Irish Priest Is Pope's Tweet Adviser

By Owen Conlon
The Irish Sun
December 13, 2012

http://www.thesun.co.uk/irishsol/homepage/news/4695109/Irish-priest-is-Popes-tweet-adviser.html

Tweeting ... the Pope

POPE Benedict was mercilessly mocked by twits yesterday on his first day on the internet site.

The Pontiff made his debut after being introduced to Twitter by his adviser, Irish priest Monsignor Paul Tighe.

And he ran the gauntlet from pranksters as he made his first online remarks.

User @TwopTwips sent him a message reading: “Hi mate. I’m thinking of getting one of them popemobiles — do you know what insurance band it would fall under? Cheers fella.”

Another, @GOD87620876, added: “I hear you’re still spreading rumours about me and the Virgin Mary. Stop it!”

Other accounts also berated the Holy Father over ongoing paedophile priest scandals.

However, Mgr Tighe, who is originally from Co Meath, said the German-born Holy Father is “intrigued and pleased” with his debut online.

And he is ready and prepared to deal with queries from ordinary Catholics.

He said: “We’ve been waiting for the questions, we have to select questions and engage him around those questions.

“It’s almost like the equivalent of the old marketplaces where Jesus went to engage people.”

By late last night Benedict XVI had notched up over a million followers.

But Mgr Tighe added: “The name of the game is not about followers of the Pope.

“It’s about ways to reach people who may be touched by, strengthened by, encouraged by the words of the Gospel.

“If there are followers, they’re followers of Christ.”