Ach, Mein Gott in Himmel!

Joaquin Navarro-Valls released a statement this morning which began thus:

"On Saturday, 24 September 2005, a dialogue took place between His Holiness Benedict XVI and Professor Hans Kung...."

UPDATE: Kung gave an interview to the AP. Here goes:

Kueng said the audience lasted several hours and was "very constructive and even a friendly conversation."

He said the two had known each other for decades, but had had a falling out after he questioned the infallibility of the pope.

"I am sure that this will be seen in the Catholic world, and even more than that, as a hopeful sign because it shows that he has more positive intentions than maybe what was seen at the beginning."

"That he talked to me is a very significant event. I asked his predecessor for 25 years to see him," he added.

Kueng and the pope had been colleagues at Tuebingen University, and it was Kueng who had urged its theology department to hire the young Ratzinger. The two also attended the Second Vatican Council in the mid-1960s.

Kueng founded the Global Ethic Foundation, or Weltethos, which was formed on the idea that world religions can contribute to peace if they reflect on common ethics and values.

"We met only once after the big clash (of) 1979 and 1980, we met in Bavaria in 1983," Kueng said. He said that meeting was "a rather tense situation."

"Now I got the impression that he was the same person I knew from the happy Tuebingen years," he said.

Wow. This is the third "hidden" audience that we know of.... Fellay, Fallaci and Kung -- oh, my!

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