Let My Prayer Rise Before You Like E-Mails

Twitter has officially jumped the shark :

The leader of Ireland’s four million Roman Catholics has urged social network users to start sending daily prayers by text, Twitter or e-mail.

“Make someone the gift of a prayer through text, twitter or e-mail every day,” Cardinal Sean Brady said. “Such a sea of prayer is sure to strengthen our sense of solidarity with one another and remind those who receive them that others really do care.”

The cardinal also told prayer Tweeters to turn off their televisions, computers and mobile phones to pray more effectively.

The story runs with the title “Roman Catholics told to Twitter Prayers,” which seems to miss the cardinal’s point. I think he wanted to say that we could use these new forms of communication—not to pray—but to let others know we’re praying for them. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have told his audience to turn off their computers and cell phones when they pray. Still, I think there are better ways to let people know we care about them than Twitter.