Pope advises young people, families to limit phone use

June 22, 2026

Pope Leo XIV greeted children of Vatican employees today in Paul VI Audience Hall and advised them and their families to limit their phone use (video).

The children are taking part in a summer youth program. Addressing a question about limiting phone use, Pope Leo said:

Technology can be very good, and we need it for many things. But when we are together, there is no need to have a mobile phone, smartphone, or tablet in our hands all the time. In fact, we are happy whenever, even for a little while, we are not tied to our tablets or our phones. That would be the first point.

It is very important to build friendships—to spend time together, to play together, perhaps even to study together—as people, not as computers or machines, not as techno-robots. We are human beings; we are persons. Personal contact with others is very important.

“The same is true in the family,” Pope Leo continued. “When the family is together, it is not enough for everyone simply to sit there, each looking at his or her own phone. It is very important to learn how to talk with one another, to have conversations, to enjoy being together, to play together, and also to pray together.”

The Pope added:

Very often, it helps to set limits. For example: “After a certain time in the evening, I will no longer look at my phone,” or “At certain times I will spend time talking with my family instead, and we will be together.” I think these are things that can help us disconnect a little.

 

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Further information:

• Greeting to Participants in the "Estate Ragazzi in Vaticano" (Summer Youth Program for the children of Vatican employees) (Dicastery for Communication - Vatican Media, 6/22/26)
• Greeting to the participants in the “Estate Ragazzi in Vaticano” (Youth Summer Programme for the children of Vatican employees) (Holy See Press Office, 6/22/26)