Pope Francis on Sunday decried the increasing use of social media in a
June 9 (UPI) –Pope Francis on Sunday decried the increasing use of social media in a « culture of insults » during his Pentecost Mass that celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Apostles.
The pontiff told the thousands of faithful in the Vatican’s St. Peter’s Square in « the age of the computer, distances are increasing: the more we use the social media, the less social we are becoming. »
That has led to anger.
« Nowadays it is fashionable to hurl adjectives and, sadly, even insults, » Francis said.
Rather than trade harsh words he recommended responding « to malice with goodness, to shouting with silence, to gossip with prayer, to defeatism with encouragement. »
He said the lack of harmony in today’s world has led to « stark division. »
« There are those who have too much and those who have nothing, those who want to live to a hundred and those who cannot even be born, » Francis said.
He decried the temptation to cling « our little group, to the things and people we like, » adding « it’s only a « small step from a nest to a sect, even within the church.
