organizers of the event have contracted the company Telstra to set up the various digital services that were presented today.
But the initiatives are a great step forward in using new media to build community among Catholics. Let’s hope the Vatican will also one day do a web 2.0 overhaul of their official website!
I love it! The fact is, you just have to try to keep up with the rapidly changing techie world! Thanks for the news
So did you photoshop B16 with the iPhone, or is it real? Can I turn it into a facebook bumpersticker?
I photoshopped it of course
Although the Pope has an iPod, he still has to get an iPhone. Perhaps he is waiting for the new 3G version that is coming to Italy
So this photo is not real? Oh, boy, you are funny
!
Well I almost published the Photoshop deal!
Oh I am so glad I checked this.
Nicolas
You can still post it for fun of course
I’ve been enjoying your podcasts since I got an iPod about 2 years ago, but I’ve only recently started exploring your sites. Then I heard you talking about this website on a Daily Breakfast podcast, so I came over to check it out. I’m impressed! The sunny colors and layout make for an appealing and user-friendly site. Great work!!!
I wonder if the WYD Facebook-style site will be accessible to everyone. I wasn’t at the WYD in Cologne in 2005, but it was nice to be able to participate from a distance by contributing family photographs to a large banner that was hung in Cologne during the event. The banner was made up of photos sent from around the world which, together, made a photo of Pope John Paul II. It was pretty cool! Maybe you are familiar with what I am talking about. Anyway, it would be great for all of us who can’t be in Sydney this July to have a way to directly participate, too. Maybe this proposed WYD site will make that happen. I went to WYD in Denver in 1993 and it’s just an event that is dear to my heart.
I see you are on Flickr. I hope you don’t mind if I add you as a contact over there. Thanks for all you do for the Lord!!!
Are you coming to WYD ?
After June 1st, you won’t be able to get a visa on time !!!
You know you want SMS from the pope when your here !!