VOA慢速英语2021 罗马天主教会更新“点击祈祷”应用程序（在线收听）

These days, there are computer programs to help people do just about anything – from studying a language to looking for a job.

如今，计算机程序可以帮助人们做任何事情，从学习语言到求职。

There are even apps for praying.

甚至还有用于祈祷的应用程序。

The Vatican recently released its latest version of the prayer app "Click to Pray." Roman Catholic Church leaders said they hope "Click to Pray 2.0" will give people an improved "praying experience" in a fast, online world.

梵蒂冈最近发布了最新版本的“点击祈祷”应用程序。罗马天主教会领导人表示，他们希望“点击祈祷2.0版”能够在快速的网络世界里为人们提供更好的祈祷体验。

Earlier this month, seven Catholic officials held a news conference to demonstrate "Click to Pray 2.0." It is the first major update of the app since the launch of "Click to Pray" in 2016.

本月初，7名天主教官员举行新闻发布会展示了“点击祈祷2.0版。”这是该应用程序自2016年推出以来的首次重大更新。

At the conference, the officials presented to reporters a video showing the app's new functions. One is a personal prayer planner. It lets users plan their prayer time for each day. And then a reminder function tells them to stop, take a break from the rest of the world, and pray.

在发布会上，有关官员给记者播放了展示该应用程序新功能的视频。其中一个功能是个人祈祷规划簿。它可以让用户规划他们每天的祈祷时间。然后有一个提醒功能告诉他们从现实世界中抽身出来祈祷。

"Praying is not a waste of time, as we sometimes think," said Father Frederic Fornos.

弗雷德里克·福诺斯神父说：“祈祷不是我们有时候认为的浪费时间。”

He recently spoke with Reuters news agency about the app. He also shared his ideas on the importance of prayer. "Prayer," he said, "is like the seed in the darkness of the earth, which will show its fruit in its own good time."

他最近就该应用程序接受了路透社采访。他还谈到了他对祈祷重要性的看法。他说：“祈祷就像是地球黑暗中的种子，它会在适当适合结出果实。”

The prayer app is available in six Western languages and Chinese. It gives users issues to pray about. This lets users pray together with Pope Francis, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church. For example, users could pray for peace in one part of the world using the app.

这款祈祷应用程序提供了6种西方语言和中文版本。它为用户提供了祈祷的议题。这让用户可以跟罗马天主教会领袖教皇方济各一起祈祷。例如，用户可以使用该应用程序为世界某个地区的和平祈祷。

The app also offers a "School of Prayer." It gives support to those people who are finding it hard to get started. The "School of Prayer" can also help people form prayer groups around the world.

该应用程序还提供祈祷学校。它为那些感觉很难开始的人士提供支持。祈祷学校还可以帮助世界各地的人们组成祈祷小组。

An Italian priest in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City praised the new app. Father Cosimo Schena said the app is especially good for people who have strayed. These are people who have left the church for some time and may find it difficult to return.

梵蒂冈圣彼得广场的一位意大利神父赞扬了这款新应用程序。科西莫·舍纳神父表示，这款应用程序特别适合那些迷失的人士。有些人已经离开了教会一段时间，可能发现很难再回归。

"It is an extraordinary thing," the cleric told Reuters, "because it allows you to reach people that you don't physically meet. It becomes a bridge to reach those hearts that sometimes have strayed from God."

这位神职人员对路透社表示：“这是一个非比寻常的东西。因为它可以让你接触到那些没有实际遇见的人。它成为了抵达那些从神的身边迷失的心灵的桥梁。”

Officials said they know that the app might not be right for everyone. It is important to note, they said, that this app is not a substitute for traditional prayer.

有关官员表示，他们知道这款应用程序可能不适合所有人。他们表示，务必要注意的是，这款应用程序不能替代传统的祈祷。

The secretary of the Vatican's communications department is Monsignor Lucio Ruiz. He said, "It is not meant to invalidate the other places or ways to pray. It is one more way to reach people who want or need a new way."

卢西奥·鲁伊斯主教是梵蒂冈传媒部秘书。他说：“这并不是要让在其它地方或是以其它方式祈祷失效。这是给有需求的人们提供另一种祈祷途径。”

Under Pope Francis, the Roman Catholic Church has increased its presence on social media. The prayer app is another way the church is using technology to reach people.

在教皇方济各的领导下，罗马天主教会提升了在社交媒体上的存在。这款祈祷应用程序是该教会利用科技接触人们的另一种方式。