Get breeding, Pope tells Italians

haiku · Corporal Joined: Oct 21, 2002 Posts: 66 Location: USA

The pope urged Italians to have more children to reverse the countrys declining birth rate.

In a historic speech before the Italian parliament in Rome, John Paul emphasis what he called the crisis of the birth rate.

Italy has one of the worlds lowest birth rates 9.3 births per 1,000 inhabitants and one of the oldest populations.

The UN has warned that Italys economic future is at risk because its shrinking work force will be unable to support its ageing population without an influx of migrant workers.
The pope called the situation another grave threat that bears upon the future of this country, one which is already conditioning its life and its capacity for development.

Above all, it encourages indeed I would dare to say, forces citizens to make a broad and responsible commitment to favour a clear-cut reversal of this tendency, he said.

Politicians, he said, should adopt initiatives that can make the task of having children and bringing them up less burdensome both socially and economically.

It was the first time a pope has addressed the Italian parliament, and John Paul acknowledged the significance of the visit considering the turbulent history of relations between Italy and the Roman Catholic Church.

Up until 1929, the Vatican refused to recognise the Italian government. Popes, deprived of papal territory that once covered much of Italy, called themselves prisoners in the Vatican.

His speech, interrupted about 20 times by applause, was anticipated for weeks by Italians and treated as an enormously symbolic event for this mainly Roman Catholic country.

However, it was not without opposition: A handful of MPs said they wouldnt attend to underscore that Italy remains a lay country and a dozen or so gay activists protested at a nearby piazza.

The 82-year-old Polish-born pope covered most of the general topics he has addressed in his 24-year pontificate, including respect for the dignity of man, democracy, peace and justice.

The pope also referred to an issue that has been widely debated in the Italian media in the run-up to his speech: whether he would ask for clemency for Italian prisoners as he did during a Mass he celebrated at a Rome prison in 2000.

A gesture of clemency toward prisoners through a reduction of their sentences would be clear evidence of a sensitivity which would encourage them in their own personal rehabilitation for the sake of a constructive reinsertion into society, the pope said.

And he called on European leaders, who are drafting a new EU constitution, to recognise the role Christianity has played on the continent.

While the proposal has its backers, opponents say a reference to Europes Christian heritage is inappropriate since Europe is now a multiethnic and multi-religious melting pot.

There is a need to guard against a vision of the continent which would only take into account its economic and political aspects, and not its religious ones, the pope said.

http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/story.a...p=54y876y8

COBBLERS2U · Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2004 4:22 pm Post subject:

They are worried that because of shrinking birthrate, their income is going to deminish.
(could this be a reason for their stance agtainst birth control)
Mind you I don't blame them for protecting their own interests, I would do the same if my investments were hitting an all time low.

SicPreFix · Sergeant Joined: Feb 21, 2004 Posts: 121 Location: Canada

Ya, wouldn't you know it. Good old popey. Senile old nutbar, ignores the gross overpopulation of the world and stris up them Catholics to continue popping the kiddies out like pez. Lunacy. Blind, insufferable, lunacy.

COBBLERS2U · Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2004 2:31 pm Post subject:

ekrubtap · Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2004 4:06 pm Post subject: Pope Advocates Sex

When I first saw the title I thought maybe the pope was complaining
about butt pinching and drinking too much vino in public and stuff.....I guess sex is the main thrust here. According to the gospel of St. Willy Johnson. ( That's St. Roger to you. Cobbler.) Are they still sticking to the ban on extra-marital activity or has that fallen by the wayside. I might not be able to make it to Mayfair, Cobbler. Gotta go brush up on my Italian.
Let's see now...dove sono le ragazze?

COBBLERS2U · Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2004 4:33 pm Post subject:

Ooooh, those sexual innuendose, "Willies" "Roger".
Pat I have my own Saint, he's called St. Crispin and allegedly he watches over me to make sure I do not stray from the straight and narrow.
He must not be able to find me down in my dungeon with Satans beautifull creatures awaiting my command.
Went to Italy 2 weeks ago to Piza/Tuscan area as a guest of the Tannery owners. Saw much evidence of the so said fornicating that the Pope wishes for by the males, it's as though he's given them a licence to shag everything in sight (or are the Italians like that anyway) I found it very ennerving that the husbands can chat up other females and it is accepted as part of their culture, yet when I made advances on their wives it was a case of Whooo, hold onnn. she's my wife! (double standards me thinks).


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