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May 24, 2009

Device takes the Bible ‘on the go’

By Alicja Pozywio

STAFF WRITER

Would the Twelve use the current technology to spread the Good News around the world if they lived in the 21century? We don’t know. But Mark Mastroianni of Arlington Heights is doing just that in hopes of getting young people to read the Bible more often.

Mastroianni has developed God on the Go, a 1 GB USB flash drive, sold for $24.95, that contains the New Testament, New American Bible version, and 90 percent of free file-storage space.

God on the Go provides every book chapter, verse and footnote found in the printed version of the New Testament as approved by the U.S. bishops. God on the Go indexes the Bible based on a wide array of topics important to daily life and to study and reference. Many people use flash drives to transport pictures or other files from computer to computer. With God on the Go, the Bible goes along with them.

The device is a result of Mastroianni’s desire to serve Jesus, he said.

“I was praying in church in January 2008. I asked God for assistance to show me how I could apply my talents and my gifts and my experiences to help Christian social justice,” said Mastroianni. A graduate of the University of Notre Dame and DePaul University, Mastroianni used his 15 years of experience in technology, new product development and helping new businesses to start to make the Bible more accessible.

“I asked myself: How do I bring the word of God with me into my daily life and work,” he said. The answer came quickly. Mastroianni found a service that allowed people to carry the daily lectionary on their smart phone. It inspired him.

“Young people carry technological devices around with them every day. They are very comfortable with technology. Right now is a great opportunity to engage them in the faith using the new technology and that is how God on the Go was born,” said Mastroianni.

He tested the product out on students at Marian Catholic High School and said he received positive feedback. Now he is selling it around the country.

The Bible is a popular product. It is regularly one of the most-sold books around the world. God on the Go was designed primarily for young people, Mastroianni said.

“Among 25 million Bibles sold in America every year, 82,000 are purchased by students in universities across the country,” he said. He believes that some of them could be purchased in this digital version.

Dominican Father Jordan Kelly, director of the archdiocese’s Office for Evangelization, said he likes the device.

“Mastroianni offers Catholics instant access to the Word of God and its vital importance in our daily lives. For the student of the Bible, God on the Go is a fun, quick and interesting way to encounter the Scripture.”

“You can carry your Bible in your pocket. It weighs only five grams,” he said. Another important feature of God on the Go is that it is a green product. “It prevents trees from being cut down and very toxic ink from being printed.”

For more information on God on the Go visit www.WordofGodtoGo.com.