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Pope addresses Brazilian youth

A faithful wears a hat with an image of Pope Benedict XVI before the start of an event with the pontiff at the Pacaembu soccer stadium in Sao Paulo on Thursday. PHOTO: AP

Pope Benedict XVI addressed an exuberant audience of Latin American youths at a Sao Paulo stadium, calling on them to lead by example in the fight against social ills such as violence, corruption and drugs.

"Be apostles of youth," he told the tens of thousands of people who jammed into the Sao Paulo soccer stadium on Thursday, urging them to draw their inspiration from "universal moral values."

From a podium dwarfed by a giant stylized dove, the 80-year-old German pontiff urged young people "above all ... to set about building a more just and fraternal society, fulfilling their duties towards the state."

"There are no valid motives that would justify attempting to impose one's own worldly aspirations -- economic or political -- through fraud and deceit," he said from a red throne.

Thousands more watched on giant screens outside the stadium as the pope's speech capped the biggest event so far of his five-day visit that began on Wednesday.

"Be free and responsible men and women; make the family a focus that radiates peace and joy; promote life from its beginnings to its natural end; care for the elderly," the pontiff said, rejecting abortion and euthanasia.

"Be free and responsible men and women; make the family a focus that radiates peace and joy; promote life from its beginnings to its natural end; care for the elderly."

-- Pope Benedict XVI

The pontiff also urged young people to respect marriage and practice chastity.

"Keep in mind that an exaggerated desire for wealth and power lead to one's own corruption and the corruption of others," he said.

The Roman Catholic leader was interrupted repeatedly by cheers and chants.

"Yes to life, no to abortion," was one of the chants as the youths from Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, Honduras and Mexico were gathering for the event.

Up to 1 million people were expected yesterday for an open-air mass at Sao Paulo's vast Campo de Marte where a giant wooden cross has been erected for the occasion.

Benedict will canonize Brother Galvao, Brazil's first native-born saint, who lived from 1739 to 1822.

He founded monasteries and convents throughout Brazil, but is best known today for his reputed healing powers.

Later in the day the pope will meet around 430 Brazilian bishops in Sao Paulo's Cathedral da Se, after which he will travel to Aparecida where he is open a conference of Latin American bishops tomorrow.

That meeting will be aimed at giving impetus to the missionary reach of the church in the region where Protestant evangelical sects are proliferating and drawing away Catholics.

Benedict told the youths on Thursday: "I send you out ... on the great mission of evangelizing young men and women who have gone astray in this world like sheep without a shepherd."

Latin America is home to nearly half of the world's 1.1 billion Catholics.

Brazil, with approximately 155,000 Catholics, is the largest stronghold.

In recent years, however, the Church has lost ground to rival evangelical faiths, as well as to a growing number of people who have lost interest in religion altogether.

In Brazil, 64 percent of the population is Catholic, but the figure has plunged from 74 percent a decade ago, according to a recent study.

At the same time, the number of evangelical followers has risen to 17 percent from 11 percent, the Datafolha Institute said.

Earlier on Thursday, Benedict paid a courtesy call on Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva after the two traded public comments on the sensitive subject of abortion.

The pontiff condemned abortion and voiced support for Mexican bishops who have threatened to excommunicate legislators who voted recently in favor of decriminalizing abortion.

Lula, for his part, has described it as a public health issue and lamented the spread of teenage pregnancy preventing girls from attending school.
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