Article content

Pope Francis, who presumably has not been woken up at 4 a.m. on a workday by the howls of a tiny human who wants to be fed and/or changed, says that couples who don’t want to have kids are “selfish” and are part of a “greedy generation.”

Pope Francis told an audience in St Peter’s Square, Rome Wednesday that it’s a depressed society that considers children to be a burden.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Hip Pope declares couples who don't want kids 'selfish,' says they are part of a 'greedy generation' Back to video

“A society with a greedy generation, that doesn’t want to surround itself with children, that considers them above all worrisome, a weight, a risk, is a depressed society,” he said.

“The choice to not have children is selfish. Life rejuvenates and acquires energy when it multiplies: It is enriched, not impoverished.”

Pope Francis said there was a strong correlation between hope in society and “inter-generational harmony.”

Pope Francis, who has not put in an extra shift down at the docks to pay for his kids’ fancy Liberal Arts education, warned last year about the “culture of wellbeing” that can occur when a couple does not have children.

“It might be better, more comfortable, to have a dog, two cats, and the love goes to the two cats and the dog,” he admitted.

Pope Francis is the adopted father to about 1.2 billion Catholics worldwide.