It is splendid indeed that Time magazine made Pope Francis its “Person of the Year” for 2013. The Pope has captured the imagination of the world and has breathed new life into the Catholic Church.

A recent cover story in Time magazine titled “The Childfree Life” generated a good deal of controversy and commentary. The photo that graced the cover pretty much sums up the argument: a young, fit couple lounge languidly on a beach and gaze up at the camera with blissful smiles — with no child anywhere in sight.

As by now everyone knows, Pope Francis offered a lengthy and wide-ranging interview to the editor of La Civilta Cattolica, which was subsequently published last month in 16 Jesuit-sponsored journals. As we’ve come to expect practically any time this Pope speaks, the interview has provoked a media frenzy.