Pope Francis — "Some people think that, excuse me if I use the word, in order to be good Catholi…"
Some people think that, excuse me if I use the word, in order to be good Catholics, we have to be like rabbits, but no.
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More from Pope Francis
"God always surprises us."
"Slander is worse than murder. Slander kills the reputation of a person. It is worse than murder because even if you kill, you can repent and go to heaven. But slander kills the soul of the person."
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About Pope Francis (born 1936)
First Latin American and Jesuit pope (2013-), who has steered the Catholic Church toward pastoral inclusion on LGBTQ pastoral care, divorced Catholics, and climate. Closely associated with Pope John XXIII (the Vatican II reformer pope) and Cardinal Walter Kasper (his theological ally on pastoral reform). For an intellectual contrast, see Cardinal Raymond Burke, American traditionalist cardinal, former head of the Vatican Apostolic Signatura — Burke is the public face of Catholic traditionalism that views Francis's pastoral approach as doctrinally dangerous — he has formally challenged Amoris Laetitia and other Francis reforms.
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Understanding this quote
What it means
This quote challenges the assumption that devout Catholicism demands having as many children as possible. Using deliberate humor, Francis argues that responsible parenthood — thoughtfully spacing or limiting births — is fully compatible with genuine Catholic faith. He rejects a mechanical, quantity-focused view of family life, emphasizing instead that good Catholics exercise discernment and stewardship, balancing religious conviction with the practical realities of raising children well.
Relevance to Pope Francis
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina, built his papacy on pastoral mercy over legalistic doctrine. As a Jesuit from a working-class immigrant family, he understood economic pressures families face. His 2015 remark typifies his approach: plain-spoken, self-aware humor to make theological points accessible. He still opposes artificial contraception but insists the Church must treat family planning with nuance, not rigid quantity mandates.
The era
Francis delivered this remark in January 2015 aboard a papal flight from the Philippines, a poor, densely Catholic nation with high birth rates. The timing was significant: the Church was approaching the 2015 Synod on the Family amid fierce internal debate over marriage, sexuality, and birth spacing. Globally, developing nations wrestled with population pressures, making the tension between Catholic teaching on contraception and family welfare especially acute.
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