From the only reliable source of Catholic news on the net, Eye of the Tiber:
Pope Francis took to Twitter on Wednesday afternoon to chastise some in the priesthood and the laity who use their cell phones to take pictures during Masses, saying they should focus on God instead.
“The priest does not say ‘lift up your cell phones to take pictures’ during the Mass,” Francis tweeted to almost 15 million Twitter followers just before he consecrated the Body and Blood of Christ. “He says ‘lift up your hearts.’”
A short time later, Pope Francis could visibly be seen regularly checking his post to see how many likes and retweets he was receiving, with an assistant holding his phone to show him as he distributed communion.
“It makes me very sad when I celebrate Mass here in the piazza or in the basilica and I see so many cell phones held up. The Mass is not a show. I know it sometimes seems like one with all the guitars and balloons and other crap we allow, but it’s not. so remember, no cell phones!”
Francis later went on to take a minute during the announcements to tweet, “Zzzzzzzzzzzzz…”
Go here to read the comments. PopeWatch called the Vatican to ask the Pope for comment. PopeWatch was put on hold, but the Pope never picked up. Instead PopeWatch received this text: Gringo, stop bothering me! Il Papa.
PopeWatch will not go away forever Holiness, but will be on Thanksgiving hiatus until November 27, 2017.
I mentioned this before. Many, mostly ladies, in our parish use their cellphones at Mass to follow the readings. Our Rector encourages it— he is a disciple of Karl Rahner which may help explain this adaptation. Personally, having a bunch of waving, lighted cellphones in front of me is a distraction.
The thought that pope who am I to judge is concerned about the integrity and solemnity of the liturgy… is really quite laughable.
But, really, it was he and people like him who gave us the mess we have now, with the mass opening with the weather report, closing with “Go Patriots” and the oh so relevant political pep rallies that pass for Sunday mass in so many places (especially in ‘Catholic’ colleges)
Why should anyone care what he says about this, it’s obvious he doesn’t really think it’s a problem. But then what’s more of a problem, cell phones or sacrilegious communions? Taking pictures or singing “Imagine?”