Pope Francis praises Indonesians for choosing children over cats, unlike some…

Pope Francis commended Indonesians on Wednesday for prioritising large families, contrasting their choice with a growing trend in other countries where people are opting to have pets instead of children.

Speaking in Jakarta alongside Indonesia's President Joko Widodo, the 87-year-old pontiff praised the nation's family values and said, “And your country...has families with three, four or five children that keep moving forward, and this is reflected in the age levels of the country.”

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He also noted a worrying trend in other parts of the world, where people increasingly opt for pets over children.

"Keep it up, you're an example for everyone, for all the countries that maybe, and this might sound funny, (where) these families prefer to have a cat or a little dog instead of a child," Francis added, turning to Widodo with a chuckle.

While Indonesia has a higher birth rate than many Western nations, it has seen a decline in fertility rates in recent years.

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This theme of dwindling birth rates and the preference for pets over children, particularly in Europe, is one that Pope Francis has touched on before, where he has warned of homes "filled with objects and emptied of children."

"There is no shortage of little dogs, cats, these are not lacking. There is a lack of children," he said on one occasion.

Pope Francis on Southeast Asia tour

The 87-year-old pontiff, despite health challenges, maintained a busy schedule during the first leg of his 11-day tour of Southeast Asia and Oceania, which will take him to four nations.

Pope Francis praised Indonesia’s ability to maintain a “magnificent mosaic” of cultural and religious diversity but warned that this balance must be actively defended.

The visit comes at a time when Indonesia has faced episodes of religious violence, including a 2021 suicide bombing outside a Catholic cathedral. Amnesty International expressed hope that Francis' visit would help curb such acts of intolerance and strengthen religious freedom in the country.

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