Pope warns young people not to treat love as 'merchandise for barter'

POPE Benedict XVI has warned young people that the representation of love on the internet risks them losing their self-respect by pursuing affection as if it were "merchandise".

Addressing a crowd of more than 100,000 young people in the Vatican City, the leader of the world's Roman Catholics said: "Much love is proposed by the media and internet, but this isn't love but selfishness."

Catholics sexually abused by clergy as children had planned to hold a rally today but organisers said earlier in the week that the Vatican had refused to allow them to gather in St Peter's Square, so they will stage their protest at an alternative location nearby.

At yesterday's appearance, the Pope spoke about the special role teachers have for children. But he made no reference to the scandals worldwide that have rocked the Catholic Church, including priests who systematically abused children in their care, and clergy who repeatedly tried to cover up such abuse.

The Pope encouraged young people to seek to maintain high standards when searching for love. "You cannot and should not get used to love that's reduced to merchandise for barter, to consume without respect for oneself and for others, incapable of chastity and purity. This isn't freedom," he said.

Such love provides "the emotion of a moment but won't make you happy, won't make you grow up", he added.

The Pope told the young people that being among them "rejuvenated" him, and he reminisced about his own childhood.

He recalled how, when he was young, he wanted to grow taller and do something "big" with his life as an adult.