Melanie McDonagh Melanie McDonagh

The Pope is right: it is selfish to choose pets over children

(Photo: Getty)

Well, we’ve been terrifically amused and amusing at the expense of Pope Francis, who this week declared at a Vatican audience that:

‘Many couples do not have children because they don’t want them, or have just one because they don’t want any more, but have two dogs, two cats… oh yes, dogs and cats take the place of children.’

It was, he said, proof of a ‘certain selfishness… it makes us laugh but it’s true. Renouncing parenthood diminishes us. It takes away our humanity.’

This was inevitably cue for British commentators to weigh up the merits of cats and dogs versus children, and for some to pronounce in favour of the cats. And the obvious point was duly observed, that Pope Francis, as a celibate, had himself renounced parenthood (though for rather different reasons).

As it happens, I think Francis is mistaken to see the matter in terms of pets or children; it is possible to have both. My own view is that having a dog makes children less selfish and generally nicer. If I didn’t live on the top floor of a mansion block, I’d be right round to a rescue centre. But when it comes to the question of having children and the reluctance in Europe, in particular, to replace one generation with another, the Pope really is onto something. He’s gone on about this before.

When it comes to the question of having children and the reluctance to replace one generation with another, the Pope really is onto something

Notably, in May last year, he addressed Italy’s ‘demographic winter’ head on.

He was speaking to the Association for Families, at a conference that attracted business and political leaders, including Mario Draghi. And he put the anti-natalism culture squarely down to selfishness.

‘There is a phrase from the Gospel that can help anyone, even those who do not believe, to direct their choices.

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