VATICAN CITY - Pope John Paul II, who has used a laptop to send pastoral instructions to bishops stationed in faraway Pacific islands, on Sunday told his flock to plunge into new communication technologies to help spread the Catholic church's message.
"The most recent advances in communications and information has put the Church in front of a completely new possibility of evangelization," John Paul said during his weekly appearance from his studio window overlooking St. Peter's Square.
He referred to documents the Vatican issued earlier this year urging Roman Catholics to use the Internet to spread the faith while warning them about pitfalls such as online pornography.
"We must enter in this new and ever wider network of communications with realism and trust, persuaded that, if it is used with competence and with knowledgeable responsibility, it can offer valid opportunities for spreading the evangelical message," John Paul said.
"Thus, don't be afraid to set sail into the vast ocean of computer technology," he told the faithful.
The pope is a best-selling author who has embraced TV, CDs and other modern technology to convey his message.