Pope spreads the good word by SMS

The Pope is spreading the word of the Lord through a new text messaging service in which subscribers are sent a thought for the…

The Pope is spreading the word of the Lord through a new text messaging service in which subscribers are sent a thought for the day by SMS.

The new service is initially available only in Italian but it will soon also be available in other languages.

Pope John Paul II's messages take the form of a prayer, a thought for the day, or details about saints and cost 10p each.

The idea came from a Milan priest, Don Paolo Zago, who regularly sends text messages to members of his parish.

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They start with a prayer or a passage from the Bible and end with the thought: "If you want to improve the world start with yourself first."

It is not the first time the Pope has shown a liking for new technology. Two years ago he said he thought the internet was a marvelous way "to evangelise the world."

PA