Pope Francis Encourages Couples To Raise Children…
According to the Vatican Radio, Pope Francis addressed 15 couples that have been married between 25 to 60 years during his daily Mass celebration held on Monday June 2nd in the Chapel of the Santa Marta residence at which time, he stressed on three important characteristics that is at the heart of a successful Christian marriage, namely – faithfulness, perseverance, and fruitfulness.
Stressing further on the importance of this model and how Christ love the church, here is some of what the Holy Father had to say:
Faithfulness
It is a faithful love. Jesus is the faithful one….He remains faithful for He cannot deny Himself! Fidelity is the essence of Jesus’ love. Jesus’ love in His church is faithful. This faithfulness is like a light on marriage. The fidelity of love. Always.
Perseverance
Married life must be persevering, because otherwise love cannot go forward. Perseverance in love, in good times and in difficult times, when there are problems: problems with the children, economic problems, problems here, problems there – but love perseveres, presses on, always trying to work things out to save the family…
Fruitfulness
These marriages, in which the spouses do not want children, in which the spouses want to remain without fertility. This culture of well-being from ten years ago convinced us: ‘It’s better not to have children.’ It’s better! You can go explore the world, go on holiday, you can have a villa in the countryside, you can be care-free…it might be better – more comfortable – to have a dog, two cats and the love goes to the love goes to the two cats and the dog. Is this true or is this not? Have you seen it? Then, in the end this marriage comes to old age in solitude, with bitterness and loneliness. It is not fruitful, it does not do what Jesus does with His church: He makes His church fruitful.”
In short, all the energy and effort spent caring for cats and dogs would fit into the characteristic of fruitfulness and be most beneficial if they [cats/dogs] were children.
source: Vatican Radio
Kingdom Ambassadors Empowerment Network 
I love what he has to say about fruitfulness, and the so called freedom that we have when we do not have children. Then, when we really look down the road, we see that a life without that fitfulness could bring bitterness and loneliness.
It seems like we prize our “freedom” above our callings.
Hi Kalley, you know I really believe that somewhere along the way people’s focus have shifted and then when the reward of bitterness and loneliness comes at the end of the day to those who made a choice to prize “freedom” above their calling, one of which is to be fruitful, multiply and replenish the earth, they live with guilt and regret and only then it is too late. Mind you, It is not wrong to have pets, but when the emphasis is placed on them over having and raising children, that’s when it is a step outside of the calling of God.