From: Scotius 

On 24 Mar 2007 21:20:13 -0700, "Sound of Trumpet"
 wrote:

>http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1806213/posts
>
>
>Pope: Europe Losing Faith in Its Future

        Odd. I just read a piece here on Usenet where it's said
Europeans see a big future ahead, and while they see themselves as much
more powerful internationally, they see the US as much less so. I guess
sometimes the papacy decides to engage in pro-European PR.

>
>AP ^ | Mar 24, 2007 | FRANCES D'EMILIO
>
>
>Posted on 03/24/2007 2:58:27 PM PDT by Anti-Bubba182
>
>
>VATICAN CITY (AP) - Europe appears to be losing faith in its own
>future, Pope Benedict XVI said Saturday, warning against "dangerous
>individualism" on a continent where many people are having fewer
>children.
>
>"One must unfortunately note that Europe seems to be going down a road
>which could lead it to take its leave from history," the pontiff told
>bishops in Rome for ceremonies to mark the 50th anniversary of the
>signing of the Treaty of Rome, a major step toward the creation of
>today's European Union.
>
>Benedict said he was concerned about Europe's "demographic profile"-
>though he did not describe the trends that have alarmed the continent
>for decades.
>
>In countries like Italy, where many married couples have one or no
>children, the population is expected to shrink dramatically in a
>generation or two unless fertility rates quickly increase.
>
>Benedict expressed concern that Europe's population trends, "besides
>putting economic growth at risk, can also cause enormous difficulties
>for social cohesion, and, above all, favor dangerous individualism,
>careless about the consequences for the future."
>
>"You could almost think that the European continent is in fact losing
>faith in its own future," Benedict said.
>
>A recent Eurostat survey showed Poland's fertility rate to be the
>lowest in the EU, at 1.23 children per woman.
>
>Sociologists and economists blame the economy, particularly the
>unemployment rate-at 14.9 percent the highest in the EU. Worried about
>losing their jobs, many women in Poland put off having children, often
>until it is too late.
>
>Earlier this month, Polish Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski proposed
>a new program of tax exemptions and support for working mothers in the
>hope of encouraging births and ensuring that Poles "continue as a
>nation."
>
>Italy's fertility rate steadily plunged to a low of 1.25 children per
>women of childbearing age in 2001, with the last few years seeing a
>small turnaround, mainly due to births to immigrants.
>
>Italian experts cite Italian's desire for an easier lifestyle, but
>they also blame shortages of day care centers, expensive housing and a
>sluggish job market which sees many Italians living at home until well
>into their 30s as reasons for the country's relatively few children.
>
>Antonio Golini, an Italian demographer, told The Associated Press
>recently that unless the retirement age is raised, Italy will have
>more people drawing pensions than it will have workers in 2050.
>
>Spain also has a low fertility rate, while France, with family
>friendly policies such as cheap day care and generous parental leave,
>has experienced a baby boom.
>
>France had more babies in 2006 than in any year in the last quarter-
>century, capping a decade of rising fertility that has bucked Europe's
>graying trend. Its fertility rate in 2006 was 2.0 children per woman.
>
>A rate of 2.1 children per woman is considered the minimum necessary
>to keep a population from shrinking.

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