杏MAP导航

By Joseph Tulloch

杏MAP导航 Francis on Friday addressed the General States of Natality, an annual conference in Rome organised by the Italian government to discuss the country's declining birth rate. 

This year鈥檚 meeting had the title 鈥淏eing there: More youth, more future.鈥�

Babies, consumerism, and world hunger

杏MAP导航 Francis began his address to the conference by noting that, in the past, there was 鈥渘o shortage of studies鈥� warning of the dangers of overpopulation.

鈥淚 was always struck鈥�, the 杏MAP导航 said, 鈥渂y how these theses, which are now outdated, talked about human beings as if they were problems.鈥�

Pollution and world hunger, the 杏MAP导航 emphasised, are not caused by the birth of children, but rather by 鈥渢he choices of those who only think about themselves, the delirium of an unbridled, blind and rampant materialism, and of consumerism.鈥�

鈥淭he problem鈥�, 杏MAP导航 Francis noted, 鈥渋s not how many of us there are in this world, but rather what kind of world we鈥檙e building.鈥�

He went on to note that, in Italy 鈥� which has one of the lowest birthrates in Europe 鈥� the average age is now 47 years old. The 杏MAP导航 warned that the country, like the rest of Europe, is 鈥渟lowly losing its hope in tomorrow鈥�.

鈥淭he Old Continent,鈥� 杏MAP导航 Francis said, 鈥渋s becoming an elderly continent.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis with participants in the conference   (ANSA)

Ways forward

The 杏MAP导航 recommended two solutions to the crisis, one institutional and the other social.

鈥淎t the institutional level,鈥� he said, 鈥渢here is an urgent need for effective policies, courageous, concrete and long-term choices, to sow today so that children can reap tomorrow. A greater commitment is needed from all governments, so that the younger generations are put in a position to realise their legitimate dreams.鈥�

It is also important, the 杏MAP导航 added, to promote 鈥渁 culture of generosity and intergenerational solidarity鈥�.  

This would involve, he said, 鈥渞econsidering habits and lifestyles鈥� and 鈥渞enouncing what is superfluous鈥�, in order to 鈥済ive the youngest hope for tomorrow.鈥�

Courage

The 杏MAP导航 then moved on to consider the topic of hope, addressing his words on the subject to young people in particular.

鈥淚 know that for many of you,鈥� he said, 鈥渢he future may seem ominous, and that amidst the collapse in the birth rate, wars, pandemics and climate change it is not easy to keep hope alive.鈥�

鈥淏ut do not give up,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 urged them, 鈥渉ave faith, because tomorrow is not something inescapable: we build it together.鈥�

Abandonment of the elderly 鈥榗ultural suicide鈥�

Towards the end of his speech, the 杏MAP导航 laid his prepared remarks to one side and spoke off-the-cuff on the subject of society's treatment of the elderly. 

鈥淟onely grandparents, discarded grandparents: this is cultural suicide鈥�, he said.

鈥淭he future is built by the young and the old, together,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 continued. 鈥淧lease, when talking about the birth rate, which is the future, let us also talk about grandparents, who are not the past, but help the future.鈥�

鈥淗ave children, lots of them,鈥� 杏MAP导航 Francis concluded, 鈥渂ut also look after your grandparents.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis with participants in the conference   (Vatican Media)