Cardinal encourages praying by Twitter

Young Christians should send daily prayer messages by text, Twitter or email, Ireland’s leading Catholic churchman said yesterday.

Cardinal Sean Brady was speaking yesterday in Attymass, Co Mayo, where he unveiled a status to the world-famous ‘Rosary priest’, Fr Patrick Peyton, who was born there 100 years ago.

Fr Peyton was renowned for his saying: “The family that prays together, stays together.”

And Cardinal Brady — Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All-Ireland — said that the principle should now be transferred to 21st-century technologies.

“In the name of Fr Peyton, I appeal to every Christian in Ireland today who sends texts, Twitters or uses e-mail to think about setting up groups of prayer between you and your friends using these modern means of communication,” said the cardinal.

“I ask young people in particular to think of sending their friends and family an occasional Twitter or text to say that you have prayed for them.”

The cardinal predicted that such a sea of prayer would strengthen a national sense of solidarity with one another, especially for families suffering hardship in the current economic recession.

Calling for a return to the traditional practice of saying the Rosary, the cardinal said it would advance the cause of peace in the family right across this island. “Try prayer — it works,” he added.

This article is from The Belfast Telegraph