Be proud to be Christian, Pope to tell the young
World Youth Day begins in Cologne, Germany
Denis Barnett
Agence France-Presse
Monday, August 15, 2005

VATICAN CITY - Four months after becoming Pope Benedict XVI, the former cardinal known for his hardline conservatism is faced this week with the first real test of his pontificate -- winning the hearts and minds of Catholic youth.

The faithful, used to the statesmanship, spirituality and charm of his charismatic predecessor John Paul II, have taken time to warm to the 78-year-old German theologian, who has seemed ill-at-ease in the media spotlight.

The tenacious defence of Roman Catholic doctrine for which his name became a byword earned the former Joseph Rat-zinger the epithet "God's Rottweiler" during his 23 years as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and this image of him has taken time to erase.
Up to 800,000 young Catholics expected to gather in the German city of Cologne for the biennial World Youth Day celebrations will get to make up their own minds if his slow transformation to the "German Shepherd" is complete.

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