A collaboration between the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture and the Joseph Ratzinger-Benedict XVI Vatican Foundation has helped the University of Notre Dame secure its second-ever winner of the prestigious Ratzinger Prize.

Cyril O’Regan, Catherine F. Huisking Professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame, will receive the award in a private audience with Pope Francis in the Vatican on November 22, 2024. Professor O’Regan offered the opening keynote address at the de Nicola Center’s April 2024 conference on the intellectual legacy of Pope Benedict XVI, hosted in partnership with the Joseph Ratzinger-Benedict XVI Vatican Foundation and the Benedict XVI Institute.

“Through our direct collaboration with the Ratzinger Foundation on the intellectual legacy of Pope Benedict XVI, the de Nicola Center was proud to feature the work of a scholar as deserving of the Ratzinger Prize as Professor Cyril O’Regan,” said Jennifer Newsome Martin, director of the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture. “His prodigious scholarship in philosophy and theology—whether on Joseph Ratzinger, Hegel, Heidegger, Gnosticism, Hans Urs von Balthasar, or John Henry Newman—is characterized not only by great erudition but also its grace, lyricism, and an unparalleled generosity of mind. It is a great honor for Notre Dame, the Department of Theology, and the de Nicola Center to be associated with O’Regan’s work, which, in its capacity to speak both to the intellect and to the heart, is a fitting reflection of Pope Benedict’s own theological style and efforts.”

“The Foundation is especially happy to award the Ratzinger Prize this year to a theologian who is so esteemed and to such a refined interpreter of the thought of Joseph Ratzinger,” said Rev. Federico Lombardi, S.J., president of the Joseph Ratzinger-Benedict XVI Vatican Foundation. “This is an event that, without a doubt, represents an important step on the journey of our collaboration with the University of Notre Dame, the de Nicola Center, and the American academy.”

The prize is awarded annually to “scholars who have distinguished themselves with particular merit in the activity of publication and/or scientific research.” In recent years, the scope of the awardees has expanded to include artists inspired by Christian themes in their work. Twenty-eight individuals have received the Ratzinger Prize to date, including Notre Dame Professor of Theology (emeritus) Rev. Brian E. Dailey, S.J. (2012), composer Arvo Pärt (2017), and philosopher and theologian Jean-Luc Marion (2020).

O’Regan presented the opening keynote address at the de Nicola Center’s conference titled “Pope Benedict XVI’s Legacy: Unfinished Debates on Faith, Culture and Politics,” April 7–9, 2024, which featured contributions from both emeritus and emerging scholars from around the world who considered six of the most influential addresses delivered by the Holy Father during the course of his papacy.

In his remarks, O’Regan opined that it is difficult to adequately appropriate Pope Benedict’s legacy—“to remember in a way that does justice to its eloquent and charitable firmness, the insights provided regarding the nature of faith, and especially of its understanding of the Church and its encounter with the modern world.” “With respect to the last of these,” O’Regan continued, “his words are as bracing as they are illuminating, and we continue to discern, discriminate, and sift.”

Reflecting upon his keynote at the conference, O’Regan said there was a certain “measure of luck—or if you are a theologian such as I am—then some measure of grace” in his participation. He indicated his gratitude for the “very warm reception given to the talk by Father Lombardi and the other members of the Ratzinger Foundation” in attendance, and expressed admiration for the contributions of two previous winners of the Ratzinger Prize, Rémi Brague (Sorbonne, 2012) and Tracey Rowland (University of Notre Dame, Australia, 2020), who also delivered remarks at the conference.

O’Regan’s keynote was followed by contributions from scholars such as Sheila Jasanoff (Harvard Kennedy School), Chantal Delsol (Université de Marne-la-Vallée), Archbishop Charles Scicluna (Malta), and many others. Select proceedings from the conference will be published in a forthcoming volume with the University of Notre Dame Press.

The de Nicola Center also congratulates the second winner of the 2024 Ratzinger Prize, Etsuro Sotoo, lead sculptor of the Sagrada Familia Basilica in Barcelona, Spain. Sotoo delivered the keynote lecture at the de Nicola Center’s 2016 Fall Conference, “You Are Beauty.” In his expansive remarks, “Beauty Is Part of God’s Creation,” Sotoo reflected on the inspiration he draws for his sculptures from the intricate patterns found in the created world.

A native of Japan, Sotoo converted to the Catholic faith shortly after visiting Barcelona at age 25 and marveling at the work begun by Antoni Gaudí on the Sagrada Familia. Since then, Sotoo has dedicated his artistic output to completing work on the basilica, scheduled for 2026. The basilica was consecrated by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010.

Originally published by Kenneth Hallenius at ethicscenter.nd.edu on September 27, 2024.