Federico:

Dear Pope Leo, here at the Summer Camp we have a wonderful time without our phones, and we know that all this is possible thanks to you. We have to admit however, that during the rest of the year, when we go back home, it is almost impossible to pull ourselves away from our screens. We often feel a little trapped by the digital world, and we worry that we might lose sight of our real friends or end up shutting ourselves away in our own little world. How can we become champions in using technology to do good things without forgetting the friends who are around us? Thank you.

Pope Leo XIV:

First of all, good morning, everyone! Good morning to the grown-ups and to the children. I am very happy to be here with you this morning.

So, how can we pull ourselves away from our screens? That is more or less the question.

Right now, if I can see correctly, only one person is holding a screen, and that is because he is taking a photograph. Otherwise, no one has one, right? That is already something important. Technology can be very good, and we need it for many things. But when we are together, there is no need to have a mobile phone, smartphone, or tablet in our hands all the time. In fact, we are happy whenever, even for a little while, we are not tied to our tablets or our phones. That would be the first point. It is very important to build friendships—to spend time together, to play together, perhaps even to study together—as people, not as computers or machines, not as techno-robots. We are human beings; we are persons. Personal contact with others is very important. That is the first thing.

The same is true in the family. When the family is together, it is not enough for everyone simply to sit there, each looking at his or her own phone. It is very important to learn how to talk with one another, to have conversations, to enjoy being together, to play together, and also to pray together. Even if we can have the Bible or some prayers on our phones, God does not want to look at our phones; God wants to look at our hearts and at our lives. So we need to be free from these things which, in themselves, can be entertaining, helpful, and even good, but it is far more important to develop our humanity through friendship, conversation, and all the activities you are doing here during these weeks.

I think that is something very important.

There is another point—and this is especially for those who are a little older. We need to be careful about the mechanism of a kind of dependency that is deliberately built into the programs and applications on our phones. They are designed to make us dependent on this technology.

Very often, it helps to set limits. For example: "After a certain time in the evening, I will no longer look at my phone," or "At certain times I will spend time talking with my family instead, and we will be together."

I think these are things that can help us disconnect a little.

We are not all plugged into a cable, are we? We are human beings. We should live and develop this human dimension of our lives. And we should also nurture the spiritual dimension: seeking God in prayer, seeking God together as a family, and living a little more freely, without this dependence on technology.

Thank you.

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Michela:

Dear Pope Leo, the theme of this year's Summer Camp is “Around the World in Eighty Days”. It takes us on a journey of the imagination, exploring many different worlds. You have travelled so much in your life, visited many distant places, and met people from so many different cultures. Would you share one secret from your travels with us?

Pope Leo XIV:

Let me tell you a little story that connects with the first question. When we were children, we all learned how to read road maps. If we had to travel from Rome to Naples, or from Rome to Tivoli, before setting out we would study the map, looking to see which road would be the best route... Today, everyone simply puts the GPS into the car or onto the phone and sets off. Several times in my life—in Italy, in other European countries, in Peru, and once even in the United States—I relied on the GPS, and it led me down the wrong road. I ended up being stuck and could not reach my destination. That is why I say, also in connection with the first question, that it is important not to become too dependent on technology. It is much better to learn to think for ourselves and to develop the critical judgment needed to know where we are going in life, on our journeys, and in whatever we do. Study well. Use the abilities that God has given you! I do not need my phone if my brain is working! Of course, it can help me and provide useful information, but it is also important to prepare well before setting out on a journey.

This is something I have learned. A person who is well prepared can always find a solution, even when something unexpected happens. God has given us an extraordinary gift in our minds and in our brains. So, in general, I would say that this is something valuable for everyone.

The Holy Father is appointed Chief Explorer and is presented with the Explorer's Kit and a commemorative plaque from the Summer Camp.

Pope Leo XIV:

I know there are many more questions, but unfortunately I have go somewhere else now. Before I go, however, I thought it would be wonderful if you could all tell your parents that you prayed with the Pope today, because prayer is very important for all of us. We want Jesus to be here with us! Now we shall pray together—you may remain where you are, seated—the prayer that Jesus himself taught us, with one voice.

"Our Father..."

Blessing.

Have a wonderful day! My very best wishes to all of you!

_____________________________

Holy See Press Office Bulletin, 22 June 2026