Buy the Catholic Directory
Catholic Spirituality
Listen to CatholicPhilly.com
Hispanic Catholics
Archbishop Chaput
Archbishop Chaput's column
Archbishop Chaput's calendar
Archbishop Chaput's speeches
More by Archbishop Chaput
Congolese church leaders urge international help to contain Ebola
Northern Irish bishops accuse Britain of hijacking bill to allow abortion
Syriac Christians living near border fear Turkey military incursion
Priest says Chaldeans in northern Iraq face uncertainty in return to homes
Pope appoints new Vatican press office director
Philippine bishops call for 'ecological conversion' amid climate crisis
Pope urges students to fight their addiction to phones
Twitter Facebook Google+ Pinterest LinkedIn Email Print
Pope Francis greets people during an audience with students and staff from Ennio Quirino Visconti Lyceum-Gymnasium, a school in Rome, at the Vatican April 13, 2019. The pope encouraged high school students to break their phone addiction and spend more time on real communication and moments of personal reflection. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)
By Carol Glatz • Catholic News Service • Posted April 15, 2019
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis told high school students to break their phone addiction and spend more time on real communication with others and in moments of quiet, personal reflection.
Young people need to learn about "healthy introspection" so they can listen to their conscience and be able to distinguish it "from the voices of selfishness and hedonism," he said.
The pope made his remarks April 13 during an audience with teachers, students and their family members from Rome's oldest classical lyceum — the Ennio Quirino Visconti Lyceum-Gymnasium. Some notable alumni include Eugenio Pacelli, the future Pope Pius XII, and Jesuit Father Matteo Ricci.
The pope told the high school students to "please, free yourselves from your phone addiction!"
Looking up at his audience as they applauded, the pope said he knew they were aware of the many forms and problems of addiction. But, he warned, an addiction to one's mobile phone was something "very subtle."
"Mobile phones are a great help, it marks great progress. It should be used, and it is wonderful everyone knows how to use it" for the "wonderful" activity of communication, he said.
"But when you become a slave to your phone, you lose your freedom," he said.
"Be careful because there is danger that this drug — when the phone is a drug — the danger of communication being reduced to simple 'contacts'" and not true communication with others, he said to more applause.
He told them to not be afraid of silence and to learn to listen to or write down what is going on inside their heart and head.
"It is more than a science, it is wisdom, so as to not become a piece of paper" that moves in whatever direction the wind blows, he said.
The pope also told the teenagers that God gave everyone the ability to love.
"Don't dirty it" with shameful behavior, but rather, love "cleanly" with modesty, fidelity, respect and a big generous heart.
"Love is not a game. Love is the most beautiful thing God gave us," he told them, so be vigilant, protect people's dignity and defend "authentic love, so as not to trivialize the language of the body."
He asked them to help their school remain free from all forms of bullying and aggression, which are "the seeds of war."
And he encouraged them to reject mediocrity and indifference, and instead, "dream big," living with passion and embracing diversity.
"Dialogue among different cultures, different people, enriches a nation, enriches one's homeland," he said. It helps people move forward in mutual respect and be able to see the world is "for everyone, not just for some."
Help keep Catholic media free, support CatholicPhilly.com
You may have noticed "pay walls" greeting you when you visit the websites of newspapers and magazines, both large and small. These mechanisms allow you to read a few articles for free before you've got to pay an annual fee if you want to see more.
You won't find a pay wall on CatholicPhilly.com because we're more than a news organization. We're informing, inspiring and forming readers in the Catholic faith every day through the news, features and commentaries that we post on this site and share across social media.
It costs money to provide high-quality coverage of the local Catholic communities we primarily serve, while also distributing national and world news of interest to Catholics, plus the orthodox teachings of the Catholic faith.
Help us in this mission by making a single gift of $40, $50, $100, or more. Your gift will strengthen the fabric of our entire Catholic community.
Make your donation by check:
CatholicPhilly.com
or by credit card:
Click to make a secure contribution.
PREVIOUS: Organ donation fosters culture of life, pope says
NEXT: Pope makes surprise visit to community for people with Alzheimer's
Building a culture of religious freedom
Archdiocese gets funding for new senior housing in South Phila.
Seminarians gear up for bike tour to 10 local parishes
© 2019 Catholic Philly
Archdiocese of Philadelphia
2017-2018 Audited Financial Statements of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia
Confirmation Schedule – Spring 2019
Pa. Catholic Conference