Rumors that deceased Pope John Paul II is joining Facebok have been confirmed by the Vatican.
The Facebook page for the late pope will be unveiled by the Vatican in an effort to promote his beautification.
Monsignor Paul Tighe, one of the Vatican’s top two in the social media department, said “What we found is that Facebook doesn’t just share information, it creates community.”
It has been reported that the page will link to video highlights of John Paul’s 27-year papal run.
The church will also expand its media focus to include a Vatican news portal, to begin on Easter. The Vatican’s first message reads:
“That interactivity — and the potential it brings to the church’s evangelization mission — is behind the Vatican’s new social media push, the culmination of which will be launched at Easter with a new Vatican information web portal whose contents are specifically designed to be tweeted, posted and blogged.” [Source]
Well if the story is true, it seems like a pretty Catholic idea to me to have a dead person with a Facebook page. The Communion of Saints is a reality, though you don’t need a Facebook account to friend these friends of God. The Wall will be more like the Wailing Wall where people will post notes for intercessory requests. Just remember chat is fully functional with the Communion of Saints, but not Facebook chat and don’t expect to play “Words with Friends” with him.
3 comments
The Priests of the SSPX said thirty days of Gregorian Masses for his soul when His Holiness died.
The Monks at the SSPX Monasteries also said them on his behalf.
You can’t be certain who your friends are while living, but you sure know after you die.
May God have had mercy on his soul.
Please say a Hail Mary for the Priests, Monks and religious of the SSPX.
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I am not sure what the supporters of the Face Book page are trying to beautify. His soul is certainly beautiful already. I will be very happy when he is beatified and officially called “Blessed”. I also look forward to canonization for he is certainly a saint.
“The Facebook page for the late pope will be unveiled by the Vatican in an effort to promote his beautification.”
Maybe I’m just a killjoy – but it always is a bit off-putting when someone (or some organization) is seen as “rallying” for Sainthood. I don’t say this in reference to JPII, God rest his soul, but to any of them out there. I know that Pius XII has his supporters as well, and count myself as one of them, but I don’t think I should be out there drumming up support for Sainthood.
If he or she is a Saint, then it will become apparent to those in charge of discerning those types of things. Rallying for Sainthood or pushing it or promoting it seems to give them impression that one can become a Saint by popular vote.