Pope Francis is urging people to put down their smartphones at the dinner table.
Setting aside technology in favor of talking together as a family is paramount, Francis told his general audience at St. Peter's Square in Vatican City on Wednesday, reports Catholic News Agency. Face-to-face communication fosters "togetherness" and connection.
[img src="http://admin.mashable.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/smartphone-family.jpg" caption="Lots of "likes" but no talking. " credit=" © Hiya Images/Corbis" alt="Family including kids (8-9) texting at dinner table"]
The "People's Pope" said, “When children at the table are attached to the computer or the phone and don’t listen to each other, this is not a family, this is a pensioner!" (In this case, a pensioner is assumed to mean someone who simply receives rations for sustenance.)
Though he is a fan of technology and has a Twitter following of nearly 8 million, he advocated talking with family at the dinner table instead of playing with smartphones or tablets.
He warned, "In the family, if something is wrong, or if there’s some hidden wound, at the table you see it right away.”
The pope also cautioned opulent spending on meals and lavish food, which he claimed distracts from focusing on people during mealtime.
Your Instagram game might suffer, but the pope is convinced what you get in return is far greater.