As the popular mobile phone game "Pokemon Go" directs millions of users to churches and other landmarks, parishes are trying to figure out how to disciple to young gamers

“On Monday night, we couldn’t figure out why all these people were on our property,” pastor Fr Thomas Keller told the St Louis Review, the archdiocesan newspaper. “We noticed people walking up, or in their car slowing down. By Tuesday, we figured out we had all these Pokemon stops. I talked to a nice couple pushing a baby carriage who explained everything to me.”... Fr Patrick Posey, pastor of St James Parish in Falls Church, Virginia, sent a letter informing parishioners about the six Pokemon stops on the church property. He welcomed players to visit the church but asked them to be respectful. He also encouraged players to celebrate the feast day of St James with parishioners at their July 25 ice cream social. “Hopefully, once a person finds the Pokemon, they will enter the church and find Christ,” Father Posey told the Arlington Catholic Herald, diocesan newspaper. “Just to be clear, I do not believe there is anything wrong with playing Pokemon Go. However, I do think people are happy to search for Pokemon and reluctant to search for Christ because he calls us to give more of ourselves.”

-- The Catholic Herald, www.catholicherald.co.uk