During a visit to an old people's home in Rome, Pope Benedict XVI said societies should be judged on the way in which they care for their elderly.
"The quality of a society, I'd say of a civilisation, is judged by how well it treats its elderly," the 85-year-old pontiff said during the visit to the home run by the Saint Egidio Community, a Catholic charity.
While it was "beautiful to be old", age brought challenges and difficulties with which he himself was familiar.
"I know well the difficulties, the problems and the limits of this age, and I know that these difficulties are aggravated for many people by the economic crisis," Benedict said.
"But I want to say to you with profound conviction – it is beautiful to be old!" » | Nick Squires, Rome | Monday, November 12, 2012
