Help young people see value of marriage, pope urges German bishops

Published: 2006-11-20

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The church needs to help young people realize that true happiness and fulfillment are found in permanent commitments such as marriage, Pope Benedict XVI told a group of German bishops. Young people today are afraid of definitively committing themselves to something, fearing it is "unfeasible and opposed to freedom," he said. "It is very important to help young people say 'yes' to the definitive, that it does not clash with freedom, but represents the greatest opportunity" for being free, he said. The pope met Nov. 18 with bishops from Germany, the second group of prelates from his homeland to make their "ad limina" visits during his pontificate. Bishops make the visits to the Vatican every five years to report on the status of their dioceses. The pope told the bishops that not only are young couples shying away from the permanent bonds of marriage, they are also finding it "difficult to accept children" into their lives and give them the solid, lasting base needed to grow.

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