wfn.org | [PCUSANEWS] Pope urges youth to spurn 'do-it-yourself' religion

[PCUSA NEWS <PCUSA.NEWS@ECUNET.ORG>]

Note #8859 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

05434
August 22, 2005

Pope urges youth to spurn 'do-it-yourself' religion

by Eric J. Lyman
Religion News Service
    
COLOGNE, Germany - Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday, Aug. 21, ended his first
foreign trip and closed World Youth Day festivities by urging more than 1
million young Catholics to reject "do-it-yourself" religion.
    
	Benedict capped World Youth Day with a huge open-air Mass at a former
mine called Marienfeld. Many in the crowd had camped overnight under damp and
cool conditions. Organizers said the crowd surpassed their most optimistic
estimates and topped 1 million.
    
	Benedict, the first German-born pope in more than 500 years, switched
seamlessly between his native German and Italian, English, French, and Latin
during the Mass, as the last of 150,000 overnight latecomers trickled in.
    
	The pope used his homily to reinforce previous attacks against "moral
relativism" -  the idea that truth can be different for each person - and
urged the congregation to avoid the temptation to pick and choose aspects of
Catholic doctrine that are convenient or easy.
    
	"Religion constructed on a 'do-it-yourself' basis cannot help us in
the end," the pontiff said. "We must all help people discover the true star,
which points the way for us: Jesus Christ. If you make the effort, you will
realize that this is what gives a proper focus to your lives."
    
	Earlier in the homily, Benedict called on his listeners to make the
most of the freedom God has given them.
    
	"Freedom is not simply about enjoying life in total autonomy, but
rather about living by a measure of truth and goodness," he said. "This takes
place so that we ourselves can truly become true and good."
    
	Cardinal Joachim Meisner, the archbishop of Cologne, who was
instrumental in bringing the event to his archdiocese, introduced Benedict to
the massive crowd. 
    
	"Here in the midst of the youth of the world, along with countless
priests, bishops and cardinals, we welcome you, Holy Father, to Marienfeld,"
Meisner said. Benedict clasped Meisner's hands in his own and acknowledged
the cheers and chanting from the crowd before starting the Mass. 
    
	The 78-year-old pontiff was interrupted periodically by applause, but
the crowd's enthusiasm fell far short of that prompted by Pope John Paul II,
Benedict's predecessor, who often used humor and popular slang in his remarks
to young people. But the crowd did listen to Benedict intently and seriously.

	After the pontiff left to return to Rome, thousands of young people
stayed in Marienfeld to digest the homily and the week's events.
    
	"I loved John Paul dearly, but I can not help but think that the
difference in personalities between John Paul and Benedict may be a good
thing in the long run," said Oskar Manfried, 30, a schoolteacher from
Munster, Germany. "Maybe what we are seeing here is the focus on the message
rather than the man." 
    
	Amy Saloran, 25, a New York City native studying in Germany, said
Benedict is not as naturally gregarious as John Paul, but is no less
attractive.
    
	"Pope Benedict's passion for scripture and God's teaching is plain
for anyone to see," Saloran said. "There is no doubt about his sincerity and
reverence." 
	
	German law-enforcement officials estimated the crowd at between 1
million and 1.1 million people, making it the third-largest World Youth Day
Mass ever. About 1.4 million attended Mass in Rome in 2000, and about 4
million were in Manila in 1995. 
    
	As the crowd started to disperse, many pilgrims exchanged hugs and
tearful goodbyes. Virginia Roberts, 23, a student from London, said
relationships she made were as valuable as the lessons instilled by Benedict
and other speakers.
    
	"I expected to be in awe of being in the presence of the pope for the
first time," Roberts said, "but what I didn't expect was to be touched by so
many of my peers from around the world who are serious Catholics. In my
school, there are probably half a dozen Catholics who take their faith
seriously. Here, I met hundreds. It's so beautiful to know there are so many
other people like me around the world."
    
	The next major World Youth Day event is scheduled for 2008 in Sydney,
Australia. Along with the goodbyes in German, English, French, Italian,
Spanish and other languages audible in the crowd, was the refrain: "See you
in Sydney."

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