"Lord, bless this server to prevent spam, and smite spammers with Holy Handgrenades. Amen."

[giza]

From http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7587388/:

Pope Benedict XVI gets e-mail address

VATICAN CITY - Got a prayer or a problem for the new pope? Now you can e-mail him.

Showing that Pope Benedict XVI intends to follow in the footsteps of
John Paul II's multimedia ministry, the Vatican on Thursday modified
its Web site so that users who click on an icon on the home page
automatically activate an e-mail composer with his address.

Vatican spokesmen could not immediately be reached for comment on how
many messages Benedict may have received already.

The English version of the pope's e-mail address is:
benedictxvi@vatican.va. The Italian one is is:
benedettoxvi@vatican.va.

John Paul, who died April 2, was the first pope to use e-mail, a
medium that made its debut during his 26-year papacy. The Vatican said
he received tens of thousands of messages in his final weeks as he
struggled with illness.

In 2001, sitting in the Vatican's frescoed Clementine Hall, John Paul
used a laptop to tap out an apology for Roman Catholic missionary
abuses against indigenous peoples of the South Pacific.

The Vatican also used e-mail to notify journalists of John Paul's death.

The Holy See often issues news or documents to journalists via e-mail,
and its labyrinth of obscure offices and councils are online in half a
dozen languages. Even the Sistine Chapel, with its famed art
collection, offers a virtual reality tour.

I find this kind of amusing that the Church is getting into e-mail. Keep in mind that back when I was in high school and still went to Church, I would go into the confessional and confess about pirating software. That usually resulted in a strange look from the priest, followed by being told to say a Hail Mary as penance. :-P

Comments

[lionman.livejournal.com]

I would go into the confessional and confess about pirating software. That usually resulted in a strange look from the priest, followed by being told to say a Hail Mary as penance.

So, does that imply that it's a "lesser" sin?

[andrew7782.livejournal.com]

Confessional? o.O

(I know what it is, but we don't have them in the church, or any Roman Catholic churches I've been to)

[giza.livejournal.com]

Well, more like a side room with two chairs in it. We called them "confessionals".

[silverscalenaga.livejournal.com]

and according to beavis and butthead they are toilets *chuckles*

Confessionals...

[coppercheetah.livejournal.com]

That's actually rather odd, as Confession is one of the Seven Sacraments in the Roman Catholic Church. Traditionally, it's two small adjacent vestibules/rooms with a screened window between: This was to allow confessor and priest separation, but still be able to communicate in privacy, for confession is a private act. (In fact, it carries legal standing in that things said in the privacy of the confessional cannot be divulged by the priest, even under order of law.)

With the rise of the Roman Catholic Church, confessionals got to be rather elaborate affairs, but in general, if the church in question is a Roman Catholic Church, they will have at the very least an area set aside for Confession that can be isolated. (This is coming from Mr. Was-Going-To-Be-A-Roman-Catholic-Priest.) It may not necessarily be in the front of the church, however--it all depends on the architechture of the church in question.

[cyriljackal.livejournal.com]

You felt sorry? Ever? ;x)

[tgeller.livejournal.com]

John Paul, who died April 2, was the first pope to use e-mail, a
medium that made its debut during his 26-year papacy.

Uh... no. Email way predates 1979.

Grrr.

[khakiwolf.livejournal.com]

I see a few problems there. Mainly I'm SUUURE that the pope is the one replying to the... million or so e-mails that would clog the inbox every day. He probably sends it through a few dozen filters and ends up with... 5 or so that are worth replying to.

However, I think it would be cool to pose all sorts of questions regarding inconsistancies in the Bible, such as," Dear Pope, I was reading the Bible today and I think the 10 Commandments are pretty sweet. Especially the law against killing people. However, I was a little confused later on when the Bible talks about stoning people. Didn't God say thou shalt not kill? Why does he change his mind and say it's ok to stone people?"

[kellic.livejournal.com]

YOU"VE GOT DEITY!!