CBCP to families: Set aside gadgets during mealtime

MANILA, Philippines — Communication must be promoted within families, and setting aside gadgets during mealtime can be a start.

Lipa Archbishop Gilbert Garcera suggested this during his homily yesterday, as he celebrated mass marking the Feast of the Holy Family and closing the Jubilee of Hope, at the Parish of the Holy Family in Luyos, Tanauan City, Batangas.

Garcera said that families nowadays are facing two obstacles. The first is that family members no longer communicate with each other.

He lamented that verbal conversations have been replaced by text messaging or being preoccupied doing something else.

“During mealtime, it has become normal for them to be busy with other things. They would take pictures of their food, send (to their social media accounts) (to get) ‘likes.’ But they do not eat it, the food cooked by their mother,” said Garcera.

Other distractions include watching television such as a basketball game, while children play with their computers, send text messages or listen to music on Spotify.

As for the second obstacle, Garcera said some people want their pets to be given the same treatment as human beings and family members.

Dogs, cats and other animals do not have souls, according to him.