Pope Francis' comments about adults choosing to raise pets instead of children have drawn criticism from some quarters, with Democratic politicians and commentators accusing him of being out of touch with modern society. However, Trump campaign adviser Chris LaCivita has defended the pontiff, saying that his remarks were "blatantly taken out of context."
Pope Francis' recent comments about adults choosing to raise pets instead of children have sparked a backlash from some quarters, with Democratic politicians and commentators accusing him of being out of touch with modern society.
During his tour of Southeast Asia and the Pacific, Pope Francis spoke in Indonesia about the population crisis facing much of modern civilization.
Pope Francis' 'Childless Cat Lady' Comment Sparks Backlash
"You’re an example for everyone, for all the countries that maybe, and this might sound funny, these families prefer to have a cat or a little dog instead of a child," the Catholic leader said to Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.
The Indonesian president, who presides over one of the most populous Muslim countries, laughed and replied, "it’s true, isn’t it?"
Pope Francis' 'Childless Cat Lady' Comment Sparks Backlash
Pope Francis has lamented the low birthrate in Europe, and has backed policies trying to reverse the trend.
Earlier this year, Reuters reported that Pope Francis had spoken at a conference in Rome, where he referred to Europe as an "old, tired and resigned" continent.
Pope Francis' 'Childless Cat Lady' Comment Sparks Backlash
"Homes are filled with objects and emptied of children, becoming very sad places. There is no shortage of little dogs, cats. These are not lacking. There is a lack of children," the pontiff said.
Pope Francis has spoken about this issue in Western civilization in previous years as well.
The Times recalled when Francis spoke of a woman in 2023 who had asked him to bless her dog, referring to it as "my baby."
"I lost my patience and scolded her, saying many children are hungry and you bring me a dog," he said at the time.
In 2022, the Catholic leader made headlines when he branded couples who adopt pets instead of children as "selfish" as part of a call to resolve the "demographic winter" that the West faces.
"Today… we see a form of selfishness," the pope said as he addressed a general audience on the topic of parenthood. "We see that some people do not want to have a child. Sometimes they have one, and that’s it, but they have dogs and cats that take the place of children."
However, Trump campaign adviser Chris LaCivita has defended the pontiff, saying that his remarks were "blatantly taken out of context."
"Pope Francis is not criticizing people who choose to have pets," LaCivita said on "The Brian Kilmeade Show." "He is simply saying that we need to be mindful of the importance of having children and raising families."
LaCivita also pointed out that Pope Francis has a long history of speaking out in favor of the poor and marginalized, and that his comments about pets should not be seen as an attack on people who choose to have them.
"The pope is not saying that people who have pets are bad people," LaCivita said. "He is simply saying that we need to be mindful of the importance of having children and raising families."
