American theologian to receive the 2026 Ratzinger Prize

This year’s Ratzinger Prize has been awarded to Dr John C. Cavadini, Professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame (Indiana, USA), a scholar dedicated to patristic studies and, in particular, to deepening the understanding of the thought of Saint Augustine.

The recipient was selected by the Scientific Committee of the “Joseph Ratzinger-Benedict XVI Vatican Foundation” and approved by Pope Leo XIV, who will personally present the award in the Apostolic Palace on December 19.

Expressing his gratitude for the award, Dr Cavadini said, “I have sought to live out my vocation as a theologian following the model of Origen of Alexandria—a third-century theologian who repeatedly declared his desire to be a vir ecclesiasticus, a man of the Church. At Notre Dame, I have been able to live my vocation as both a man of the Church and a man of the academy. I am particularly grateful for this award because it recognizes these two aspects of my vocation as a theologian.”

Dr Cavadini’s interests extend to contemporary theology as well. Highlighting his dual commitment to the academic and pastoral spheres, Fr Roberto Regoli, the President of the Foundation, explained, “The American professor is an expert above all on the Church Fathers, especially Saint Augustine, but he has also engaged with the theology of our own time. He has written extensively on Benedict XVI and the theology of Francis. He is a scholar who has addressed the theology of the Church from antiquity through to the 21st century. At Notre Dame, he directed the McGrath Institute for Church Life and dedicated himself to fostering theological life and faith in the United States and abroad. He is a person deeply committed both intellectually and pastorally.”

Dr Cavadini is the 32nd scholar to receive the Ratzinger Prize, which has been awarded since 2011 in recognition of scholarly achievements in fields such as dogmatic or fundamental theology, Sacred Scripture, patrology, philosophy, law, sociology, or in the arts—including music, architecture, and sculpture.