Pope Francis on December 11 received the prefects of the Italian Republic in the Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace and expressed his concern about the low birth rate in the country, lamenting that many times “dogs take the place of children.”
The pope reminded that the task of these government authorities is to act as intermediaries “between the state and the territory, constantly linking the whole with the parts, the centre with the peripheries, the common good with care for people.”
The pontiff highlighted three challenges that the prefects face: public order, critical environmental issues, and taking care of the migrants flowing in.
Regarding public order, the pontiff stressed that it’s a priority, where “respect for the law with care for humanity” must be combined. He stressed that “the protection of victims with the fair treatment of criminals” must be reconciled.
“Added to this is the great responsibility you have to face the risks that members of the police forces face daily, whose care is also your concern,” he continued.
Pope Francis also noted that “public order cannot be administered without personal and interior order. But when this exists, the responsibility of public order feels like a call to create that cli-mate of harmonious coexistence through which difficulties can be addressed and resolved.”
“I would say that yours is a kind of institutional fatherhood: exercised with conscience and dedication, it spares no sacrifices nor sleepless nights and deserves our gratitude,” he said.