Bishops Urge High-Tech Lenten Fast

Catholics In Italy Asked To Periodically Abstain From Texting, Cars, Modern Appliances Until Easter

(AP)  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 MP3 players and abstaining from surfing the Web or text messaging until Easter.

The suggestion gives a modern twist to traditional forms of abstinence in the period Christians set aside for fasting and prayer ahead of Easter. And it shows the Church's increasing focus on the use of technology as well as its perceived abuses.

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 especially 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 set up a "new lifestyles" calendar that proposes different changes in everyday life for each of the period's five weeks.

Some ideas include: Leave cars at home and hop on a bike or a bus; refrain from 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, with some saying Lenten abstinence should be a personal matter and others contending that people who need technology to work shouldn't be asked to do without.

"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.

"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.

And where could many of these appeals for abstinence be found? On the Web sites of various dioceses, highlighting the Church's increasing appreciation of the reach of modern communication even as it remains wary of new media.

In January the Vatican launched its own YouTube channel, with an inaugural address by Pope Benedict XVI who welcomed 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 81-year-old pope has also warned about what he has called the tendency of entertainment media to trivialize sex and promote violence.

[jediservant]

I don?t want to rain on anyone?s parade but I think Christian people that observe Easter should know that Easter is nothing more than Baptized Paganism.

Have you ever wondered why Easter is always on a different week each year? Have you ever wondered why eggs are used in the observance? Have you ever wondered where the word Easter came from?

The origin of Easter had nothing to do with Christ or what He did on the cross.

If you want to remember and observe the sacrifice that was freely given to those in Christ then read your Bible and find out when Yeshua (Jesus) offered Himself as the Lamb of God.

This was the time that was appointed by God, not man, to remember.

P.S. In case you have a Bible to read, it is called "Passover".

[sharednotion]

Even if some people feel they cannot give up all of this kind of technology entirely, they may be able to at least give up all use of MP3 players throughout lent; leave the music at home. Enjoy the sounds of the reality around you, the birds, the wind (and even any annoying sounds that are part of the reality around you, such as the sound of cars' horns honking in the streets(. Live in the 3-dimensional reality around you as you go from place to place.

[spiritwalk]

I have a new Lenten sacrifice. Stop dropping money into baskets that enter pews.
Posted by JackGarvey
.......................................................
You don't have to, you can do it online before you go to church.

Just remember that they dont take Discover. They do not like associating the word Discover with anything to do with Vatican finances.

[JackGarvey]

I have a new Lenten sacrifice. Stop dropping money into baskets that enter pews.

[spiritwalk]

"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.
..............................................................
Since the Vatican sells tickets and takes credit card donations online I can see why Father Andreis doesn't want people to go overboard with this internet abstinance thing.

And...in case you are wondering...Jesus takes American Express, Visa, Mastercard and Diners Club

Cool Hand Luke had no idea how plastic his Jesus was.

[Yes_ABWH_Fan]

Slowly but surely, the Amish are taking over the Catholic church.....

[barbaram99]

I do wear some thing green on St Paddy's Day' It is a custom that goes back to my school days. I was not raised in the church. I wear the green cos it is Irish and that is the main reason. I don't give up something just cos they say to give it up. I choose what I may give up.
BarbaraM99

[spiritwalk]

Can we be like children and live together or are sharp comments and quick judgments the only path we seek to choose? Let's control ourselves, then our governments, and see peace break out all over....no need for an apocalypse if we can do law number two.
Posted by mjlewis6
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We can't live like children when we have had our childhood stolen by those who can't control themselves and then chastize the victims for not showing god's love by forgiving them.

Your little speech is just like the one the molesters gave their victims as soon as they got through using them.

[mjlewis6]

It is far easier to throw stones than it is to see a man's heart.

From the comments so far, there is so little reason to trust what they say without a moral authority of their own. All fall short in the sight of God, Yaweh, Allah, Wanken Tanka, the Holy Spirit, or any name He is given, female included. The first law is to love Him above all others, and the second for each of us to love our neighbor as ourself. The first law seems to be hard to attain, and as for the second....only look at the comments to understand how all fail their brother on earth. That is where the effort need to be made.

Can we be like children and live together or are sharp comments and quick judgments the only path we seek to choose? Let's control ourselves, then our governments, and see peace break out all over....no need for an apocalypse if we can do law number two.

[spiritwalk]

Support child-abuse wear green on st patricks day.
Show your support for the RCC, Roman Child-abuse Church.
Posted by dafras
........................................
I kind of doubt that will happen.

I just turned on the news and the have live coverage of a helicopter following a London Bus because Michael Jackson is on it promoting an upcoming series of concerts.

I guess that we are not so oppossed to child molesting as long as we get to pick the child molesters we hand our children over to.

[rational_1]

Will the priests be giving up alter boys for Lent?

[spiritwalk]

The Church is keeping up with the times. Now they want kids to think that texting will grow hair on your palms.

[rf35]

Another attempt by the church to prevent the spread of knowledge to the masses, if only for a few weeks. Knowledge and free thought are the mortal enemies of the church.

[Slrman]

How laughable. This is one more attempt by the religious reich to control people's lives in a way that will make them "fear god". If their god is so powerful and omniscient, why would care or even notice something so ridiculous?

This is another example of the absurdity of religion. It also proves how stupid most people are that they would accept, much less believe, anything this silly.

The human race will never be truly free as long as it willingly submits to the tyranny of religion.

[spiritwalk]

By the way, in case you have forgotten who Cardinal Law is, he was the one who, in the case of a priest that had raped a 5 year old girl commented....

"The girl has to accept responsiblity for her part in what happened."

John Paul II was so impressed by that response that he set Cardinal Law up in one of the most prominent churches in Rome and blocked all atempts to have him extradited.
That is the same John Paul that people are trying to declare a saint.

[spiritwalk]

ITS A WELL KNOWN FACT THAT ALL(100%)OF THE BISHOPS IN ITALY ARE CHILD MOLESTERS
Posted by nadya62 at 6:25 PM : Mar 4, 2009

So are many of the priests and bishops in the US.

But they're "Christians" so they get a free pass, with almost NO POSSIBILITY of criminal prosecution.

Posted by hungry1968-15
.........................................................
Roman Polaski had consentual sex with one teenage girl 30 years ago and thy are still chasing him.
Cardinal Law fled Boston to avoid being questioned about the rape of hundreds of children and he is safe and happy and doing who knows what in Rome, safe under the Vaticans protection.
So much for moral authority.

[shameonbush]

I agree with the Church. It's not that there is anything wrong with technology, it's just that people are too easily distracted by it. It prevents too many from having a lasting and meaningful thought, too busy trying to say, "wussup?" or " I'm so bored!!" or so many " :), :(, :\ ." Perhaps with Lent we might be able to abstain from those little meaningless responses long enough to realize that they are indeed...meaningless.

[barbaram99]

I don't giv up my computer for lent. I do something t love to snack on. I e-mail my friend as I need to .

[hungry1968-15]

ITS A WELL KNOWN FACT THAT ALL(100%)OF THE BISHOPS IN ITALY ARE CHILD MOLESTERS
Posted by nadya62 at 6:25 PM : Mar 4, 2009





So are many of the priests and bishops in the US.

But they're "Christians" so they get a free pass, with almost NO POSSIBILITY of criminal prosecution.

http://www.bishopaccountability.org/