Jesuit Atavar

The "Soldiers of Christ" are invading the virtual world of Second Life. Financial Times reports this morning that the Jesuits think the online community is fertile for evangelization and urge their members to spread the Gospel among the avatars.

“Today we have more than 200 missionaries in China,” Father Michele Simone tells the paper. “I don’t see there is anything so astounding if we have a few avatars in Second Life.”

Simone says a piece in Civilita' Cattolica, their in-house magazine, explains the rationale for expanding the order's online presence.

“The article presents Second Life to our readers, then points out its positive and negative aspects, the potential dangers," Simone says. "We therefore came to the conclusion that it would not be a mistake for Jesuits to be present as well, to help people not to fall into pseudo-religious traps.”

Second Life Insider wonders what took them so long. "It seems the perfect fit for them," the blog says.