VATICAN CITY, Dec 29 — Pope Francis today urged people to talk to each other at mealtimes instead of using their mobile phones, citing Jesus, Mary and Joseph as an example for families to follow.

They "prayed, worked and communicated with each other”, the pope told the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square during his weekly Angelus address.

"I ask myself if you, in your family, know how to communicate or are you like those kids at mealtables where everyone is chatting on their mobile phone ... where there is silence like at a Mass but they don’t communicate,” the pope said.

"We have to get back to communicating in our families,” Francis said in his unscripted remarks. "Fathers, parents, children, grandparents, brothers and sisters, this is a task to undertake today, on the day of the Holy Family.” ­ — Reuters