by Carlos Santander
The Ratzinger Prize 2026 will be awarded to Prof. John C. Cavadini, Professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame (Indiana), in recognition of his contribution to theological research, scholarly publishing, and university teaching.
The candidacy was proposed by the Scientific Committee of the Joseph Ratzinger – Benedict XVI Vatican Foundation and approved by Pope Leo XIV. The prize will be conferred by the Holy Father on December 19, 2026, at the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican.
Cavadini is a leading scholar in the field of patristic theology, with particular attention to the thought of St. Augustine. At the University of Notre Dame, he also served as director of the McGrath Institute for Church Life. His work combines academic research and teaching with a strong ecclesial and pastoral dimension. In commenting on the award, Cavadini emphasized his vocation as a theologian as vir ecclesiasticus, a "man of the Church", inspired by the example of Origen of Alexandria.
Established in 2011, with the 2026 edition the Ratzinger Prize has reached a total of 32 award winners, from 18 countries and five continents. Over the years, the award has been given to prominent figures in the fields of theology, Sacred Scripture, patristics, philosophy, law, sociology, and the arts. Among the laureates are not only Catholics, but also members of other Christian denominations and a figure of the Jewish faith, testifying to the international and ecumenical dimension of the Prize.
The 2026 Prize is also part of the broader journey of preparation for the centenary of the birth of Joseph Ratzinger/Benedict XVI, which includes numerous initiatives and international conferences dedicated to his work and theological legacy.
Prof. Cavadini thus welcomed the news of the conferral of the Prize as follows:
«I am very humbled to receive this award, especially after two truly giants in our field, also
members of our Department, who have received it, Fr. Brian Daley, S.J., and Cyril O'Regan. I have
tried to pursue my vocation as a theologian following the pattern of 3rd century theologian Origen
of Alexandria who repeatedly declared that as a theologian he wanted to be a vir ecclesiasticus, a
man of the Church. At Notre Dame I have been able to pursue my vocation as a man of the Church
and also at the same time as a man of the Academy, both. I am especially grateful for this award
because it recognizes these twin aspects of my vocation as a theologian. I would hope that,
somehow folded into this award, and honored with it, are all of my students, past and present and
future, graduate and undergraduate, all of my colleagues in the Department of Theology to whom I
owe so much, and all of the faculty and staff of the McGrath Institute for Church Life, of whose
gifts I have been the beneficiary for the last 26 years. Most of all, perhaps, I hope this award
redounds, with gratitude, to the credit of Our Lady, the patroness of our university, under whose
protection we have flourished for the last 183 years, and may it be so for the next 183 years».
Press Kit: https://www.fondazioneratzinger.va/content/fondazioneratzinger/it.
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