This weekend, Pope Francis had an interesting message for worshippers at St. Peter’s Square: He wants them to put their phones away—especially at mealtimes.
Pointing to the example of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, Pope Francis emphasized how important it is for families to communicate with each other. He explained that the Holy Family “prayed, worked and communicated with each other” and encouraged modern families to do the same.
“I ask myself if you, in your family, know how to communicate or are you like those kids at mealtables where everyone is chatting on their mobile phone … where there is silence like at a Mass but they don’t communicate,” he said. “We have to get back to communicating in our families. Fathers, parents, children, grandparents, brothers and sisters, this is a task to undertake today, on the day of the Holy Family.”
According to research, the pope has a point. A study from Nutrisystem found that “1 in 3 Americans can’t get through an entire meal without being on their phone” (h/t CookingLight).
Alright, you heard the man. If you are reading this on your phone and you are at the table with your friends or family, maybe you should wait until later.
