Vatican News
Pope Leo XIV visited the Vatican’s Estate Ragazzi summer camp on Monday, meeting with children and young people taking part in this year’s programme and answering several questions.
The theme is focused on Jules Verne’s “Around the World in 80 Days.”
Human relationships come first
Responding to a question about the difficulty of disconnecting from screens during the school year, Pope Leo acknowledged the benefits of technology but stressed that it should not take the place of real human interaction.
“Technology can be very good and very useful for many things,” he said. “However, when we are together, it is not necessary to have a mobile phone, smartphone, or tablet in our hands at every moment.”
The Pope encouraged the children to spend time together as people rather than through devices.
“It is very important to build friendships, to spend time together, to play together, and perhaps even to study together,” he said. “We are human beings, persons, and contact with others is extremely important.”
He extended the reflection to family life, noting that “when a family is together, it is not enough for everyone to sit there looking at their own phone,” he said. “It is very important to learn how to talk, to have conversations, and to enjoy one another’s company.”
The Pope also highlighted the importance of prayer, reminding the children that “even if we can have the Bible and prayers on our phones, God does not want to look at our phones,” adding that “God wants to look at our hearts and at our lives.”
Recognising digital dependence
Speaking particularly to the older children, Pope Leo warned that many applications are deliberately designed to keep users engaged for long periods of time.
“They try to make us dependent on this technology,” he said. He suggested setting practical limits on screen use, such as putting phones away at certain times of the day and making space for conversation and family activities.
“We are not all plugged into a cable,” he noted. “We are human beings.”
The Pope then encouraged the children to develop both their human and spiritual lives by cultivating relationships, seeking God in prayer, and avoiding forms of dependence that can limit their freedom.
Learning to think for ourselves
Another young participant then asked the Pope about his experiences traveling around the world.
Drawing on his own travels, Pope Leo recalled several occasions when GPS navigation systems led him in the wrong direction. “In Italy, in other European countries, in Peru, and once even in the United States, I followed the GPS, and it took me down the wrong road,” he said.
The Pope explained that “it is much better to learn to think for ourselves and to develop the critical ability to know where we are going in life.”
He then encouraged the children to make full use of the abilities God has given them rather than relying entirely on technology.
“I do not need my phone if my brain is working,” he said, adding that preparation and good judgment help people navigate difficulties and find solutions when unexpected problems arise.
Prayer with the Pope
At the end of the encounter, Pope Leo XIV was named “Chief Explorer” of the summer camp and was presented with an explorer’s kit and a commemorative plaque.
He invited the children to pray with him and encouraged them to tell their parents that they had prayed together with the Pope. “Prayer is very important for us,” he concluded. “We want Jesus to be here with us.” – Vatican News
