Twiturgy
Posted by Sr Eleanor on October 23, 2008
I have no first-hand experience of Twitter (“a free social messaging utility for staying connected in real-time”), but from what I’d heard, I judged it to be one enormous waste of time, promoting a kind of “communication” which is quite at odds with monastic values – superficial, over-frequent, and unnecessary.
But now there is Twiturgy. Sign up for this, and at each of the seven “hours” every day you will will receive, via text message, a “twitter” containing a short phrase of Scripture.
Two things about this strike me as very monastic indeed. First, it is rooted in the Word of God, as are all the Hours of the liturgy. Secondly, it connects people with the Word at regular intervals through the day, which is exactly what the Liturgy of the Hours does.
So it seems that “staying connected through short status messages” is not always a bad thing.
I would love to hear from anyone who has signed up for Twiturgy – what has been your experience of it?
Bryan said
Sr. Eleanor,
I found Twiturgy to be very helpful. I’ve been using it for a few months now. I don’t replace it with my own praying the office but it is very helpful that during a busy work day I can glance down and see a verse of Scripture there to meditate on and recenter with.
I’d be interested to hear how you found out about it? The gentleman who started this idea lives the next town over from me.
Pax.
Bryan
Asouladrift said
I think this is a great idea, and I hope it survives the trial period, and the creator keeps it up.
It has often occurred to me that we were once a society where common peasants stopped work to pray the hours. Now, most Catholics would have no idea how or when or why they even occur. Maybe this is a tiny step toward reintroducing the idea of incorporating God into every minute of the day, to the lay community again.
Also, what a great tool this would be for a person homeschooling a child, and wanting to incorporate Christian doctrine.
Ann said
Hello, Sr Eleanor, I’m glad to see you’ve taken up blogging again.
Twiturgy would certainly interest me if I were a daily commuter, or if I had an iPod that I’d make use of on long country walks. The idea is a good one, gentle reminders which, as Bryan said, would help minds meditate or recentre.
I’ve always been grateful that my journey to work takes less than half an hour on foot, as I’ve heard of so many people whose days begin and end with long, tiresome commutes.For such people Twiturgy could well be a God-send, a short little message from heaven, that would lift the spirits.
Sr Eleanor said
Dear Bryan,
I read about the concept of Twiturgy on someone’s blog as I was blog-hopping one day. When I came to write the post, I couldn’t find it again – the blog that is – but the name had stuck so when I Googled it I was able to come up with it.
Richard Kirby said
I’m chaplain to a new seminary in AP India, and to teach the septenary structure of time this can be helpful, possibly.
opreach said
Thanks for the tip. I’ve found little use for Twitter, but have kept it updated along with FaceBook through ping.fm. I’ve just gone to Twitter and am now following Twiturgy. I look forward to seeing it. I’ll let you know what I think. Sister Pat