Pope urges priests to get on Facebook

Pope Benedict XVI has encouraged members of the Catholic clergy to begin using social networking and blogging to spread the church's message, in a move that signals a new approach to online communications for the Vatican.

Facebook can now add "Papal approval" to its growing list of thumbs-up signs from some of the world's largest institutions, with the Pope calling for priests to muster the power of "modern communications" to extend the reach and influence of the church in a speech posted on the Vatican's website at the weekend.

"Responding adequately to this challenge amid today’s cultural shifts, to which young people are especially sensitive, necessarily involves using new communications technologies," said Pope Benedict in a draft of the speech that will be delivered as part of World Communications Day in May.

While no social networks or services were overtly mentioned, the tone of the speech strongly suggests that the head of the church hopes to see priests on networks such as Facebook and Twitter in the coming twelve months, with a number of clear references to extending the reach of the church and opening up more individual contact with worshippers.

"To priests in particular the new media offer ever new and far-reaching pastoral possibilities."

Despite making no explicit recommendations for clergy on what online tools to use, the Pope did offer his opinion on what an expanded priestly presence will do for the internet.

"This will not only enliven their pastoral outreach, but also will give a 'soul' to the fabric of communications that makes up the 'Web'."

"To my dear brother priests, then, I renew the invitation to make astute use of the unique possibilities offered by modern communications."