[zerosix]

My daughter, her husband and three children, lived outside Milan, in a smallish town. Other than Muslims from North Africa, they were the only family with more than one child, most couples had none.

My daughter and her family were treated as very unusual, with "all those children!

Another thing I noticed was that most "couples" weren't even married but just living together (like so many young couples in the U. S.), those Italians living together as married were from all age categories.

I asked one Italian lady if the couples waited until becoming pregnant before marrying but was told, "No, they aren't going to have children, so no need to get married."

There is not much religion or faith noticable in many parts of Italy that I noticed either, only a few old ladies dressed in long black dresses entering the mostly vacant churches.

It was weird at Christmas and Easter, no observable religious celebrations at all. Only observable "celebrations" were banners here and there to celebrate this or that Saint with, nothing else.

If this is the "hope" for Western Civilization, according to the writer, I'm afraid it's doomed.

[pieceofthepuzzle]

Very different in parts of southern Italy, and definitely not overly secular (definitely less secular than the US). Milan is a bit like New York, from an Italian perspective, and I would not be surprised if the surrounding towns were not similar. Go to Salerno or Naples during Christmas.