The traditional summer seminar of Benedict XVI's former students, members of the so-called Ratzinger Schülerkreis, has been held in Castel Gandolfo from 30 August to 3 September. The theme this year is “Ecumenical results and questions in the dialogue with Lutheranism and Anglicanism”, with special reference to the book by Cardinal Walter Kasper, Die Früchte ernten. Grundlagen christlichen glaubens im ökumenischen Dialog (Gathering the fruits. The foundation of the Christian faith in ecumenical dialogue) – Paderborn-Leipzig, 2011.
Participating in the meeting, held this year for the 36th time, is among others Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, Archbishop of Vienna, Auxiliary Bishop Hans-Jochen Jaschke of Hamburg, Bishop Berthélémy Adoukonou, Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Culture, together with teachers, parish priests, men and women religious and lay people.
They are all former students of Prof. Joseph Ratzinger, who discussed their theses with him im the years when he was teaching in Germany.
The speakers at the seminar are Bishop Ulrich Wilckens of the Evangelical Church, an expert in the New Testament, Prof. Theodor Dieter, since 1997 Director of the Institute for Ecumenical Research in Strasbourg, and the Dominican Bishop Charles Morerod of Lausanne, Geneva and Fribourg.
Cardinal Kurt Koch, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, is also taking part in the seminar, which as usual is being held in private.