Pope Francis spoke up against couples who prefer to have dogs rather than children, claiming that their decision results in a loss of "humanity" and is detrimental to civilization.

The Pope made the remarks on January 5, 2022, during a general audience address about Saint Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus.

Francis was praising Joseph's decision to raise Jesus as "among the finest manifestations of love" when he wandered into the contemporary discussion of adoption and orphaned children. He then shifted his focus to couples who choose animals over children.

Losing the Depth of Parenthood

"We observe that people do not want children, or only one. And many, many couples choose not to have children or have only one — but they have two dogs, two cats... Yes, dogs and cats serve as substitutes for children" as the Pope stated. "Yes, I understand that it is amusing, but that is the fact. And by denying fatherhood or motherhood, we shrink ourselves; we lose our humanity. Thus, civilisation ages and loses its humanity as a result of the loss of dad and motherhood. And our homeland suffers as a result of its lack of children."

Though surprising coming from a progressive pontiff, the Pope's words reaffirm the Catholic Church's teachings on the significance of spouses producing or rearing children – and the potential demographic implications of not doing so.

"We find that some people are opposed to having children," he explained. "At times, they have only one, but they have dogs and cats that act as substitutes for children. This may make some people chuckle, but it is true." Having pets in place of children is not a joke! It is quite serious! Kindly refrain from dressing up your dogs and referring to them as your fur babies! God did not endow human infants with fur! "Civilization ages without compassion," he added, "because we lose the depth of parenthood and motherhood, and the country suffers."

Criticism

He has been criticised for expressing that not having children is a form of selfishness. He singled out people who own dogs but do not have children, claiming that this is a "denial of fatherhood and motherhood and reduces us, robs us of our humanity." To summarize, the pope, a famously childless guy, claims that those who are childless are selfish.

Some people have questioned Pope Francis about those who are physically incapable of becoming parents.

Not Having Children is Riskier!

The pope urged individuals "not to be terrified" of becoming parents, noting that "having a child is always risky, but not having a child is riskier." As we all know, the only reason people choose not to have children is fear.

Of course it is tiring to bring up children. It needs unimaginable dedication, total commitment and full devotion. Even then many parents fail to bring up the children properly. Children, when they grow up, may turn rebellious, leave the parents and may not be grateful to them at all. In spite of these risks, we need to remember that it is only because our parents took care of us that we are here.

And if we act only for our own individual fulfilment and aspirations and give up children, it will speak of the emptiness in ourselves and in the larger society. Not having children intentionally is to go against the natural flow of life, of which we are all part.

On the other hand, it must be emphasized, that those who consciously opt the religious way of life and chose not to have children, do it for a greater cause and are called to be morally and spiritually fertile. In this sense, they are called to engender life, not biologically, but morally and spiritually!

So deciding not to have children is to go against the norm of life and the discipline and commitment that make our life productive and fruitful. It is riskier for us individually and for the larger community.

Pets and Kids, not Pets vs Kids

It must be recalled that the pope is not against pets. He loves them! The Pope has been photographed with a variety of animals over the years. He has been spotted cuddling dogs, a koala, and a tiger, as well as handling birds and cradling a lamb. It is only when we prefer pets to kids that the Pope is upset.

It may be remembered that , this is not the first time the pope has spoken out against pet owners who lack children. Francis stated in a 2014 interview with an Italian newspaper that choosing dogs rather than children was "another manifestation of societal deterioration."

He had expressed similar sentiments in 2014, about couples prioritizing pets. His 2016 comments were regarded as a declaration that animals get to heaven, although that interpretation was later questioned.

Pets do serve various functions. They can help human beings, especially people with special needs. But when pets replace children, it becomes a serious problem!

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