Virtual communities are worthy of the name community and of Christian participation only if they strengthen a personal encounter "that comes alive through the body, heart, eyes, gaze, breath of the other," the pope wrote.

"If a family uses the net to be more connected, to then meet at table and look into each other's eyes, then it is a resource," he said. "If a church community coordinates its activity through the network and then celebrates the Eucharist together, then it is a resource."