"Pope Scolds Woman Offering Her Pet Dog Saying 'Please Bless My Baby'"

Some UK Media Report Pope's Remarks and Public Opinion
Pope: "Brought a Dog Saying 'Bless the Baby'"
"Many Hungry Children, Yet Brought a Dog"
Usually Criticizes Birth Avoidance as 'Selfishness'
Some Respond: "Doesn't Understand Modern Life"

Pope Francis was recently reported to have reprimanded a woman who brought her pet dog, asking him to bless her baby.

On the 12th (local time), the British daily The Telegraph and the Vatican's official media outlet 'Vatican News' reported that Pope Francis shared this experience at a meeting held in Rome, Italy, on the same day.

The Pope recounted an episode from two weeks ago during a general audience at the Vatican City. A woman asked him to bless her baby and opened her bag, inside of which was a small dog.

The Pope admitted, "I could not hold back and scolded her, saying, 'Many children are starving, and you brought a small dog to me?'"

This remark came amid warnings about the reality of declining birth rates due to economic burdens, especially in developed countries.

Pope Francis is blessing a devotee's child during a general audience at the Vatican last January.
[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

At the meeting on the topic of declining birth rates, attended by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and several ministers, the Pope assessed that "Italy is facing a 'demographic winter.'"

Last year, the number of newborns in Italy fell below 400,000 for the first time. The Italian government is concerned that "if the population decline continues, the gross domestic product (GDP) could decrease by about 18% in 20 years."

The Pope said, "The birth of children is a key indicator of hope," adding, "If fewer children are born, there is almost no hope." He pointed out that "many men and women are giving up having children due to the cost of living, insufficient childcare conditions, and rising rent."

In a general audience event in January last year, the Pope also said, "It is selfish behavior for young couples to not have children and instead raise pets." In 2014, he described people raising pets as "a facet of cultural decline."

However, The Telegraph reported that "Pope Francis's remarks sparked backlash on social media," and there are criticisms that "the Pope does not understand modern life."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.