Scottish Catholic Observer

Pope Francis told pilgrims gathered in St Peter’s Square yesterday that children are a gift and criticised ‘depressed’ societies that consider children as a worrisome risk.

Speaking during his weekly general audience to an international crowd—including pilgrims from Scotland—the Holy Father said that ‘the joy of children makes their parents hearts throb and reopens the future.

“Children are the joy of family and society. They are not a problem of reproductive biology, or one of many ways to realize oneself in life. Let alone their parent’s possession. Children are a gift. Do you understand? Children are a gift!”

He added: “Allow me to share a childhood memory, my mother would always say—there were five of us in our family—when asked which one was her favourite, she would say: ‘I have five children like I have five fingers… if they beat one of my fingers all five hurt… all of my children are mine, but each one is different, just like my fingers… this is the way it is in the family.

“The children, for their part, should not be afraid of the commitment to build a new world: it is only right that they should want to improve on what they have received! But this must be done without arrogance, without presumption. We must know how to recognize a child’s worth, and children should always honour their parents.”

The pope said that a society with ‘a greedy generation, that doesn’t want to surround itself with children, that considers them above all worrisome, a weight, a risk,’ is a depressed society.

“Just think of the many societies we know here in Europe. They are depressed societies because they don’t want children, they don’t have children. The birth rate doesn’t even reach 1%, why? Everyone should think about that and answer it personally. If a generous family of children is viewed as if it were a burden, there is something wrong! As the Encyclical Humanae Vitae of Blessed Pope Paul VI teaches, but having more children cannot be automatically viewed as an irresponsible choice. The choice to not have children is selfish.

“And let me tell you how beautiful it is to pass among you and see the Dad’s and Moms who lift up their children for a blessing, it is an almost divine action! Thank you.”

Pope Francis also spoke about the sinking of boats in the Mediterranean Sea, killing 300 migrants from the North Africa Coast who are making their way to Europe. He said he was ‘following with preoccupation news from Lampedusa where there have been more deaths amongst the migrants caused by cold during their journey across the Mediterranean. I wish to assure my prayers for the victims and once again encourage solidarity so that no one is without necessary aid.’