Pope: 'Mothers Say My Son Is 34 And Not Married, I Say Don't Iron His Shirts Anymore'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- While speaking at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary to bishops and archbishops, Pope Francis spoke about young people, marriage and the importance of family.
"In Buenas Aires, mothers say to me, 'my son is 34 and he's not getting married, I don't know what to do.' So I tell them, 'don't iron his shirts anymore.'"
PHOTOS: Pope Francis Speaks At Saint Charles Borromeo
He continued, "We have to encourage our youth to take that risk because they need to move toward fruitfulness. We need a bit of holy talk from the bishop. Why aren't you getting married? They say, 'well I have a girlfriend, but we're saving for our marriage party.' There needs to be that holy provision to be with them and help them move toward a commitment of marriage and have them develop."
"A Christianity which does little in practice while incessantly explaining its teachings is dangerously unbalanced. I would even say it is stuck in a vicious circle. A pastor must show a gospel of the family is truly good news in a world where self-concern seems to reign supreme. We are not speaking about some romantic dream. The perseverance which is called when having and raising a family transforms the world and history. Family transforms history and transforms the world."
