Pope Francis sent a message to participants in the “EU Youth Conference,” underway in Prague, Czech Republic, and among his many reflections was one about having children.
The Pope addressed the young people about education, urging them to be open to others and to care about the future we’re building for coming generations.
His final message was “a wish”:
Let me conclude with a wish. May you be generative! Young people capable of generating new ideas, new visions of the world, of the economy, of politics, of social coexistence, but above of new paths to be travelled together. And may you also be generous in generating new lives, always and only as the fruit of love! The love of husband and wife, the love of family and children, but also love of Europe, so that it can be for everyone a land of peace, freedom, and dignity.
The Holy Father has spoken a number of times about the “demographic winter” facing many countries, particularly in Europe, as the birthrates are below replacement rate. Like economists, he recognizes the social and political dangers of the situation, but he sees a deeper concern as well:
“This denial of fatherhood or motherhood diminishes us, it takes away our humanity. And in this way civilization becomes aged and without humanity, because it loses the richness of fatherhood and motherhood.”
