While on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia on Sunday, Pope Benedict xvi stated that Italy needs a “new generation” of Catholic politicians committed to using their religious beliefs to shepherd their country’s future.

During his address to some 150,000 people, he urged Italian youth to shun excessive consumerism and instead commit themselves to Catholic values. Both of these comments were made shortly after the pope met with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, a man who has promised to toe the Catholic Church’s line in Italian politics.

The pope already has considerable influence over Italian politics due to the large number of pro-Vatican politicians who hold office in the Italian legislature. In fact, the Vatican was able to bring down the government of former Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi earlier this year by instructing the Catholic leader of Italy’s Udeur Christian Democrat Party to withdraw his party from the ruling coalition. Watch for Pope Benedict to extend his political clout even further in Italy and throughout the rest of Europe. For more information on the pope’s role in politics, read “The Kingbreaker.”