Australia

Violence, consumerism top Pope's grievances on World Youth Day

Article published on the 2008-07-17 Latest update 2008-07-17 12:07 TU

Pope Benedict XVI is in Australia for World Youth Day
(Credit: Reuters)

Pope Benedict XVI adressed 150,000 people, mainly teeenagers, youths in Sydney, Australia, on Thursday to celebrate the Catholic Church's World Youth Day. He dubbed violence, sexual exploitation and consumerism "false idols", symptoms of what is ailing society today. Organisers of the event have been using modern tools such as mobile phone text messges to get the Pope's message across.

"The Holy Spirit gave the Apostles and gives u the power boldly 2 proclaim that Christ is risen! - BXVI." In a text message written in catchy, youth-inspired language, Pope Benedict XVI has even taken on a new monniker.

Pope Benedict, the spiritual leader of 1.1 billion Roman Catholics worldwide, spoke out against the trend of portraying sexual exploitation and violence for amusement in movies and on the internet.

"Could anyone standing face to face with people who actually do suffer violence and sexual exploitation explain that these tragedies, portrayed in virtual form, are considered merely entertainment?" he asked.

Greed and consumerism follow closely behind, and contribute to environmental problems on the planet, the 81-year-old pontiff said. He called on his young flock to reject consumer society.

"There are scars which mark the surface of the earth, erosion, deforestation, the squandering of the world's mineral and ocean resources in order to fuel an insatiable consumption," he said.

Young people attended a pop concert after the event's opening Mass on Tuesday, and have been contacting other young pilgrims through a special internet networking site set up by the event organizers, leading to criticism from Catholic conservatives.

"It's become just a happy party... a week of parties and concerts and worldly activities with very little of anything that's truly holy and sacred and prayerful or that's profoundly Catholic for that matter," Father Peter Scott from the Society of Pius X told Australian public radio.