Conference of the new student group in Heiligenkreuz 2011

Escatology in the Theology of  Joseph Ratzinger

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report

The New Student Circle Joseph Ratzinger / Pope Benedict XVI. met from 6.-8. May 2011 for its annual meeting in Heiligenkreuz in the Austrian Wienerwald.

At the invitation of the new abbot of Heiligenkreuz Abbey, Dr. Maximilian Heim, himself a member of the New Student Circle, 22 theologians dealt with the topic of eschatology in the theology of Joseph Ratzinger. Among them were guests from Joseph Ratzinger's student group, Prof. em. dr P. Stephan Otto Horn SDS, Prof. em. dr Siegfried Wiedenhofer and AOR Dr. Josef Zoehrer.
After the joint Vespers prayer with the convention and subsequent meal, the participants came together on Friday for a first meeting, which offered the opportunity to get to know the three newly won members and to exchange information on the current status of the respective work and other organizational questions.
The first work session on Saturday was led by Provost Dr. Gerhard Nachtwei from Dessau. Nachtwei is a specialist in eschatology in the theology of Joseph Ratzinger. With the help of his dissertation "Dialogic Immortality" he introduced the question and showed the findings of Joseph Ratzinger, not without justifying the pastoral relevance of the overall topic and making it clear. Provost Nachwei was also able to give a good insight into the challenges that a theologian faced in the former GDR.
In the afternoon, two members of the New School Group gave a presentation on the status of their research. During a subsequent meeting with the rector of the Philosophical-Theological University Benedict XVI. Heiligenkreuz, Prof. Dr. P. Karl Wallner OCist, the new student group was able to find out about the academic theology on site in the evening. Prof. Wallner also recalled the visit of the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, to the Monastery and University of Heiligenkreuz on the occasion of his pastoral visit in September 2007.
On Sunday, Fr. Raphael Statt OCist gave an impressive insight into the monastery's important works of art. Following the joint visit to the convent office, there was the opportunity to take a guided tour of the monastery.
The New Student Circle Joseph Ratzinger / Pope Benedict XVI. thanks Abbot Maximilian very warmly for the hospitality and his participation in the entire conference.

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Report and photos: Manuel Wluka

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