Pope Benedict meets Helmut Kohl and lay Catholics

On the third day of his pastoral journey to his native Germany, Pope Benedict's packed programme included an ecumenical encounter, a meeting with seminarians, private talks with one of the nation's best known statesmen and a very public greeting for the people of Freiburg. Veronica Scarisbrick is in Germany and sent this report on the events of Saturday afternoon......
A change of gear is always demanding and when you're 84 it must prove even more so. Just think six engagements and four speeches in less than three hours. But why don't I attempt to tell you about Benedict XVI's Saturday afternoon in Freiburg, the city whose inhabitants decided in 1520 not to take part in the Reformation, proving their independence from outside influence. The city was not named Freiburg meaning “free borough” for nothing.

The Pope arrived here by car and when in the gleaming sun the red sand stone cathedral with its giant pierced spire appeared on the horizon he knew he'd reached Catholic territory here in the South West tip of Germany, ruled for centuries by the Catholic Habsburgs.

He looked relaxed and went straight to the 13th century Cathedral the 'Munster' as they call it,dedicated to Our Lady Entering through the main portal and into the nave with its kaleidoscope stained glass window and right up to the high altar with the masterful triptych of the Coronation of Our Lady.

He wasn’t there long and when he left he stepped out into the the Munster Platz or Cathedral Square and greeted the authorities and the delighted and rowdy crowds of Freiburg .

At this point the Pope had almost reached the venue for another four of his afternoon meetings: the 'Collegium Borromeum ' the local Seminary right next door to the Cathedral. He had an appointment there in the Chapel with 60 seminarians, a meeting which included moments of prayer, a photo opportunity and an informal talk during which he focused on the importance of the universality of the Church and of the importance of studying the relationship between faith and reason.
That’s not before having met with fifteen representatives of the various Orthodox churches within the nation led by Metropolitan Augustinos . While the Pope on this ecumenical occasion expressed his joy at the meeting, he also clarified how there needs to be ongoing work to iron out theological differences in an effort to reach full unity. He then pointed to a common engagement within the area of shared values in a world where society does without God.

And then there was the second dedicated Catholic moment of the afternoon. It was with a lay organization which in Germany wields a lot of influence, even Catholic members of Parliament adhere to it. Surprising at a time in history when Catholics, and indeed Protestants have lost much of their influence in public life. An organisation called 'Zentralkomitee derr Deutschen Katholiken' , or 'Central Committee of German Catholics ' led by its President Mr Alois Gluck. An organization of lay apostolate founded in 1952 which grew out of an earlier 19^th century movement. One which seamlessly combines independence with loyalty to the Church, and commitment within the Church with social and political action.

For them the Holy Father had words which focused around new evangelization. He highlighted how high standards of living do not exclude poverty in human relations and poverty in the religious sphere.
Continuing in his speech he remarked how many people lack experience of the goodness of God. How they no longer find any point of contact with the mainstream Churches and their traditional structures.
The Pope then insisted that the real crisis facing the Church in the western world is one of faith. We are called, he said, to seek new paths evangelization.

But perhaps the most personal encounter the Pope had on Saturday afternoon in Freiburg was the first. One he personally requested. It was with the architect of the 1990 reunification of Germany and promoter of Europe, former Federal Chancellor Helmut Kohl and took place behind closed doors.

And the last? Well that’s with the young people of Germany. Those who will shape the future of the nation. And no doubt the motto of the journey “Where God is, there is the future”, will act in the darkness of the night as a beacon of light.

Listen to Veronica's report: