Pope tells crowd to keep their ideals high

ITALY: Pope Benedict XVI is leading thousands of young people in a packed Milan soccer stadium in a pep rally to shore up flagging Catholic faith.

Benedict yesterday told the young faithful to keep their ideals high. He also is urging them to attend Sunday Mass regularly and to pray daily.

The Pope is on the second day of a three-day visit to Milan as part of Church activities aimed at showing support for families.

The trip is a welcome pastoral respite from an embarrassing and damaging leaks scandal at the Vatican that has engulfed the pontiff’s personal butler.

In contrast to the strains at home, the pontiff was welcomed by tens of thousands of cheering well-wishers in the square outside Milan’s emblematic Cathedral earlier on Friday and he received a standing ovation when he entered La Scala.