Pope: Lack of love causes failed marriages, decline in birth rate

VATICAN CITY (AP) -- Pope Benedict XVI said Friday that a lack of true love was behind an increase in failed marriages and a decrease in birth rates in much of the developed world.
Benedict told members of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences that children nowadays also aren't as valued as they once were, in part because of the economic, social and cultural changes in the globalized world.
"Often, instead of feeling loved and cherished (children) appear to be merely tolerated," he said.
The pontiff said the increase in life expectancy and decline in birth rates were "linked to a disturbing deficit of faith, hope and indeed love."
"Perhaps the lack of such creative and forward-looking love is the reason why many couples today choose not to marry, why so many marriages fail and why birth rates have significantly diminished," he said.
Benedict was speaking to the academy's annual plenary session, the topic of which is "Vanishing Youth? Solidarity with children and young people in an age of turbulence."
The academy, a consultative body which produces research in the social sciences to help the Catholic Church establish policy, is headed by law professor Mary Ann Glendon of Harvard University.
Participating in the conference was Cherie Blair, wife of British Prime Minister Tony Blair. The Vatican said she and Benedict met Friday, but gave no details.
Benedict has spoken out several times in favor of large families and called for legislation to help support families with children.
European Union statistics put the average number of children per woman at 1.5. But in some countries, including Catholic Italy and Spain, the average is down to about 1.3.
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