Seems like everyone who’s anyone is on Facebook these days, even the Blessed Virgin Mary. The social networking service, which claims to have 200 million active users, allows you to become a ‘fan’ of products and services, usually things like Coca-Cola. Some thoughtful user has created a fan page for our Mother Most Holy.

You probably can’t see in the preview image above, but people around the world post to her page with their intentions in the same way we might light a candle at mass. It’s a really lovely use of technology in the twenty-first century. Here’s a few of people’s requests:

• I love you Mary! Pray for us and always keep us close to Jesus.
• Mother Mary I pray for the entire worlds economy and the families who have been effected affected by the crisis.
• I am so glad you are here. You are so gracious to be everywhere for us. Your kindness and grace toward our humanity is tremendous.
• Sub tuum praesidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genetrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen.

You can click through to view all of the petitions and messages for Our Lady.

She needs your help!

However, it’s not all great. At the start of May, an inconsiderate Facebook user published two images that are clearly offensive to Catholics. The first implies that our Mother Most Pure is some kind of slut and the second suggests that she didn’t have a Virgin Birth.

I really don’t like people who can’t laugh at themselves, sometimes you just have to chuckle at yourself if you’re a Catholic. Try explaining to a Protestant that you effectively eat God in the Eucharist – it’s a pretty funny situation. The thing is, these images aren’t in good taste, they’re just plain offensive and you can’t really laugh at them at all.

If you’re a Catholic Facebook user, please help us rid these images defiling her page. Visit the "Beloved Virgin Mary" fan page and click "just fans" on her wall. Scroll down a bit and you'll find the offending images. Please click on "Report" to notify Facebook, choosing reason "attacks individual or group".

I’ve reported this before but it’s still online. Perhaps Facebook has a massive backlog of abuse cases to sort through and haven’t yet got to this one, or perhaps they just don’t think this image is offensive. I guess the only way to make them listen is if more people report abuse! Please, please, please report this attack on our Mother most Pure if you’re part of the Catholic Facebook community. And while you’re there, become a fan of her… she’s a cool lady.

Labels: bvm, techology