Pope bemoans damage to environment, urges 'responsible stewardship'

SYDNEY, July 17 (Kyodo) - Pope Benedict XVI on Thursday used the fourth day of his weeklong visit to Australia to highlight the deterioration of the natural environment, urging people to ''exercise responsible stewardship of the goods of the earth.''

Speaking to tens of thousands of young Catholics gathered at Sydney Harbor for World Youth Day 2008, organized by the Catholic Church, the Pope lamented ''scars which mark the surface of our earth -- erosion, deforestation, the squandering of the world's mineral and ocean resources in order to fuel an insatiable consumption.''

He cited the case of island countries that face rising sea levels and as well as drought-ravaged nations like Australia.

In the future, he said, environmental protection would be ''of vital importance to humanity.''

Earlier in the day, in an address before Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and other leaders at Government House, the Pope said it is ''appropriate to reflect upon the kind of world we are handing on to future generations.''

''The wonder of God's creation reminds us of the need to protect the environment and to exercise responsible stewardship of the goods of the earth,'' he said.

He praised Australia for ''making a serious commitment to address its responsibility to care for the natural environment.''

The Pope also lauded Rudd's government for promoting reconciliation with indigenous Australians, alluding to an apology it made in February to the so-called ''Stolen Generations'' of Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders who were removed from their homes under previous government assimilation policies.

''Thanks to the Australian government's courageous decision to acknowledge the injustices committed against the indigenous peoples in the past, concrete steps are now being taken to achieve reconciliation based on mutual respect,'' he said.

''Rightly, you are seeking to close the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians regarding life expectancy, educational achievement and economic opportunity,'' the pontiff said.

The Pope arrived in Australia on Monday for World Youth Day, a weeklong celebration organized by the Roman Catholic Church. More than a quarter of Australians are Catholics.

In his remarks at Government House, Rudd welcomed the Pope to Australia ''as an apostle of peace in an age where in an increasingly interdependent world peace is a much needed voice among us all.''

''You are welcome as a voice for the world's poor. You are also welcome as a voice of hope at a time in our planet's dealings when hope is most needed of all,'' he said.

Rudd said Australia's indigenous peoples, who are ''so much part of our county's past and so much part of our country's future,'' also welcome the Pope's historic visit here.

''It has been from time to time a troubled past. We now work to forge a common future among us all,'' he said.