Catholic bishops meeting in Rome said on Friday they want the word of God to be heard through what could be considered an unlikely channel: iPods.

The bishops, attending a synod at the Vatican since October 5, called for increased distribution of the Bible "in the largest variety of our planet's languages".

They said in a message to believers that the printed text is no longer sufficient at a time when communication has been transformed by technology.

"The voice of the divine word must also resonate over the radio, Internet channels with virtual online distribution, CDs, DVDs, iPod ...", it said.

It went on to add to the list "television and cinema screens, in the press, at cultural and social events."

The synod on the theme of the "Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church" ends on Saturday.