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'Gv up txt 4 Lent,' urges bishop

Log off Facebook, leave your iPhone at home

Some of you may decide to give up an Earthly pleasure for Lent, but one Italian bishop has asked followers specifically to forgo almost all forms of electronic communication and entertainment during the religious season.

Monsignor Benito Cocchi, the Bishop of Modena, reportedly said that renouncing text messaging would help people – particularly the young – “detox from the virtual world” and “get back in touch with themselves”.

Lent’s generally considered as being 46 days long, including Sundays, so giving up texting for well over a month is a big ask. But the Bish didn’t stop there, because he also suggested that followers avoid videogames, iPhones and social networking sites during the season.

The Pope could have mixed feelings about the message, though. Surely he wouldn’t want hits on the Vatican’s YouTube channel to suffer? Is the Pope Cath... oh, hang on a minute, yes he is... ®

Latest Comments

Did the church ever...

Did the church ever tell people to quit writing letters to each other? I know speech (as in free) in general has never been particularly popular with them but I thought writing was generally encouraged even when "silent."

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@ Daniel

If the Queen had said it I'd ignore her too.

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@Chris W

Or he could just be sugesting that people could give up somthing which is adversly affecting there lifes. You may as well say the catholic church is trying to kill diabetics because some people give up chocolat for lent.

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I gave up religion for Lent

Never looked back

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Great Idea

I would love to do this can preists sign you off work like doctors can

Dear sir

i am signing your systems engineers off for 46 during lent

jesus be with you

regards

(some priest )

sure my boss and the company would love that

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