Do not let darkness stifle your hope, says Pope

YONKERS, NY, April 19 (CNA) - Before a youth rally of an estimated 25,000 people, Pope Benedict XVI spoke on hope and freedom, stressing the “journey of hope” made manifest in the lives of the saints.  However, he also addressed the “darknesses” that treat people as “mere objects” and manipulate, distort, and tarnish truth, perception of reality, and the imaginations and aspirations of youth.  He further reflected on both the true nature and the distorted conceptions of freedom.