"God’s gift to the Church in Germany". This is how Benedict XVI defines the 20th World Youth Day which ends today in Cologne. On greeting the local bishops (full text on www.vatican.va), before returning to Italy, the Pope, recalling "the impressive youth pilgrimage during these days", traced a picture of the Church in Germany where "quite a number of people live the faith in an exemplary manner". "There are many said Pope Benedict XVI who voluntarily take on responsibility and are demanding in diocese and parish life, in associations and in the movements, in particular in favour of young people. Many priests, religious and lay people faithfully carry out their service in pastoral situations which are often difficult. German catholics have shown great generosity towards the very poor. Many ‘fidei donum’ priests and German missionaries are involved in distant lands. The Catholic Church is present in public life through many institutions. Educational works of catholic schools and of other institutions are vast. The portrait "of a live Church" where there have been "wrinkles": "Secularism and dechristianisation which continue to advance. Ethics and catholic morals have less and less influence. Quite a number of people abandon the Church or, if they do remain, they only accept part of the catholic teaching. The religious situation in the East is worrying, where the majority of the population is not baptised and has no contact with the Church". Inviting the bishops to recognise "in these realities just as many challenges", Pope Ratzinger stated: "The Church in Germany must become more and more missionary, undertaking to find ways to convey the faith to future generations". (continued)
