Pope Francis remembers: A warm reunion in Eichstätt

Pope Francis remembers: A warm reunion in Eichstätt

in an unexpected meeting in August 2024 during the World Congress for Philosophy in Rome, there was an emotional reunification between Pope Francis and Dr. Raúl Fornet Betancourt, a long-time lecturer at the Catholic University of Eichstätt. As early as the 1980s, Fornet Betancourt was decisively involved in the invitation from Bergoglio to Eichstätt. At that time, the Pope spent four formative days in the city, which should culminate in intensive cooperation with the Jesuits University in Buenos Aires. These encounters framed a historical phase that resulted in unexpected developments in the Catholic Church. However, the cooperation between the Ku and the Jesuit University was not realized, which paved the way for other research projects. This development turned out to be crucial in retrospect in the context of Catholic theology in Latin America.

turning point in Rome

Today, 40 years later, FORNNE BETANTASCOURT was found in a special position during the Papstudienz in the Vatican. Despite his humble attitude and the large number of philosophers that were present, the Pope immediately recognized him. "Eichstätt-Raúl?" He called and got Fornet Betancourt closer. This encounter not only shows the remarkable memories that the Pope has in Eichstätt, but also the ongoing connection to Fornet Betancourt. During their conversation, they had time to chat Spanish together in their mother tongue and to exchange memories, with Bergoglio with a warm laugh on the already legendary German sentence "This is Ms. Bishop!" Covered. This not only shows her once close friendship, but also increases the light that is thrown on the important role of Fornet Betancourt in the academic and theological discussion of the past decades.

dr. Raúl Fornet Betancourt, a renowned Latin American philosopher, is known for his intercultural approaches and work on the philosophy of exemption. His academic work extends over several continents, including as a fee professor at RWTH Aachen and professor at the University of Bremen. With over 50 published books and numerous articles, he has made significant contributions to philosophy, in particular on the subject of social exclusion. This diverse experience and expertise give its connection to the Pope and the Catholic University of Eichstätt a deeper dimension, which underlines the importance of this random but fateful meeting.

More details about Raúl Fornet-Betancourt can be found on the Wikipedia page About him and the memories of the time together are on the website of the Catholic University of Eichstätt held