ROME, 11 (NE) As part of a program to encourage the spirit of Lent among faithful, the Catholic Church in Germany has decided to use one of man's latest and widely used inventions: cellular telephones. During the Lenten season, which started this week with Ash Wednesday, a team of Catholics will be sending daily messages referring to Lent to the cellular phones of those who have previously inscribed to receive them.

    The messages include daily readings from the Gospel which will help faithful to reflect over the meaning of Lent and encourage meditation, charity, penance and fasting. Messages will be transmitted over the forty days of Lent, and are available upon request, which can easily be done through a site in the Internet.