His Holiness Pope Francis, head of the Catholic church, advised parents to become good examples to their children by not fighting in front of them.
During his homily in the baptism of 27 newborn babies in Vatican City in celebration of the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, the Pope said that while it normal for couples to fight, they should avoid having arguments in front of their children.
In Italian, the Pope said, “Excuse me, but I give you this advice: Never fight in front of your children. Never. It is normal for spouses to fight; it is normal. The opposite would be strange. Do it, but without them hearing it, so that they do not see it.”
Pope Francis also warned parents of the “anguish” the child experiences upon seeing the fight between the parents.
The Pope also offered a prayer for the couples, especially those with newborn children.
“I tell you: let them be comfortable. Be careful not to cover them too much and if they cry of hunger, feed them. To the mothers I say: let the children eat. Be calm, the Lord wants it. Because they – why worry? – have a polyphonic vocation. One begins to cry and another responds, and another… and in the end, is this chorus of tears,” the pope added.
The baptism was held at the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City to celebrate the end of the Christmas season in Catholic liturgy.
Of the 27 babies baptized, 12 are male while 15 are female. All of them are sons and daughters of Vatican employees.
