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By Theo Burman
Live News Reporter
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Pope Francis has lauded Indonesia's high birth rate as a model for other countries during his visit to the Southeast Asian nation.
Speaking at the Istana Negara Presidential Palace Hall in Jakarta, the Pope highlighted Indonesia's commitment to large families, contrasting it with some Western countries.
During his address, Pope Francis urged other countries to look to Indonesia as an example of sustainable growth and demographic vitality. He criticized a growing cultural trend in the West where some families prefer having pets over raising children, suggesting that such choices do not support long-term societal health.
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The pontiff emphasized the importance of maintaining high fertility rates to ensure future stability and growth, particularly in industrialized nations facing a "demographic winter," a term he has used previously to describe the declining birthrates in Europe and other developed regions.
"Your nation has a high birth rate and please continue in this; you offer an example of this to other countries," he said candidly, in a deviation from the prepared speech.
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"This might make one laugh, but there are some families that seem to prefer to have a cat or dog, but this, this doesn't work."
Pope Francis' remarks came during his first official meeting with Indonesia's leaders, including President Joko Widodo. He noted that despite global trends showing declining birth rates, Indonesia's fertility rate remains above the replacement level needed to sustain population levels.
According to the World Bank, Indonesia's birth rate has declined from 5.5 births per woman in 1960 to 2.2 in 2002, but it still remains above the 2.1 replacement rate required to maintain population levels.
The Pope's visit also included discussions on broader social and economic policies that promote family growth. He praised Indonesia for its "work of craftsmanship" in fostering a society that values large families, similar to the sentiments he expressed about Mongolia during a visit there last year.
On Wednesday, Pope Francis met with Indonesian President Joko Widodo and encouraged his nation to follow its pledge of "harmony in diversity" by fighting religious intolerance and extremism.
In his address to officials, Pope Francis likened Indonesia's human diversity to its 17,000 islands, stating that each contributes something unique to create "a magnificent mosaic, where every tile is an irreplaceable part of a great, original and precious work."
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