I recall Cardinal Ratzinger's homily given just before the start of the conclave, where he spoke about the "dictatorship of relativism."

For many, I suspect, future Pope Benedict's homily at the funeral of John Paul the Great and the one just before the conclave were our first extensive exposure to his thinking.

This concern about relativism is such an important message for the young, particularly in the US.

"Today, having a clear faith based on the Creed of the Church is often labeled as fundamentalism. Whereas relativism, that is, letting oneself be "tossed here and there, carried about by every wind of doctrine", seems the only attitude that can cope with modern times. We are building a dictatorship of relativism that does not recognize anything as definitive and whose ultimate goal consists solely of one's own ego and desires.

We, however, have a different goal: the Son of God, the true man. He is the measure of true humanism. An "adult" faith is not a faith that follows the trends of fashion and the latest novelty; a mature adult faith is deeply rooted in friendship with Christ. It is this friendship that opens us up to all that is good and gives us a criterion by which to distinguish the true from the false, and deceipt from truth."

(Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, April 18, 2005)

May he continue to teach this lesson to the youth of the world!
brassband | 04.19.08 - 8:53 pm | #

brassband, i've long felt that, as a speech, that one was perhaps his all time best.
Ed Peters | Homepage | 04.20.08 - 1:32 am | #

This one to the Youth was really powerful too. I'd say the most powerful one so far. I can tell you at least that I felt on fire by the end of it. Wonderful!
Miguel | 04.20.08 - 2:37 am | #

"My own years as a teenager were marred by a sinister regime that thought it had all the answers; its influence grew - infiltrating schools and civic bodies, as well as politics and even religion - before it was fully recognized for the monster it was."
-- My years were marred too, by the Legionary of Christ.
xLC | 04.20.08 - 5:37 am | #

Outstanding!!!!!!
Margaret | 04.20.08 - 9:09 am | #

Where is the video for this? I can't find it?
Lee | 04.20.08 - 10:36 am | #

The Legionaries are not so comprehensive as the Nazi regime was and the present day secular mentality is. And just because some members of ran it badly, doesn't mean it is a cult. The global warming hysteria certainly is a part of the that mentality.
LvB | 04.21.08 - 1:34 am | #