|
INTENTION : |
For the use of new technologies - let us pray that the use or the new technologies will not replace human relationships, will respect the dignity of the person, and will help us face the crises of our times.
|
FOCUS
Pope Francis' prayer intention regarding the use of new technologies reflects his concern for maintaining the human and relational character of our society in the digital age. Francis warns about the risk of technologies replacing face-to-face interactions, which can lead to a decline in the quality of our human relationships. He invites us to seek a balance, using technology to facilitate authentic human connections, not to replace them with virtual interactions. Technology should serve the common good and respect the intrinsic dignity of each person. This implies an ethical use of technology that does not degrade or dehumanize people but contributes to their well-being and integral development.
Francis sees technology as a potential tool to address global challenges such as climate change, poverty, and inequality. In Laudato Si, for example, he calls for an "integral ecology" that recognizes the interconnectedness between care for the environment, social justice, and human dignity, and suggests that technologies can play a crucial role in this effort. In this month of prayer, he encourages us to use technology to promote human dignity and help respond to contemporary crises, particularly by facilitating communication and education, especially in disadvantaged contexts.
It is thus an invitation to develop a critical awareness of how we use technology and its effects on our lives and society. This includes reflecting on our own digital practices, promoting a responsible and conscious use that favors integral human development.
ATTITUDES FOR DAILY LIFE
1. Using with discernment
"In the era of the internet, where space and time are supplanted by the 'here and now,' patience becomes strange... Patience has been relegated by haste, causing serious harm to people. In fact, intolerance, nervousness and, sometimes, gratuitous violence take its place, leading to dissatisfaction and closure." (Pope Francis).
Think about whether your way of using technology helps you live more serenely, think calmly, and foster deeper, peaceful, and fraternal relationships with others. Is there something you should change in this regard?
2. Nurturing relationships
"Current media allows us to communicate and share knowledge and affections. However, sometimes they also prevent us from making direct contact with the anguish, the trembling, the joy of others, and the complexity of their personal experience... The upcoming Jubilee can greatly help to restore a climate of hope and trust, as a sign of a new rebirth that we all perceive as urgent." (Pope Francis).
Do you nurture personal encounters with those you love? Nothing can replace direct contact with your acquaintances. Cheer up. You still have time to reverse the situation if you see that the artificial is taking the place of natural contact.
3. Cultivating a critical awareness
"The Church does not cease to encourage the progress of science and technology in the service of human dignity, and for an 'integral and inclusive' human development ... But in the network of relationships, both subjective and communal, technology cannot supplant human contact." (Pope Francis).
Are you aware of the need to strengthen direct human connections, without the mediation of screens? What initiatives would you like to take in this regard? How can you help those around you develop a critical awareness of the need to avoid harmful isolation?
4. Promoting a sustainable lifestyle
"An integral ecology includes taking time to recover a serene harmony with creation, to reflect on our lifestyle and our ideals, and to contemplate the Creator who lives among us and surrounds us ... It is also made up of simple daily gestures where we break the logic of violence, exploitation, and selfishness." (Pope Francis).
Dedicate your free time to relationships. This will be your best contribution to decontaminating our dehumanized communications, our planet, and your heart...
5. Using responsibly
"How wonderful it would be if the growth of scientific and technological innovation could come with more equality and social inclusion! How wonderful it would be if, as we discover faraway planets, we could rediscover the needs of the brother or sister orbiting around us!" (Pope Francis).
Who is around you every day? Do you take the time to understand their needs? Is there someone on the outskirts of your heart? Don't let the use of technology distance you from the people who need you.
MONTHLY PRAYER
Lord, Good Father,
As I look at the world and see men and women working in it and beautifying it, a great "Thank You!" springs from my heart.
The action of Your Spirit among us encourages us to grow in the progress of science and technology in the service of human dignity for integral and inclusive human development.
Because we know You desire the good of all, from the heart of Your Church, Your Son calls us to ensure that technology does not replace "person-to-person" contact, that the virtual does not replace the real, and that social networks do not replace social settings. Help us develop the ability to live wisely, to think deeply, to love generously, without losing heart, promoting scientific and technological growth that increasingly aligns with human development in responsibility, values, and awareness. Amen.
The Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network International Team
|
|
