Pope prays people stare less at screens, connect more face-to-face

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Technology should be used to improve people's lives and to connect people as members of one human family, Pope Francis said.

However, often "the screen makes us forget that there are real people behind it who breathe, laugh and cry," the pope said in a video message to present his prayer intention for the month of April: "For the use of new technologies."

"How I would like for us to look less at screens and look each other in the eyes more!" he said. "Something's wrong if we spend more time on our cell phones than with people."

The video, which was recorded before Pope Francis was hospitalized Feb. 14, was released April 1 and did not include the usual footage of Pope Francis at his desk reading the message but used only his voice for the narration. The final frame of the video says, "The video was recorded before he was admitted to the hospital. Let us join in prayer with Pope Francis on clicktopray.org."

In the message, Pope Francis said, "It's true, technology is the fruit of the intelligence God gave us. But we need to use it well. It can't benefit only a few while excluding others."

"We should use technology to unite, not to divide. To help the poor. To improve the lives of the sick and people with different abilities," he said. "Use technology to care for our common home. To connect as brothers and sisters."

"It's when we look at each other in the eyes that we discover what really matters: that we are brothers, sisters, children of the same Father," the pope said.

"Let us pray that the use of the new technologies will not replace human relationships, will respect the dignity of the person and will help us face the crises of our times," he said.