Having children reflects hope for future, Pope says
May 12, 2023
» Continue to this story on Vatican News
CWN Editor's Note: Speaking on May 12 to a Roman conference on declining birth rates, Pope Francis said that “the birth of children is the main indicator for measuring the hope of a people.”
Enlarging on that theme, the Pontiff said that “starting a family is turning into a titanic effort.” He observed that young couples feel more anxiety, and many are “settling for mediocre substitutes: making money, aiming for a career, traveling, jealously guarding leisure time.” He said that wars, climate change, and environmental degradation, as well as economic factors, aggravate the problem.
Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also attended the conference, reflecting her government’s concern about the “birth dearth.”
For all current news, visit our News home page.
All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a current donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!
