MONTEVIDEO: Pope Leo has urged young people to embrace marriage and start families, delivering a strong message on the second day of his visit to South America.
The appeal comes as Latin America faces a significant decline in birth rates. Once regarded as the world’s largest Catholic region, Latin America recorded an average of six children per woman in the 1950s. However, the figure has now fallen to just 1.8, raising concerns about the region’s changing demographic trends.
Addressing a large gathering at a packed stadium in Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay, Pope Leo encouraged young people to take the initiative, get married and build families with a lasting commitment.
He urged the younger generation not to be afraid of making a lifelong commitment, stressing the importance of embracing marriage and family life.
Earlier, during an interaction with students and faculty members at the Catholic University of Uruguay, Pope Leo expressed serious concerns about the potential negative effects of artificial intelligence (AI) on human life.
He urged educational institutions to put people and human values ahead of technology and algorithms, emphasizing that technological progress should not come at the expense of human dignity and fundamental values.
