(May 31, 2012) In Pakistan, the Daughters of St Paul, in Rawalpindi, have launched
a website to encourage youth participation, despite community worries about drawing
attention in the predominantly Muslim country. “They were afraid of exposure and showing
the face of Christ in a Muslim country,” said Sister Athens Angeles, the community
superior. “But we are already the last of 51 countries where the Pauline family is
running local websites.” The website offers information about upcoming Church events
as well as links to Facebook, posts about the outreach programs, meetings and publications
of the congregation which is running three book centers in the country. “It is purely
for vocation and has no business dimension,” Sr Angeles said. The site was created
by youth leader and student Sonish Akmal in just two days, after the order worked
on the project for three years. “We waited till Pentecost to highlight the additional
feature of viewing the site in different languages,” she said. Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop
Edgar Pena Parra launched the site over the weekend to the applause of more than 100
priests, nuns and lay leaders. He then lauded the nuns for setting a great example
on the correct use of the internet. “It will help in building relations by offering
choices and preferences even when not speaking directly of religious content,” he
said.