The Ratzinger Circle of Alumni is an initiative by former doctoral and post-doctoral students of theologian Joseph Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI). The Alumni Circle is composed of former students of the universities of Bonn 1959–1963, Münster 1963–1966, Tübingen 1966–1969 and Regensburg 1969–1977. The former students, most of them distinguished professors today, meet with their professor annually in order to discuss and study with their teacher important theological issues while celebrating their devotion to what they consider a special responsibility for the spiritual heritage of their teacher.
Background The first meeting took place in 1978 and is repeated annually. The long tradition was not interrupted during the Papacy of Ratzinger, despite his role and commitments. This initiative led the alumni to create a foundation, the Ratzinger Foundation and later an award, given to theologians and philosophers every two years.Ratzinger Foundation Official Page
Members The 44 members of the Ratzinger Circle of Alumni are:
Prof. Barthélemy Adoukonou, Abidjan, Ivory Coast Dr. Roman Angulanza, Salzburg, Austria Dr. Francine Cottage, Münster, Germany Prof. em. Wolfgang Beinert, Pentling, Germany Dr. P. Martin Bialas Č.p., Schwarzenfeld, Germany Dr. Catherine M. Bommes, Regensburg, Germany Prof. em. DDr. Werner Broker, Greven, Germany Prof. em. Dr. John Dormann, Bösensell, Germany Prof. Dr. P. P. Joseph Fessio, Ave Maria University, Florida, United States Prof. Dr. Henrique de Noronha Galvão, Lisbon, Portugal Prof. em. Dr. Hahn P.Viktor Czechoslovakia, Cologne Dr.Dr. Erich Heck, Cologne-Lindenthal, Germany Pastor I.R. Prelate Dr. Michael Hofmann, Fürth, Germany Prof. em. Dr. Stephen P. Horn SDS, parish churches and Rome, Italy Rev. Dr. Werner Hülsenbusch, Münster, Germany Auxiliary Bishop Hans-Jochen Jaschke, Hamburg Prof. Jung-Hi (Victoria) Kim, Gwangju, South Korea Canon Hans Kümmeringer, Salzweg, Germany Prof. Dr. Dr. Peter Kuhn, Munich, Germany Dr. John P. Lehmann Dronke CRV, Weilheim, Germany Sister Dr. Mechtild Linde, Rees, Germany Sr. Maria Lugosi SSS, Kenmore, New York, United States Dr. Charles MacDonald, Nova Scotia, Canada Dr. Venicio Marcolino, Tübingen, Germany Dr. P. Michael John Marmann, Munich, Germany Prelate Dr. Helmut Moll, Cologne, Germany Prof. em. Dr. Vincent Pfnür, Münster, Germany L. Rev. Dr. Seamus Ryan, Dublin, Ireland Father Antoine Saroyan, Glendale, California, United States Prelate Emeritus Professor. Dr. Theo Schäfer, Niederzissen, Germany Pastor Udo M. Schiffer, King Winter Ittenbach, Germany Senior teacher Wolfram Schmidt, Kelheim, Germany Vicar General Hubert J.G.M. Schnackers, Roermond, The Netherlands Prof. Dr. P. Cardinal Christoph Schönborn OP, Vienna, Austria Rev. Fr Prof. Alex Thannippara CMI Bellampalli, India Prof. Dr. P. Réal Tremblay Rome, Italy Rev. Dr. Martin Trimpe, Lingen - Laxten, Germany Prof. em. P. Dr. Vincent Twomey SVD, Maynooth, Ireland Prof. Dr. Hans Jürgen Verweyen, Merzhausen, Germany Dr. theol. hab. Louis Weimer, Bad Tolz, Germany Prof. em. Dr. Siegfried Wiedenhofer, Unterliederbach a. Ts., Germany Prof. em. Dr. Joseph Wohlmuth, Bonn, Germany Senior teacher a.e.H. Dr. Josef Zöhrer, Germany Dr. Cornelio Del Zotto, OFM, Rome, Italy
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