Pilgrims returned to St. Peter's Square the day after Christmas to see Pope Francis pray the Angelus from the window of the papal apartments.
Speaking on the Feast of the Holy Family, the Pope said to pay special attention to the relationships between family members, and to learn how to listen to one another.
POPE FRANCIS
'This helps us a lot, to talk within the family, to talk at table, to dialogue between parents and children, to dialogue among siblings. It helps us experience the roots of our family that come from our grandparents. Dialogue with grandparents!'
He went on to warn of the many ways in which family members can isolate themselves from one another.
POPE FRANCIS
'It is dangerous when, instead of listening, we blame each other for mistakes; when, rather than showing care for each other, we fixate on our own needs; when instead of dialoguing, we isolate ourselves with our phones—it is sad a family at lunch when everyone is on their own phone without speaking to each other, everyone on their phones.'
The Pope also shared his concern for the demographic situation in Italy, which has one of the lowest fertility rates in the world.
POPE FRANCIS
'Speaking of families, I have a concern, a real concern, at least here in Italy, of the demographic winter. It seems that many have lost the desire to go forward with children, and many couples prefer not to have children or to have only one child. Think about this. It is a tragedy.'
He also recalled the upcoming World Meeting of Families to be held in Rome next summer, and said that while he cannot respond to all the Christmas messages he receives, he prays for each person that sends them.
JM
