Catching 'em all...

It’s true! St Anthony’s Church in Alkham really is haunted! As we had coffee after the service a few Sundays ago, two younger members of our congregation excitedly produced an i-Pad which clearly showed a picture of me standing in the church with a spook looking over my shoulder. Moments later, the same i-Pad revealed that the churchyard was full of them! You couldn’t see any of them without an i-Pad of course.

Download something called Pokémon Go onto a smartphone and the screen reveals a map of your surrounding area. It may show a brightly coloured monster or Pokémon nearby for you to catch and train – a Pikachu, perhaps, or a Jigglypuff. Use it to fight other Pokémon at a Pokémon gym – there are two in Capel (I think!) You can stock up with supplies at PokéStops like the one at St Radigund’s Church Hall. But once again, without a smartphone you won’t see any of this.

At home, we had a deep discussion about what reality is. I pointed out to my son that by running around town clutching his smartphone he was behaving as though Pokémon are real. He retorted that I behave as though God is real, which of course I do. Interestingly, our two quests overlap. I like the idea of hunting Pokémon - it involves fresh air, exercise and, with luck, making new friends. Although the antics of some have led Cologne Cathedral to ban Pokémon Go (“the cathedral is not a playground”), other churches have connected with their PokéStop status by offering squash, biscuits, phone chargers and conversation to passing players.

Confused? Don’t worry if you don’t follow any of this. Ask any teenager with a smartphone. They will be able to explain it far better than I have…

Brian