How phones, PCs put users in the spirit of Holy Week

MANILA, Philippines - For Filipino Catholics hoping to have a meaningful Holy Week even while on holiday, their trusted communication companions, the mobile phone and PC, can offer some inspiration — including messages from Pope Benedict XVI.

The Vatican is engaging the tech-savvy generation of Catholics worldwide by going online full-blast, setting up its own Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube accounts.

Here at home, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is once again opening its Visita Iglesia website (www.visitaiglesia.net) this year, encouraged by an enthusiastic response last year.

The faithful can go on a virtual pilgrimage to various churches by viewing videos on the website and reflecting on the messages of priests at each place of worship.

“For a global organization like the Catholic Church, embracing social media is a logical move. Social networking and micro-blogging sites like Facebook and Twitter are quick and effective channels for them to communicate their message on a global scale,” said Ramon Isberto, public affairs head of Smart Communications Inc.

“It is a strategic move since people no longer just access the Web through fixed computer terminals. People carry the Internet wherever they go through mobile devices like netbooks and tablets and mobile phones,” he added.

For the more traditional users, there’s still the good old SMS. Smart still has religious content that subscribers can get through text.

The Philippines, where Facebook is the most popular website, is one of the biggest audiences for the Vatican’s online initiatives.

The Vatican launched its Twitter account late last year, with the handle @news_va_en. Its Twitter feed shows Pope Benedict XVI’s official messages to the religious, his words on the Catholic faith and even his statements concerning world affairs.

Last month, the Vatican set up an official Facebook page for the late Pope John Paul II (http://www.facebook.com/vatican.johnpaul2). Here, Pope John Paul II’s “likers” may view his messages and pilgrimages through videos on YouTube (www.youtube.com/giovannipaoloii), in line with the countdown to his beatification, which is expected to take place next month.

The Visita Iglesia website is a Lenten presentation of the CBCP Media Office. It is primarily designed for the infirm and disabled, as well as Filipinos overseas who want to practice Catholic traditions the Filipino way.

The website was first opened last year, and due to the overwhelming response, the server crashed, CBCP Media Office director Msgr. Pedro Quittorio III says in the opening video.

The website now features 14 different shrines and pilgrimage sites while inside their own homes. It also contains videos and text references on other Holy Week traditions like the Seven Last Words and the Pasyon.

Websites like this and other innovations brought about by broadband and mobile communication technologies have provided the faithful more ways to receive the word of God and practice their beliefs.

The popularity of smartphones has facilitated the emergence of religious applications or apps which enable mobile phone users to carry all the books of the Bible inside their pockets.

There is a variety of other religious apps ranging from news to reference materials and quizzes on Catholicism and even a collection of prayers and Church hymns.

A recent study done by digital marketing measurement and intelligence agency ComScore reveals that social networking is the top activity of Internet users in the Philippines. In fact, the Philippines recorded the highest Facebook penetration in the world with almost 93 percent of its online population accessing the site.

“The advent of affordable Internet access points like low-cost computers and mobile devices plus easy and affordable broadband services are factors in the growth of social networking in the Philippines,” said Isberto.

“To date, Smart’s wireless broadband service Smart Bro has close to 1.4 million subscribers. Smart subscribers also make up majority of Filipinos accessing the web through mobile,” he said.

He added that Smart still offers daily Bible verse services, which are quite popular. It also has religious quotes and inspirational stories from inspirational speakers like Bo Sanchez.

Dear God is the SMS service that sends out Bible verses accompanied by short insightful reflections (available by texting DEARGOD ON to 463). Soulfood, meanwhile, combines Bible verses with prayers (BIBLE ON to 286).

Bo Sanchez’s inspirational stories and messages can also be received daily by texting GEMS ON to 4636 while Catextism daily religious quotes service can be accessed by texting QUOTES to 777. Each text received from these services costs P2.50.