Jul
22
Pope Benedict 4EVER!
July 22, 2008 | 5 Comments
Well this is certainly a unique way of spreading the Good News.
Benedict XVI is weaving together a mini-catechesis with a medium nearly any young person can relate to — cell phone text messages.
The Friday morning local time message to Youth Day pilgrims was a call to Christian love. “The spirit impels us 4ward 2wards others; the fire of his love makes us missionaries of God’s charity. See u tomorrow nite – BXVI,” it read.
On Saturday night, there will be a vigil with the Pontiff, followed by an all-night sleep out under the stars leading up to Sunday’s closing Mass.
Before the Pope’s boat-a-cade reached Sydney Harbor Thursday afternoon local time for his official arrival to World Youth Day, the Holy Father sent his third text message. That one said, “The Holy Spirit is the principal agent of salvation history: let him write your life-history 2 – BXVI.”
On Wednesday, after his encounter with typical Australian animals, including a koala bear and a carpet python, the Pontiff sent a text message reading, “The Holy Spirit gave the Apostles & gives u the power boldly 2 proclaim that Christ is risen! – BXVI.”
Pilgrims received their first text message from the Bishop of Rome on Monday. It said, “Young friend, God and his people expect much from u because u have within you the Fathers supreme gift: the Spirit of Jesus – BXVI.”
Youth Day participants can receive the messages by texting the word Pope to a special number. Benedict XVI is expected to send a message each day of the event.
The event referred to here was the World Youth Day, which took place this past weekend.
H/t: My friend Aric, who desperately wants to know that this story is not true.
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5 Comments so far
d00d. Da P0p3 B l33t!
Those text messages hurt my brain. I’m sorry, I know the people behind this idea are trying to relate to the youth, but using wording the Pope would use, and then changing “you” to “u” and “2″ for “to” or “too” doesn’t sit right.
“…boldly 2 proclaim…” Someone using “2″ in a text message likely wouldn’t ever utter the phrase “boldly to proclaim”.
Matt:
That’s my issue with it as well. It’s almost as if they are talking down to the youth by dumbing down the messages. It’s a decent idea but not really well executed.
I doubt the intended audience would even notice. I’ve gotten entire RESEARCH papers in text-speak.
Maddening.
My position is already on the record. I agree with the observations here, and add a couple others. First, isn’t the texting dialect at least consistent? How could anyone justify “u have within you”? Second, Pope Benedict is persuasive because he looks his audience in the eye and speaks right at them about Christ. But no one, least of all the recipients, thinks that Pope Benedict was exercising his thumbs typing this stuff. It is an inauthentic note in a pontificate that has been free of them.