Benedict XVI Address Youth of 'Catholic Action'

Catholic Action, Benedict XVI told the young people, "has as its true goal to help you become saints.

VATICAN CITY (Zenit) - Benedict XVI encouraged the youth of Catholic action to declare that Christ is enough for them, and to proclaim the joy of faith as the "joy that never ends."

The Pope said this when he received in audience the young people of Italian Catholic Action. He said the presence of the youth made the "solemn [Apostolic] Palace rejoice with your presence."

"Many say," the Pontiff began, "that young people are capricious, that nothing satisfies them, that they are consumed by games, one after the other. But you say to Jesus: you are enough for me!"

The Holy Father observed that saying to Christ "You are enough for me," means many things: "You are our best friend, who is with us when we play and when we go to school, when we are at home with our parents, our grandparents, our little brothers and sisters and when we go out with our friends. You open our eyes so we can see how our friends are sad, and how many children of the world suffer from hunger, sickness and war.

"You give us true joy, joy that never ends, like our games do. You come into our souls and make us good. You are enough for us above all when we pray, because you always listen to our prayers, prayers that we offer up so that the world becomes more beautiful and good for everyone.

"You are enough for us when you forgive us for some trouble that we cause; you are enough for us because if you forgive us, you come to find us and take us in your arms like you did with the lost sheep. You are enough for us because you have a beautiful Mother who, before you died on the cross, you wanted to become our Mother too."

Catholic Action, Benedict XVI told the young people, "has as its true goal to help you become saints; meeting Jesus, loving his Church and taking interest in the problems of the world will help you toward this."

"Dear young people," the Pontiff added, "you can pray to the Lord that he will change the hearts of those who make weapons, bring terrorists to their senses, convert the heart of those who think always of war and help humanity to build a better future for all the children of the world."