Fr. Patrick Briscoe, O.P., on Pope Francis' Recent Comments about Pets and Children

"Pope Francis' recent comments on pets and children have caused quite a stir. Some have found it ironic that the celibate pope named after the patron saint of pets (Francis of Assisi) should take such a hard line on the subject. If you missed it, the Pope recently lamented, 'Many, many couples do not have children because they do not want to, or they have just one - but they have two dogs, two cats. . . . Yes, dogs and cats take the place of children. Yes, it's funny, I understand, but it is the reality.' For some these were welcome words, but for others, the comments seem out of touch, even hypocritical.

"So how do we make sense of what Pope Francis said? Is the Pope mocking pet owners? Is he insisting every couple have children?."

In a recent commentary related to the visit of the Magi, Father Patrick Briscoe, O.P., reflected on Pope Francis' comments and on how, for him, human beings have a significance and value that animals do not.

To access Fr Patrick's complete post, please visit: 

Aleteia: Fr. Patrick Briscoe, OP: Decoding Pope Francis’ comments about pets and children (7 JAN 22)