As Archbishop Ivan Jurkovic, Holy See’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other international organisations in Geneva declared: “The family, after all, is, in many ways, the first school of how to be human and at the same time the family is the centre, and the heart of what Paul VI called ‘the civilization of love’”. During the last General Assembly in Assisi, we committed ourselves, as WUCWO women, to "take, with renewed conviction, the joyful journey of family love, motherhood and fatherhood". We recognise that the family is where essential values such as brotherly love, generosity and service to others are learned, and we certainly all agree that the fundamental role of the family for a peaceful civilisation is increasingly being challenged.

The breakdown of family ties leaves millions of children and young people without the proper and necessary guidance. They are increasingly at risk as they use and rely on social media and digital connections for their personal and moral development.

For this reason, we invite you to join our new campaign:

Device-Free Family Meals

“Let’s enjoy once a week family time” with a device-free meal. As Christmas meals approach, we encourage you to dedicate time to gather your family around the table. Turn off your phones, tablets, PCs and earphones, and use these moments to listen, talk, and reconnect. Ideally, these meals would take place on Sunday, the Lord’s Day, but any other day is just as good. This small gesture, repeated once a week, can strengthen family bonds and enrich your lives.

If you already have this tradition, give thanks for this blessing and join our campaign by promoting a practice that so many families have forgotten.

We would love to hear about your experiences:

• How did you feel sharing a meal without any electronic devices? What was the most meaningful part of this experience for you?
• What changes has this practice brought to your family? What fruits have you seen?

Please, share with us, in just 3 lines, your experiences, your comments and, if you wish, a photo of one of your family meals, indicating expressly that you give your approval to have WUCWO publish it in our website, social media or any other material to promote family life. Send everything to:

1. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (copy to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
2. WhatsApp: +36 30 9228 531

We will share your experiences among WUCWO members and through our social media. This campaign launched today will last all the Jubilee year. After a year, it will have created a good habit. It would be great to share our first experiences with families around the world on the Jubilee of Families at the end of May!

Are you ready to accept this challenge? Together, we can rediscover the joy of family meals and strengthen the civilisation of love!

We wish you a blessed end of Advent and a joyful festive season,

Borbála Vadnai, Coordinator of WUCWO’s Family Working Group

Mónica Santamarina, WUCWO President General