Friday, February 25, 2005

Computer Age rosaries

Never let it be said that the rosary isn't a living and constantly changing devotion, because it is.

Not only are we seeing new 20-decade rosaries that include Pope John Paul II's new set of "mysteries" for meditation, but there are forms of rosaries of which our forebears could never have dreamed....

The credit-card rosary




This seems to be the modern version of the "pocket" or "soldier's" rosary -- small, sturdy, able to be carried in a pocket for personal use anytime. I haven't yet heard of one of these carried in a shirt pocket stopping a bullet (a story heard many times about pocket Bibles or prayer books) but I'm sure it will be reported sooner or later.

The rosary online


You can now pray the rosary online — or at least, you can pray with an animated diagram in front of you to remind you what to do next. I haven't yet seen one clever enough to recommend, though; so far they all seem to be fairly clunky.

Electronic rosary


However you can get yourself a portable electronic rosary. In case you were wondering (I was), no, neither of these models will read your mind and automatically move to the next prayer. Instead, you have to push a button when you've finished a prayer, and the battery-powered device will illuminate the proper "bead" for you to pray next.



The home page for the rectangular Vista is here and the round gadget can be found here. The round version even comes with a chain so you can wear it around your neck....

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