As the new year approaches, a Catholic prelate urged Filipino families to set aside their mobile devices and revive meaningful conversations at the dinner table, particularly during Media Noche.

Gilbert Garcera, Archbishop of Lipa, made the appeal during his homily on Sunday, 28 December, as he presided over Mass for the Feast of the Holy Family and the closing of the Jubilee of Hope at the Parish of the Holy Family.

Garcera said modern families are facing growing challenges, beginning with the breakdown of communication among family members. He lamented that face-to-face conversations have increasingly been replaced by text messaging, social media, and other distractions.

“During mealtime, it has become normal for them to be busy with other things. They take pictures of their food to post on social media for ‘likes,’ but they do not eat the food cooked by their mother,” Garcera said.

He noted that other common distractions during family time include watching television, such as basketball games, while children are occupied with computers, texting, or listening to music on Spotify.

The archbishop identified a second concern, saying some people now want pets to be treated on the same level as human family members. Dogs, cats, and other animals do not have souls, he added.

As the country welcomes another year, Garcera encouraged families to go beyond the tradition of setting aside phones only during Media Noche. He urged households to make it a habit at every meal, noting that shared mealtime may be the only opportunity for families to be fully present with one another.

He reminded the faithful that giving attention to loved ones, even for a few minutes, can strengthen family bonds, stressing that while work and other distractions can wait, family connections cannot.