Pope Francis: Having children is a duty

In a conversation with representatives of the Italian community, the Pope expressed his regret at the “culture of population reduction.”

Pope Francis once again criticized the low birth rates in some Mediterranean countries. Having children is a duty in order to survive and move forward, this was confirmed by the head of the Catholic Church, Saturday, in the Vatican, according to Cathapress. Addressing representatives of an association that works to promote small and medium-sized communities in Italy, the Pope expressed his regret at the “culture of depopulation.” He appealed that anyone can have a dog, but it is necessary for them to have children.

“We must take the birth problem seriously because the future of the nation is at stake.” In his speech, he also expressed his concern about the lack of equal opportunities among residents of rural areas. For financial reasons, this large portion of the population does not have the same resources available to them, for example, in larger communities. This leads to a vicious circle: lack of opportunities forces the business-minded part of the population to leave these areas. The elderly and those with no alternatives were left behind. “As a result, the need for social assistance is increasing in these areas, while the resources needed to respond to it are diminishing,” the Pope said.

But the environment is also affected by this phenomenon. Due to the depopulation of rural areas, it can no longer be adequately preserved. Their destruction has become a cause of disasters, especially in light of the increasing frequency of extreme weather conditions. “With the fragility of people and the environment, we realize that everything is interconnected,” Francis said. When searching for solutions, seemingly different phenomena must be considered together. (Abba)