ACI Prensa Staff, Dec 11, 2023 / 16:50 pm (CNA).
Pope Francis on Monday received the prefects of the Italian Republic in the Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace and expressed his concern about the low birth rate in the country, lamenting that many times “dogs take the place of children.”
The pope reminded that the task of these government authorities is to act as intermediaries “between the state and the territory, constantly linking the whole with the parts, the center with the peripheries, the common good with care for people.”
The pontiff highlighted three challenges that the prefects face: public order, critical environmental issues, and taking care of the migrants flowing in.
Regarding public order, the pontiff stressed that it’s a priority, where “respect for the law with care for humanity” must be combined.
He stressed that “the protection of victims with the fair treatment of criminals” must be reconciled.
“Added to this is the great responsibility you have to face the risks that members of the police forces face daily, whose care is also your concern,” he continued.
Pope Francis also noted that “public order cannot be administered without personal and interior order. But when this exists, the responsibility of public order feels like a call to create that climate of harmonious coexistence through which difficulties can be addressed and resolved.”
“I would say that yours is a kind of institutional fatherhood: exercised with conscience and dedication, it spares no sacrifices nor sleepless nights and deserves our gratitude,” he said.
Later, Pope Francis reflected on the environmental issue and the “emergencies that are now frequent and involve everyone; linked to atmospheric phenomena that should be unusual and extraordinary, they have become common due to climate change.”
The pope noted that it is the prefects’ responsibility to “manage the available resources in the best possible way and bring together public and private players.”
“It’s important and urgent,” he stressed, “in the present as well as in the future, to join forces to protect our common home in time and with foresight.”
Finally, he spoke of the flow of migrants into the country, a task that “is not easy, because the care of wounded and vulnerable people, often lost and recovering from terrible traumas, is entrusted to them.”
The Holy Father reminded that migrants “are faces and not numbers,” who must be freed “from the tentacles of criminal organizations, capable of ruthlessly speculating on their misfortunes.”
“You are entrusted with the arduous task of organizing an orderly reception on the ground, based on integration and constructive inclusion in the local fabric,” he highlighted.
The pope also noted that “we must take care. We must welcome, accompany, promote, and integrate immigrants. If there isn’t this, there is danger; if there is not this path towards integration, there is danger.”
He also highlighted his concern about the low birth rate in Italy, “a country that lacks children and the migrants come.”
“I am concerned about the problem of the low birth rate here in Italy. They’re not having children,” the Holy Father pointed out, lamenting that often “dogs take the place of children.”
Finally, he invited the prefects to think about the responsibility “that Italians have to have children to raise them and also to welcome immigrants as sons and daughters.”
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
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With respect to migrants, given that the majority are Muslim, why don’t they go to those countries where their faith members live in great wealth : Saudi Arabia, UAE?
I assume this is a rhetorical question?
They don’t go because their Muslim “faith members” don’t want them and because Saudi Arabia and UAE are sand kingdoms run by psychopathic thugs.
Impressionistic wisdom of the moment, regardless if it contradicts what he said last week or yesterday or one hour ago. Never any coherent thought or understanding of anything about civilizational and economic interdependence or how improved efficiencies are dependent on economic productivity and independence from central planning. The only thing he needs to care about, his narcissism will not allow him to care about, a morally guided soul that only the Catholic truth he ridicules can provide.
But never a mention of Humanae Vitae.
Then maybe Pope Francis shouldn’t make off the cuff comments about how we’re not meant to breed like rabbits. What’s next? Pope Francis expresses concern for priestly vocations among the young? This guy went from the Vicar of Christ to quasi leader of an NGO to the head of the the mean girls cliche in high school after his treatment of Bishops Strickland and Burke. How much longer will God chastise us for Benedict’s weakness?
As much of the industrialized world is at zero population growth. Not good. I’ve got my video games and a couple pets good enough?
Elon Musk recently was analyzed on this site; I believe he recently said to the effect that the USA will end up being a nation of old folks in diapers
Perhaps refraining from giving the Eucharist to abortion-promoting world leaders would go a long way toward giving us some confidence in his statement about concern for the lack of population growth.
First of all, it is absolutely nobody’s place to make demands of how unrelated people spend their time and money. If they don’t want to have children that is THEIR business. Not YOURS.
Don’t people have free will? I find it entirely despicable when other people think it is their place to start making demands of couples in the realm of marriage and children. You are concerned about the falling birthrate? Fine. YOU have children if that’s what you want to do.You don’t get to make demands on how other people live. You don’t get to spend the money that other people work for. And you definitely have no right to lay claim to any of their time.
Maybe all of the busybodies who spend all of their time disparaging young people for the same old tropes of owning pets and playing video games needto get a real hobby and stop trying to subject innocent people to their very evil and disturbing control issues.
Says the embittered poster who is telling everyone what to think 🤔. A little self-awareness goes a long way.
OK, I get the sarcasm! You are being satirical? Right? Unless you are one of the “new Catholics” who never had a shred of exposure to actual Catholicism, so bankrupt in thought, that there is not even a capacity for sufficient imagination to conceive of a social ethos and all the factors that affect a social ethos, which would include, obviously, the effects of personal commitments of living a self-sacrificing life of virtue, as Our Lord asks of us.
This, obviously, would not involve a life committed to such things like an adolescent misinterpretation of freedom as personal willfulness rather than the opportunity to do what is right.
The government tells us more and more what to spend our money on.
Who will support older folks?
My comments are actually mostly facts and not judgment one way or another.
Who are you to say whether or not you procreate? Don’t you want human life to continue after you’re gone?
First of all, it is absolutely nobody’s place to make demands of how unrelated people spend their time and money. If they don’t want to have children that is THEIR business. Not YOURS.
Don’t people have free will? I find it entirely despicable when other people think it is their place to start making demands of couples in the realm of marriage and children. You are concerned about the falling birthrate? Fine. YOU have children if that’s what you want to do.You don’t get to make demands on how other people live. You don’t get to spend the money that other people work for. And you definitely have no right to lay claim to any of their time.
Maybe all of the busybodies who spend all of their time disparaging young people for the same old tropes of owning pets and playing video games need to get a real job and stop trying to subject innocent people to their very evil and disturbing control issues.
As usual pope Francis is not a leader on this issue but an observer only.
It sounds like this Pope wants to have his cake and eat it too. He thrashes the US for attempting to stem the flow of migrants ( who commit crime and bring in drugs. The jury is still out on terrorism but label it probable). Italy is now full of Muslims who are changing the culture and other things in a way Italians dont like. Possibly there are changes to the degree that young Italians dont see a future with children there?? Its probably why Italian young people do not want babies. I dont think it will prevent Francis from adovcating for open borders.
Italy is a beautiful country blessed with industrious people, awesome architecture, marvelous singers, high culinary culture renowned for delicious pizzas, and pastas. May Italy, the land and her people, be blessed.