Catholic couple with 10 kids enjoy 'noblest task' of being parents, ignore 'snide comments' from critics

Ryan Topping and his wife, Anna Topping, are a Catholic couple who live in Edmonton, Canada and are raising 10 children, according to a recent news article. 

"People these days are all excited about being ‘trans’ everything, including being transhumanists: how about getting excited about being human first!" Ryan said of his large family in an Epoch Times feature.

Ryan and Anna stressed that being part of a community of other Catholics has made their faith journey — and the work that goes into raising their family — much easier. 

 ‘DINK’ ON CULTURAL SHIFT TOWARD CHILD-FREE LIFESTYLE, SAYS OLDER GENERATION ‘NARROW-MINDED’ FOR CRITICISMS

Ryan Topping and his wife, Anna Topping, are a Catholic couple who live in Edmonton, Canada and are raising 10 children, according to a recent feature by The Epoch Times.  (iStock)

"Living in such a community, where most people were genuinely striving to grow in virtue, gave us plenty of time to get to know each other in the context of other friendships," Ryan said. 

The Topping parents recounted receiving criticism and "snide comments" from strangers who would ask about their family life. 

"When we first started having children, and we had three little boys, people in stores would often ask, 'Are you still trying for a girl, or are you done?' A few made slightly snide comments about us being 'very busy,'" Ryan said. "I recall one fellow asked my wife if these were all her children, then said, 'But you look so intelligent,' to which my wife answered, 'That’s because intelligent people have kids.' I wasn’t present for that grocery store trip, but I was proud of her response!"

'DINK' COUPLES RECEIVE MIXED RESPONSES AFTER FLAUNTING CHILD-FREE LIFESTYLE ON TIKTOK

The Topping family's view on marriage is in stark contrast to a recent social media phenomenon known as "DINK," meaning "dual income, no kids," which refers to married couples or partners in a committed relationship who remain childless by choice for reasons like lifestyle preferences, personal freedom and financial savings. (iStock)

Ryan also described the story of his marriage with Anna. 

"We were married at 22," he said. "We began our marriage, as I think all of our friends did, by using artificial contraceptives. I stumbled across an argument against contraception, oddly enough, in a philosophy class on St. Augustine—the towering fourth-century philosopher and theologian. The argument went something like this: Nature gives us clues for how to live well; if that is so, we should pay attention to the goodness of the body and its powers; technology is helpful, but when it starts getting used to exalt our freedom to war against our biological nature, against our natural faculties, something is amiss."

It was the beginning of a life journey that would lead Ryan and his wife to conclude that raising children was "the noblest task that a husband and wife can share," and learning about natural family planning (NFP), a method that Catholic couples can use to avoid pregnancy by understanding the "fertile and infertile phases of a woman's menstrual cycle," according to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

"No drugs, devices, or surgical procedures are used to avoid pregnancy," per the USCCB.

The Topping family's view on marriage is in stark contrast to a recent social media phenomenon known as "DINK," meaning "dual income, no kids," which refers to married couples or partners in a committed relationship who remain childless by choice for reasons like lifestyle preferences, personal freedom and financial savings.

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Fox News' Teny Sahakian contributed to this report.