Mike Plunkett

Mike Plunkett is a graduate student in the Communication Management program at the USC Annenberg School for Communication.

Anyone who has been to a U2 concert knows that the zenith of the show is "Where the Streets Have No Name." When the lights rise and The Edge cranks out the Infinity Guitar and Bono runs around the stage so that his love won't turn to rust, fans often describe the experience in religious terms. What if that experience could be transferred (converted might be a better word) to a church? Would there still be that same sense of transcendence? Would it be sacrilegious to sing something other than "There is Power in the Blood?"

These are questions that arise with the advent of the U2charist. As the name implies, it's the Eucharist, except there's less "Eu" and more "U2." A U2charist is a liturgical service that substitutes the Irish band's songs for hymns. It's the same prayers and the same communion; just the singing is a bit more POP-ish.