Pope Benedict: Young people key to overcoming crisis

The economic crisis, security and solidarity were the three key themes of Pope Benedict XVI's speech to City and Provincial authorities Thursday. In a traditional New Year’s address to Rome and Lazio administrators, the Pope, who is also the Bishop of Rome, urged the institutional representatives to support families and young people, who are suffering the current lack of employment opportunities more than most.

"Openness to others, solidarity and the rule of law must be the fundamental values from which to approach the New Year with greater confidence" he began. The Pope then spoke of the difficulties citizens face in grappling with the economic constraints and noted once again that the crisis is “deeply rooted” in an ethical crisis. If we are to overcome this, he continued, then society needs to mature a "new humanism" that focuses on the human person:

Pope Benedict continued "The current crisis, in fact, also has its roots individualism, which obscures the relational dimension of man and leads him to close in on himself, in his own little world, to take care of his own needs and desires above all, caring little for others ".

The Pope did not fail to point out some of the evils of this individualistic mentality: the speculation in rents, "the increasing difficulty for young people to gain entry to the world of work," the loneliness of the elderly and indifference to situations of marginalization and poverty. There is a need, he said, to rediscover our relationship with God, which is "the first step to creating a more humane society." He added: “There is a need for charity and justice in difficult times so those who have more take care of those living in difficult conditions."

Pope Benedict’s thoughts also turned to families, especially large families, who have been hard hit by the crisis. The Pope urged "grants and tax breaks that encourage a positive birth rate" and that families be guaranteed "decent living conditions”.

"An inclusive society must always have the future of new generations at heart, by providing appropriate policies that ensure fair rent prices and by doing everything possible to ensure employment."

This, he warned, "is important to avoid the risk that young people fall victim to illegal organizations, which offer easy money and do not respect the value of human life." At the same time, he added, "it is necessary to promote a culture of legality, helping citizens to understand that the laws are used to channel the positive energy present in society and so allow the promotion of the common good". Listen to Emer McCarthy's report: