Pope Francis sparks debate over pet vs kids comments amid visit

In his recent remarks during a visit to Indonesia, Pope Francis faced criticism after commenting on couples who choose to have pets instead of children. According to the "Daily Mail," the leader of the Catholic Church emphasized the importance of large families in a world facing the problem of declining birth rates. The Pope warned childless couples, criticised their decision, and said, "this cannot end well."

Critics accuse the Pope of hypocrisy, highlighting that as a person without children, he is giving advice in this area. Additionally, the issue of rising living costs and the limitations faced by modern families, especially in the context of raising children, was raised.

Harriet Morton-Liddle, co-founder of Nugget Savings, stressed that such comments are "insensitive" and "completely out of touch with reality," especially considering the financial challenges preventing some couples from deciding to have children.

During his stay in the world's most populous Muslim-majority country, Pope Francis also signed a declaration with Imam Istiqlal Nasaruddin Umar calling for interfaith harmony for the good of humanity. Priorities included unity between faiths, protecting the dignity of every human life, and actions to combat climate change.

We are tackling serious, and sometimes dramatic, crises that threaten the future of humanity, in particular wars and conflicts, unfortunately also fuelled by religious instrumentalizations, but also the environmental crisis, which has become an obstacle to the development and coexistence of nations, the Pope stated.

The visit of Francis was part of an extended trip through Southeast Asian countries, with the main message being unity and brotherhood.

Meanwhile, Pope Francis' controversial statements about having children versus the preference for caring for pets provoke a discussion about social responsibility, demographic challenges, and the role of the modern church in the age of global crises.