[tjinaz]

Actually a low birth rate is not so good. It is best to have a stable birth rate. The West is on the cusp of having all of the Baby boomers retire and who is going to pay for their benefits? Less people = less taxes = strain on the system. Also businesses will move out of an area if they do not have the talent pool to support them and with less people buying the economy of the nation shrinks. Sure you could bring in a ton of imigrants but then what happens to the culture of the Nation? It becomes less that of the natives and more that of the immigrants. Europe will have big problems with this Canada less so.

I think what the Pope is saying here is that the traditional values were more aligned with family. Now the values are much more materialistic where people will not have kids because they would take a hit in lifestyle and not be able to afford the nice cars and things they are used to having. Keeping up with the Joneses has become more important than children and family life.