Young People Losing Hope, Says Pope Notes They Are Deprived of True Love VATICAN CITY, DEC.

9, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Young people, deprived of the true love that gives meaning to life, are at risk of losing hope, says Benedict XVI. The Pope said this in his address before reciting the Angelus on the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. He reflected on today's youth, who are "growing up in an environment saturated by messages that propose false models of happiness." In the words addressed to the thousands of pilgrims gathered in Saint Peter's Square the Pontiff said that "young men and women run the risk of losing hope because they often seem orphans of true love, the love that fills life with meaning and joy." The Holy Father: "Not a few experiences tell us that young people, adolescence and even children are easy victims of the corruption of love, deceived by unscrupulous adults, who, lying to them and to themselves, draw them into the dead ends of consumerism. "Even the most sacred realities, such as the human body, temple of the God of love and life, become objects of consumption; and this happens earlier and earlier, already in preadolescence. "How sad it is when the young lose wonder, the enchantment of the best sentiments, the value of respect for the body, manifestation of the person and his inscrutable mystery!" For this reason, Benedict XVI presented the beauty of Mary the Immaculate one, "shining with beauty, transparent to God's love. Mary Immaculate, 'Star of the Sea, shine upon us and guide us on our way!'" Pope: The Immaculate Conception, the Mother of Love for the young victims of corruption Benedict XVI entrusts Mary, mother of all mankind with the desperate young people who treat even the most sacred things, such as love and ones own body, without astonishment, making them objects of consumption. 150 years since apparitions in Lourdes, inauguration of the Jubilee. Invitation to meet at the Spanish Steps this afternoon for the homage to the statue of the Madonna.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) A thought for Our Lady, mother of splendid beauty, whose love for God is transparent, and another full of sadness for the young children who are deceived by adults without scruples, who are prisoners in streets without an escape from consumerism, transforming their own bodies into an object of consumption: during the Angelus at St. Peters the Pope wanted to remind in this way the solemnity of today, the Immaculate Conception of Mary, preserved from original sin. He said this underlining that the star of Mary Immaculate is a sign of sure hope and relief (Conc. Vat. II, Cost. Lumen gentium, 68). In order to reach Jesus said the Pope who is the true light and the sun that dissipates all the darkness of history, we need to have people near us who reflect the light of Christ and illuminate the way. And who is brighter than Mary? Who can be a more hopeful star than her, the aura that announced the day of salvation? (cfr Enc. Spe salvi, 49). That is why the liturgy today celebrates, just before Christmas, the magnificence of the Immaculate Conception of Mary: the mystery of Gods grace who embraced the existence of the creature destined to become the Mother of Jesus, preserving her from original sin. From her we see the grandeur and beauty of Gods project for each of us: to become saints and immaculate in love (cfr Ef 1,4), in the image of our Creator. The beauty and sanctity of Mary contrasts the sadness of todays youth, raised in an environment saturated with messages that propose false models of happiness. These girls and boys risk losing their hope because they often seem like orphans of true love, which fills life with significance and happiness. Benedict XVI seems to allude to the many news in which young children are involved in sexual abuse or are thrown into prostitution at very young ages. Experience tells us that unfortunately, children are often victims of the corruption of love, deceived by adults without scruples leading them to dead-end streets face to face with consumption: even the most sacred things such as the human body, temple of God of love and life, becomes an object of consumption; even in pre-adolescence. It is very sad when children are no longer amazed, by the delight of the most beautiful sentiments, the value of respect for ones own body, the manifestation of the person and of its deep mystery!. The Pope proposes the prayer for Mary becoming the Mother of all mankind, Mother of hope, as the way to save young people from desperation. A way that he reminds was indicated by John Paul II, who many times named Mary, to the youth of our times, as the Mother of great love. After the prayer of the Angelus, Benedict XVI greeted the Cardinal Andrea Maria Deskur and the Academy of the Immaculate, of which he is president, inviting them this afternoon to the Spanish Steps, for the annual homage to the statue of the Madonna. Earlier, the Pope reminded that today in Lourdes ha begun a special year of Jubilee for the 150th anniversary of the apparitions of the Madonna in the grotto of Massabielle.