Benedict's eyes are 'bright and joyous',
says Ratzinger Schuelerkreis president
This year's seminar will take place
without 'their Professor' Ratzinger
By Sarah MacDonald
MAYNOOTH, Ireland, June 24 (CNS) -- One of retired Pope Benedict XVI's oldest confidants downplayed concerns about the Pontiff's health, saying his friend was mentally and physically "fresh."
Salvatorian Father Stephan Otto Horn, president of the Ratzinger Schuelerkreis (Ratzinger Student Circle), told Catholic News Service he met the retired Pope in Rome in early June, and he acknowledged his mentor was frail.
"He is 86 now. At that age you are not so strong, but he seemed to me to be very fresh. His memory is fresh and his eyes are very bright and joyous," he said.
Father Horn was an academic assistant to then-Father Joseph Ratzinger from 1971 to 1977 at Germany's University of Regensburg. In early June, the priest met the former Pope for an hour to discuss this year's Ratzinger Schulerkreis seminar, scheduled to meet in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, Aug. 29-Sept. 2.
The circle of the retired Pope's students has met since 1978 at an annual reunion-seminar to discuss topics in theology and the life of the Church.
Although Pope Benedict confirmed to Father Horn that he will not attend the meeting of his former students and the young theologians of the Junior Ratzinger Schulerkreis, the retired Pope chose the speaker, French historian Remi Brague [who won one of the Ratzinger Prizes for theology last year], and the topic to be discussed, "The Question of God Against the Background of Secularization."
"When I was with him, I asked him if it would be possible for him to attend, perhaps even for part of it.
But he said he will stay at his convent and will not go to Castel Gandolfo," Father Horn said.
Father Horn also told CNS that Pope Benedict said Pope Francis had been trying to convince him to go to Castel Gandolfo for a vacation, while he was trying to convince Pope Francis to take a vacation there.
"He told me he had told Pope Francis that if he (Francis) couldn't go there for the summer, then he should at least go there for Aug. 15, the feast of the Assumption, which the Pope traditionally spends with the people of Castel Gandolfo," Father Horn said.
Speaking to CNS at the Divine Word Missionaries school in Maynooth, during a symposium on the theology of Joseph Ratzinger, Father Horn said: "After his resignation in February, [he said] it was difficult for him for three weeks, but after those three weeks, his well-being began improving. And he is very interested in everything," said the priest, who is in regular communication with his former mentor.
Of his decision to resign, Father Horn said Pope Benedict was "convinced his decision was the right one," and was happy and serene with it.
"The Dynamism of Ratzinger's Theology" conference was organized by a retired professor of moral theology at Maynooth, Divine Word Father Vincent Twomey, a former doctoral student of Pope Benedict and another member of the Ratzinger Schulerkreis. The theological conference drew speakers from Ireland, Germany and Poland.
Asked about the absence of his mentor from this year's Schulerkreis, Father Twomey, who will turn 72 in July, told CNS: "We are all getting old. Every year one or two people die -- so it can't continue. We'll go this year primarily out of homage to Benedict."
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 25/06/2013 19:18]