Nurturing the seed of faith in a distracted society

Digital Growth

America

October 17, 2016 Issue

Christopher J. Coyne

Nurturing the seed of faith in a distracted society

I recently received a phone call from the Diocesan Director of Cemeteries. Apparently, a number of people were invading some of the Catholic cemeteries in Burlington, Vt., with eyes riveted intently on their mobile devices. They were playing Pokémon Go, trying to capture digitally created creatures that virtually inhabit these cemeteries. I asked him if they were doing any harm. He replied, “No, there is simply more ‘traffic’ than usual.” Since cemetery rules and regulations applied to all visitors regardless of their reason for visiting, I told him so long as no harm was being done, he should let them be. “Who knows?” I replied. “Perhaps they might even gaze upon a monument or two and be moved to ponder eternity. Then again, they just might be satisfied with catching a Pokémon or two.”

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