Pope Francis talks about “Resposible Parenthhod”
Questions and answers on the Manila-Rome flight
Vatican City, 20 January 2015 (VIS) – At the end of his seventh apostolic trip, on return flight from Manila to Rome, the Pope again answered questions from the journalists who accompanied him on the flight. He confessed that he had been most impressed and moved by the gestures of the Filipino people, gestures which expressed “faith, love, family, hopes, the future. … True enthusiasm, joy, happiness, able to celebrate even in the rain”. On the other hand, he also noted the resignation of the Filipinos, who “know suffering”.
The Pontiff spoke about the possibility of an apostolic trip to Central Africa or Uganda at the end of the year, and confirmed that he will travel to Philadelphia to attend the World Meeting of Families, to New York, where he will visit the United Nations, and Washington. He commented that he would like to travel to California for the canonisation of Junipero Serra, but time restrictions make this unlikely. With regard to South America, he said that there were proposals for trips to Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay over the coming year.
- On responsible parenthood
“I think that three is the number of children per family that the experts say is correct to maintain the population, three per couple. When there are fewer than this, there is the other extreme, which we see in Italy where I have heard – I do not know if it is true – that from 2024 there will not be the money to pay pensioners. The key phrase to answer this question is the one that the Church has always used: responsible parenthood. How does one do this? Through dialogue. Every person, accompanied by their pastor, must find out how to achieve responsible parenthood. … Some believe that – excuse the expression – to be good Catholics we must be like rabbits. No. Responsible parenthood. This is clear, and for this reason in the Church here are matrimonial groups, experts in this. I know of many, many legitimate ways to achieve this. … On the other hand, for the poorest people, a child is a treasure. It is true, we must also be careful here. But for them, a child is a treasure. God knows how to help them. Perhaps some are not careful in this respect, it is true. Parenthood must be responsible. But look also at the generosity of those fathers and mothers who see every child as a treasure”.
Dear Holy Father: I respectfully disagree with you regarding having more children. I believe in large families! I believe that God, our Creator wants us to increase and multiply (for man was made to the image of God. But increase you and multiply, and go upon the earth, and fill it. – Genesis 9:7). I believe, especially these days, because 50 million plus children have been slaughtered through abortion that we need to have more children born in our families. We must be open to life! I believe that God would bless having a large family. I know He has blessed my wife and I and our six (2 in heaven) children, and now ten grandchildren! If every family had one more child now, maybe we could make up for all those babies who have been killed! Maybe we would have more priests, deacons, and religious. Maybe our churches would be filled again, especially with the pure prayers of the innocent children, whose Guardian Angels stand before the Triune God!
Deacon John Giglio
