Pope Benedict XVI officially began his visit to Australia this morning, when he paid a visit to Government House. The Pontiff’s motorcade left St Mary’s Cathedral House shortly before 9am for the short drive to Government House.

On arrival the Governor General, Major General Michael Jeffery and Mrs Jeffery greeted him. The Pope inspected the assemble honour guard.

After the playing of the Vatican national anthem, Prime Minister Rudd welcomed the Pope saying to the Pontiff that ’you are among friends’.

In his first public address, the Pope expressed his thanks to the Australian Government for welcoming him so graciously and the hospitality that has been extended to him since his arrival in Sydney on last Sunday.

The Pope acknowledged Australia’s indigenous people and their ancient heritage, which he said ‘forms an essential part of the cultural landscape of modern Australia’.

The Pope’s central message was that he was ‘here to meet the young people, from Australia and from all over the world, and to pray for a renewed outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon all those taking part in our celebrations’.

The pontiff continued saying that ‘young people today face a bewildering variety of life-choices, so that they sometimes find it hard to know how best to channel their idealism and their energy. It is the spirit who gives the wisdom to discern the right path and the courage to follow it’.

He called the young people gathered in Sydney for WorldYouth Day to ‘have the courage to become saints! This is what the world needsmore than anything else’.

After meeting the assembled dignitaries, the pontiff’s motorcade departed for Admiralty House, where he will meet Prime Minster Rudd.