Pope Francis is calling on people of the Western world to have more children rather than focus on having pets.

It has long been a fear that as time goes on, people from the West are diminishing as there doesn’t seem to be a desire to replicate themselves.

Many women are postponing or forgoing motherhood, with some opting to have just one child to concentrate on their careers instead.

Parenthood no longer has the priority it once had and, in many instances, is seen as a hindrance.

This has not gone unnoticed by the Pope, as other cultures and races replenish themselves and place importance on the next generation.

Speaking at the Vatican on January 6, Pope Francis said: “Today… we see a form of selfishness. We see that some people do not want to have a child. Sometimes they have one, and that’s it, but they have dogs and cats that take the place of children. This may make people laugh but it is a reality.”

The Pope stressed that parenthood is a valuable part of life and that so many miss that in modern living, preferring to give affection and love to pets rather than children.

He went further pointing out that this could lead to a “demographic winter” where a region of the world is losing population significantly spelling the disappearance of culture and a way of life. In the West, right now replacement fertility is low meaning populations will be elderly and people living longer.

Some say having a family is simply too expensive particularly with increasing real estate prices, rising inflation and stagnant wages and salaries.

In response to the argument that modern life is just too expensive to take on children, the Pope retorts that too much emphasis is placed on making money and getting ahead and called this mentality, “ gangrene” for society.

It’s not the first time Pope Francis has drawn attention to falling population rates and the disregard for having children.

Back in 2014, he said, “This was another phenomenon of cultural segregation and that the emotional relationships with pets was easier than the complex relationship between parents and children.”

He has called for more adoption of children, providing them with a good home.

“Having a child is always a risk but there is more risk in not having a child, in denying paternity. This kind of choice is among the highest forms of love and of fatherhood and motherhood. How many children in the world are waiting for someone to take care of them!”