Pope Francis has commented that deciding to have pets over children is selfish. The Pope suggested this during discussions on parenthood with a general audience at the Vatican.
"Today ... we see a form of selfishness. We see that some people do not want to have a child. Sometimes they have one, and that's it, but they have dogs and cats that take the place of children. This may make people laugh, but it is a reality."
He added that the practice "is a denial of fatherhood and motherhood and diminishes us, takes away our humanity".
The Pope noted that those having difficulty conceiving should seriously consider adopting a child, advising individuals "not to be afraid" to become parents.
He also highlighted the declining birth rates as "we see that people do not want to have children, or just one and no more". He referred to this phenomenon as a "demographic winter.
The Pope has criticised people preferring to have pets over children in the past. He had said in 2014 that choosing pets over children is "another phenomenon of cultural degradation" and that relationships formed between humans and pets are 'easier' and less 'complex' compared to those formed between parent and child.
Although the Pope has been documented petting animals on several occasions, he is not known to have a pet of his own.
During his visit to the United States in 2015, many dog owners dressed up their pets in papal outfits and posted pictures on Instagram with the hashtag #popedog.
When asked if the Pope was aware of the trend at the time, a Vatican spokeswoman answered:
"I imagine he has more important things to think about."
[Based on reporting by: BBC]
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