Pope Benedict XVI, is flanked by Vatican secretary of state cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, right, and cardinal Ennio Antonelli, left, prior to delivering his speech in Bresso, near Milan, Italy, Saturday, June 2, 2012. The pope greeted the faithful in Bresso after his arrival Friday afternoon for the seventh World Encounter of Families, a welcome pastoral respite from an embarrassing and damaging leaks scandal at the Vatican that has engulfed the pontiff's personal butler. Photo: Antonio Calanni / AP
MILAN (AP) — Pope Benedict XVI has celebrated an open-air Mass before some 850,000 followers as part of three days of activities in Milan aimed at showing support for families.
The pope in his homily Sunday took issue with modern economic thinking that he said "creates ferocious competition, strong inequalities, degradation of the environment" and reduces family relationships "to fragile convergences of individual interests" that undermine the social fabric.
The pope's visit to the city ends Sunday. It has been a welcome pastoral respite from an embarrassing and damaging leaks scandal at the Vatican that has engulfed the pontiff's personal butler.
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