Pope Francis tells couples not to substitute dogs and cats for children ('culture of comfort')

RNS ^ | June 2, 2014 | Josephine McKenna

[NYer]

Couple walking their beagle dog in the autumn countryside. Photo courtesy of Halfpoint via Shutterstock

VATICAN CITY (RNS) Pope Francis on Monday (June 2) warned married couples against substituting cats and dogs for children — a move that he said leads to the “bitterness of loneliness” in old age.

The pope made his comments as he celebrated daily Mass with 15 married couples in the chapel at the Santa Marta residence where he lives inside the Vatican.

He reminded the couples, whose marriages ranged from 25 to 60 years, of the need for faithfulness, perseverance and fertility in maintaining a Christian marriage.

But he went a step further and strongly criticized those couples who choose not to have children, saying they had been influenced by a culture of “well-being” that says life is better without kids.

“You can go explore the world, go on holiday, you can have a villa in the countryside, you can be carefree,” the pope said.

“It might be better — more comfortable — to have a dog, two cats, and the love goes to the two cats and the dog. Is this true or not? Have you seen it?

“Then, in the end this marriage comes to old age in solitude, with the bitterness of loneliness.“

The 77-year-old pontiff made his comments after recent figures confirmed a drop in birth rates in the U.S., Italy and elsewhere.

Figures released by Italy’s official statistics agency Istat last week showed the country’s birth rate hit a record low in 2013, with the birth of only 515,000 babies — a drop of 64,000 over the past five years — and a worrying trend as the population ages.

Last year, Time magazine provoked a national debate with a controversial issue entitled “The Childfree Life,” which also showed a dramatic fall in the U.S. birth rate and the role of personal choice.

“Married life must be persevering, because otherwise love cannot go forward. Perseverance in love, in good times and in difficult times, when there are problems: problems with the children, economic problems,” the pope said.

[crazycatlady]

Yes, I wish I had had at least one brother or sister. I feel bad when I see people in long term feuds with siblings. I know they’ll regret it some day.

[Veto!]

Indeed, that was a great movie. And indeed, some grown kids can be obnoxious. Not mine or yours — just some. LOL

[trisham]

Agreed. Some wounds remain as a continuing source of pain and sadness.

[Gigantor]

First, his dumb Marxist statements. Second, his dumb statements about pets.

[antceecee]

Agree.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

That’s disturbing—the FB posts and Tweets, not you.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Another disturbing trend is how many of these people pass off their pets as service dogs (usually with a cloth service dog cover that they stole from somebody legit) and bring them on flights and feed them at the table in restaurants. Really want to see something ugly? Watch them go psycho after they get kicked off the flight for their pet misbehavior. I’m about sick of people and their pets. If you really need this, find another mode of travel. Take them on a nice car trip where you won’t bother people.