The Pope, Pixar, moms and dads and 'Toy Story 5' | Arkansas Democrat Gazette

The Pope, Pixar, and parenting debates intersect as Pope Leo XIV used a Vatican Youth Camp talk to warn against living through phones, in remarks delivered June 22. Reuters reports that the pope said it is not enough for families to be together if each person watches a phone, and that God “wants to look at our hearts, our life,” urging believers to be free from what can be entertaining but distracting. The speech came three days after “Toy Story 5” reached theaters, where Sheriff Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and Jessie encourage Bonnie to escape her digital “Lilypad” tablet. Alyssa Murphy of the National Catholic Register described the pope’s message as “remarkably Toy Story-coded.” The article also cites an Australian Psychological Society survey, saying 75% of children have their own digital devices by age 4. With “Toy Story 5” nearing $1 billion globally, consultant Mark Rodgers says parental engagement with children’s tech realities matters, and warns that AI poses a different, potentially more proactive risk.