Ratzinger Prize honours legacy of a ‘Master of hope in dark times’

By Vatican News

On November 22, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, highlighted the enduring legacy of the work and testimony of Pope Benedict XVI at the 2024 Ratzinger Prize award ceremony in the Sala Regia of the Apostolic Palace .

This year’s winners are Irish theologian Cyril O’Regan and Japanese sculptor Etsurō Sotoo.

Benedict XVI: a voice of hope

Speaking at the end of the ceremony, the Vatican secretary of state reflected on how the teachings of Benedict XVI remind us to keep faith and hope amid the struggles of modern times, marked by hatred and evil.

He recalled that Pope Benedict XVI’s encyclical Spe Salvi “is entirely dedicated to hope: to human hope and to Christian hope” and he declared that the two winners resonate with the theology, the sensitivity and the human and Christian testimony of Joseph Ratzinger who devoted his life to “the search for truth in everything”. of its forms.

Ratzinger Prize 2024

The winners

Honor Cyril O’ReganAn Irish theologian who teaches at the University of Notre Dame in the United States, Cardinal Parolin praised him for his deep reflection on Benedict XVI’s humility and commitment to serving God through the tradition of the Church.

Turn to the Japanese sculptor Etsurō SotooParolin stressed that he is known for his work on the Barcelona club Sagrada Familia Cathedral, where the artist continues Gaudí’s vision, using art to communicate spiritual truths. He views the church, the cardinal said, as a “stone Bible,” echoing Benedict XVI’s belief in the integration of beauty and faith.

Ratzinger’s universal legacy

Father Federico Lombardi, SJ, president of the Ratzinger Foundation, highlighted the growing global impact of the work of Benedict XVI.

Initiatives such as the new “Benedict XVI Chair” at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, he said, demonstrate the enduring influence of his thinking across disciplines and cultures.

Ratzinger Prize 2024