Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2009/03/05/bishop_texting_lent/

'Gv up txt 4 Lent,' urges bishop

Log off Facebook, leave your iPhone at home

By James Sherwood

Posted in Personal Tech, 5th March 2009 10:46 GMT

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... ®