"The young are my greatest concern", stated Benedict XVI. Some "have trouble finding a direction" or "suffer from a loss of references in their family life". "Sometimes marginalised and often left to their own devices, they are fragile and must face, alone, a reality that surpasses them". It is, therefore, "necessary to offer them a sound educational framework and encourage them to respect and help others". One of the Pope’s worries is the "growing distance between the rich and the poor" in the West. The Church "tries to take care of their immediate needs, but it is up to the State to lay down the laws to eradicate injustice". Then, the Pope’s thought went to the "state of our planet". Benedict XVI recalled the "noble tradition" about "human rights and the promotion of the good of the individual and society" of France, that is currently the president of the European Union. "When the European citizen sees and personally experiences that the inalienable rights of the person, from conception to natural death, such as those of free education, family life, work, not to mention religious rights, are promoted and respected", then, concluded the Pontiff, "he will fully understand the greatness of the edifice of the Union and will become its proactive maker". ” “
