Pope labels couples choosing pets over children as selfish
Pope Francis has called couples who have pets instead of children selfish while speaking to a general audience on Wednesday.
The Pope also argued that forgoing parenthood "takes away our humanity" and poses risks to wider society.
He made the comments while speaking about Saint Joseph, Jesus' earthly father.
While lauding Joseph's decision to raise Jesus as "among the highest forms of love", the Pope veered onto the topics of adoption, orphaned children, and couples that opt for animals over children.
"We see that people do not want to have children, or just one and no more", he said.
“And many, many couples do not have children because they do not want to, or they have just one - but they have two dogs, two cats … yes, dogs and cats take the place of children.
“Yes, it’s funny. I understand, but it is the reality. And this denial of fatherhood or motherhood diminishes us, it takes away our humanity. And in this way civilisation becomes aged and without humanity, because it loses the richness of fatherhood and motherhood. And our homeland suffers, as it does not have children.”
Though it may be surprising as the Pope is considered quite progressive, these comments echo the Catholic Church’s teachings about the importance of couples bearing or raising children.
Pope Frances said couples who cannot biologically have children should consider adoption.
“How many children in the world are waiting for someone to take care of them?” he said.
“Having a child is always a risk, either naturally or by adoption. But it is riskier not to have them. It is riskier to deny fatherhood, or to deny motherhood, be it real or spiritual.”
His statements have since drawn criticism on social media, with some calling out his comments about childless couples while the church continues to face allegations of sexual abuse against children.
The Christian leader has made several controversial statements relating to animals in the past. He made similar comments about couples choosing pets over parenthood in 2014, while comments he made in 2016 that appeared to claim that animals go to heaven were analysed and later called into question.
But, he has had plenty of positive interactions too, having been photographed petting dogs, holding birds, and carrying a lamb over his shoulders.
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