杏MAP导航

By Fr Joe Laramie SJ * 

I loved watching the Jetsons cartoon when I was a kid

These were colorful characters zipping around in flying cars. 

Also I remember those Terminator movies starring Arnold Schwarzenegger鈥� with evil robots, killing machines from the future. 

I鈥檓 Father Joe Laramie SJ, a Jesuit priest on staff at the 杏MAP导航鈥檚 Prayer Network in the United States.

In the month of April, the holy father asks us to pray for 鈥渢he use of new technologies.鈥� We pray these technologies will not replace human relationships, but rather respect the dignity of the person and help us face the crises of our times. 

I鈥檓 using technology right now. I found the 杏MAP导航's intention online. 

I typed out a few words on my computer and I鈥檓 recording this on an iPhone.

I use FaceTime to talk to my nieces and nephew in another city. 

I use Catholic apps to pray about the readings each Sunday, with reflections from bishops and Catholic leaders. 

Even something as simple as a high-tech wheelchair can give a disabled person access to nature to travel and friendship. 

Technology can be powerful and a tool for great good. 

It can also be dangerous, hypnotic鈥� it can eat up my time as I scroll through silly videos or even content that鈥檚 violent or harmful. 

What will the future look like? Will it be more like the Jetsons are more like a Terminator movie? But these technologies are used by people aren鈥檛 they? 

We can ask God to guide our minds in our hearts, and also the minds of scientists and cultural leaders. Let鈥檚 all pray that these technologies can make our future bright.

* Fr Joe Laramie SJ is the National Director of the 杏MAP导航's Prayer Network in the United States.