Pope Francis is to open a conference this month that will discuss how to reverse Italy’s low birth rate. Francis, who according to the Vatican will attend the event, has spoken about the “Italian demographic winter” and warned that “the future is in danger”. And indeed, last year just 404,104 babies were born, the smallest figure since 1861, and 746,146 deaths were recorded. The Pope’s intervention is of a piece with his observation in 2015 that it was “selfish” for couples to choose childlessness. As he said: “Life rejuvenates and acquires energy when it multiplies: It is enriched, not impoverished.”