It was a long "serene and courteous" chat. According to the words of Monsignor Franz-Josef Bode, Bishope Delegate of the German Bishops’ Conference for youth pastoral care, is the meaning of today’s lunch of the Pope with 12 young people from the 5 continents, in the archbishop’s palace in Cologne. The menu was: a salad hors d’oeuvre, followed by omelette with herbs, a strudel and cinnamon dessert, and white wine. "The Pope preferred the trout omelette with choice of vegetables or potatoes said the bishop to be able to talk more comfortably with his guests. He dedicated time to each one of them". "He asked about us, about our studies, and about our families", said the Chilean Nicolas O.Frias Ossandon and the German Klaus Lagenstück. "He put us at our ease and showed he knew about the situation in our countries", said Christille Giraudet de Boudemange from France. A conversation where the young people stated: "It was Pope Benedict XVI himself who was our interpreter". The message of the Pope to these young people at table (among whom there was also 1 Palestinian, 1 Australian, 1 Canadian, 1 Slovenian who is blind, 2 Africans and 1 girl from Taiwan) was unique: "You young people reported Johnny Bassous from Palestine have the responsbility for the future; carry the message of reconciliation throughout the world. We are all children of God". The three guests received a medal with his portrait as a gift from Pope Benedict XVI. A benediction in Latin closed the lunch.
