Pope's advice for good family life: say excuse me, thank you, sorry

Catholics should bear in mind three key expressions to have a good family life: excuse me, thank you and sorry.

That was Pope Francis's message on Sunday, as he also recalled the plight of migrants and refugees.

"Let us remember the three key words to live in peace: excuse me, thank you, sorry," the pontiff said. Peace is ensured "when in a family you are not intrusive and you say excuse me; when in a family you are not selfish and you learn to say thank you; when in a family you realize you have done something bad and you learn to say sorry," Francis said.

Addressing a packed Saint Peter's Square, the pontiff urged households to look after their neediest members, such as old people and children.

"I often think that you need to look at how children and old people are being treated to see how things are going within a family," he said.

The pope in October told newly-weds: "Argue as much as you want, if the plates start flying, so be it. But never let the day end without making peace. Never."

On Sunday, he was speaking on the day the Roman Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Family.

Recalling Joseph, Mary and Jesus' biblical flight to Egypt, he prayed for "the millions of families" who today are forced out of their homes.

He also recited a special personal prayer, through which he implicitly referred to the Church's long-standing opposition to divorce and abortion.