iPhone Gets Blessing From Vatican

Vatican Embraces Technology That Brings Daily Prayers Used By Priests To iPhones

(AP)  The Vatican is endorsing new technology that brings the book of daily prayers used by priests straight onto iPhones.

The Vatican's Pontifical Council for Social Communications is embracing the iBreviary, an iTunes application created by a technologically savvy Italian priest, the Rev. Paolo Padrini, and an Italian Web designer.

The application includes the Breviary prayer book - in Italian, English, Spanish, French and Latin and, in the near future, Portuguese and German. Another section includes the prayers of the daily Mass, and a third contains various other prayers.

After a free trial period in which the iBreviary was downloaded approximately 10,000 times in Italy, an official version was released earlier this month, Padrini said.

The application costs euro0.79 ($1.10), while upgrades will be free. Padrini's proceeds are going to charity.

Monsignor Paul Tighe, secretary of the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Social Communications, praised the new application Monday, saying the Church "is learning to use the new technologies primarily as a tool or as a means of evangelizing, as a way of being able to share its own message with the world."

Pope Benedict XVI, a classical music lover who was reportedly given an iPod in 2006, has sought to reach out to young people through new media. During last summer's World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia, he sent out mobile phone text messages citing scripture to thousands of registered pilgrims - signed with the tagline "BXVI."

[trumpetstuff]

How `bout that? The Vatican endorsing something from the 21st century! Quite a shift. On a possibly-related front, it looks like they`ve been flip-flopping on Galileo:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/12/23/tech/main4684688.shtml

At least they seem to be thinking. I doubt if I`ll live to see it, but I hope someday they`ll not worry so much whether two people who love each other are of the same or opposite gender.

[inventagod2]

Who is the pope?

[notfooled]

Dear CBS: Please refrain from posting such drivel from known child-molesters and fake religious types that have spent the last 2,000 years murdering people to solidify their position.

What an embarrassment.

[deathofusa]

The Pope blesses the invention of the IPhone but not the invention of birth control? Something is not right. Puke the Pope.

[hypnotoad72]

iNonsense. Such apps exist for PDAs and other portable devices.

[brannigon]

iPhone Gets Blessing From Vatican? WHO CARES? THE "VATICAN" ISN''T ANYTHING SPECIAL! Oh, by the way "Pope", when will you bless the earth worms? Inconceivable and ridiculous!!!