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Pope meets YouTube creators from around the world
Popes are no stranger to YouTube (Benedict XVI got a YouTube channel years ago), but Pope Francis is stepping things up a notch. He just met with 11 YouTube creators from around the world in a "first-of-its-kind" chat to share perspectives on issues of peace and tolerance, such as gender equality and immigrant rights. In the weeks ahead, each of those online video makers will produce clips sharing what they learned from the meeting. This probably won't usher in a brave new era of generosity and kindness, but we also haven't seen YouTubers get this kind of access before. At the least, it should lead to fresh perspectives on important topics.
Pope to teens: you cannot download happiness
During a special teens-only Jubilee at the Vatican this weekend, Pope Francis delivered a strong homily about the power of religion versus technology. "Your happiness has no price," the pontiff told an estimated crowd of 70,000 teenagers gathered in St. Peter's Square. "It cannot be bought and sold: It is not an application you download on a mobile phone. Even the latest version cannot help you to grow and become free in love."
Pope Francis is starting his own Instagram account (update: live)
The Catholic church under Pope Francis is already quick to use the internet to spread its message, but it's about to kick things up a notch: the Vatican has announced that the Pope will launch his own Instagram account, "Franciscus," on March 19th. It's not certain what he'll be snapping, but it's likely that it'll take a different approach than the Vatican's existing Instagram account. The big question is whether or not the Pope will take photos himself -- it'd be great to see a few papal selfies as Lent winds to a close, but we won't be shocked if it mostly amounts to others posting on his behalf. Update (3/19): Sure enough, the Pope's account is live.
Vatican uses Telegram to guide Catholics during Lent
When Pope Francis says he sees the internet as a blessing, he's not just talking a big game. As part of a broader "Keep Lent" campaign beginning Wednesday, the Vatican is sending its daily readings of Gospel verses through a Telegram channel, @pgpompei -- last year's choice of messaging service (WhatsApp) just isn't as good, it seems. You don't have to fire up Telegram to listen, but the move shows that the Catholic leadership wants to follow its younger laypeople to the social services they're using at the moment, rather than sticking to "safe" choices like Facebook or Twitter. Just don't expect the Pope to get a Peach account any time soon.
You can't fly drones near the Pope during his US visit
Thinking of using a camera drone to get some above-the-crowd footage of Pope Francis during his trip to the US near the end of September? The Federal Aviation Administration would really, really prefer that you didn't. It's instituting drone flying bans in key parts of New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, DC (where there are already strict limitations) throughout the Papal visit. Give in to temptation and you're breaking the law, even if you had no intentions of getting near the religious leader.
Roman schoolkids give the pope a drone of his own
From pizza to Fiats, people love giving gifts to Pope Francis. Most recently, students from a Jesuit school in Rome presented the Holy See with a customized quadcopter painted in the colors of the Vatican flag and replete with the Papal emblem. According to a statement from the school, the UAV symbolizes "the values of technology in the service of man." The school continued, "drones have proved useful to check the condition of structures [in quake-ravaged Nepal] and study paths from bringing relief to people who need this in remote villages." There's no word yet on whether Pope Francis will have the time for flying lessons. There's a chance that he may auction off the UAV to raise money for the poor, as he did back in January with the Fiat and a number of other expensive gifts. Or, like the pizza, he could just be saving it for later. [Image credit: The Associated Press]
Pope Francis sees the internet as a blessing for communication
Some may see the internet primarily as a source of anger or a dangerously addictive distraction, but not Pope Francis. In a message for the Catholic Church's World Communications Day, the pontiff called the internet a "gift from God" for social outreach. It helps people meet, experience differing opinions and feel a sense of unity, he says. However, he's also aware of the potential for abuse. Digital citizens can choose to see only things that reinforce their existing views, and they risk isolating themselves from real people. The internet is potentially "rich in humanity" and kindness, but only if we put in that effort -- something we'd do well to remember regardless of our belief systems.
