Pope: Birth control ban doesn’t mean reproduce ‘like rabbits’

Pope Francis on Monday offered a rebuttal to the growing criticism of the Catholic Church’s ban on birth control, arguing that it does not mean families have to reproduce “like rabbits.”

In the pope’s surprisingly candid speech, he reaffirmed support for the church’s ban on artificial contraception while promoting “responsible parenthood.”

“Some think, excuse me if I use the word, that in order to be good Catholics, we have to be like rabbits – but no,” he said in an hour-long address Monday, according to a report from Reuters.

His comments come during a week-long visit in Asia, home to some of the world’s fastest-growing populations.

Pope Francis urged couples to practice nonmedical forms of family planning, such as abstaining from sex when a woman is most fertile, known as the rhythm method.

The Catholic Church has long condemned birth control, though it has faced increased pressure from a growing number of followers who called the ban outdated. It is the only religion to restrict birth control among married couples.