Dr. John C. Cavadini, Professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame, has been named the recipient of the 2026 Ratzinger Prize for his distinguished contributions to patristic studies, with particular focus on Saint Augustine.
The selection was made by the Scientific Committee of the Joseph Ratzinger–Benedict XVI Vatican Foundation and approved by Pope Leo XIV, who will present the award at the Apostolic Palace on December 19.
Expressing his gratitude, Dr. Cavadini noted that he has consistently sought to model his career on Origen of Alexandria, a third-century theologian who aimed 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," Cavadini said. "I am particularly grateful for this award because it recognizes these two aspects of my vocation."
Fr. Roberto Regoli, President of the Foundation, highlighted Dr. Cavadini's breadth of work spanning from antiquity to modern times. "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," Regoli said, noting Cavadini’s writings on Benedict XVI and Pope Francis, as well as his past leadership at Notre Dame's McGrath Institute for Church Life.
Dr. Cavadini is the 32nd scholar to receive the prestigious honor since its inception in 2011. The award recognizes exceptional research across dogmatic theology, Sacred Scripture, philosophy, patrology, law, sociology, and the arts.
Centenary Preparations for Joseph Ratzinger
The award announcement coincides with preparations for the 2027 centenary of Joseph Ratzinger's birth (April 16, 1927). In anticipation, the Foundation is organizing three major international conferences this November:
Nov. 2–4 (Winona, MN): Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota will host “Beauty Will Save Us: Wonder and Hope in the Works of Joseph Ratzinger-Benedict XVI.” The symposium addresses the gap between technical capability and moral guidance in modern academic institutions.
Nov. 4–6 (Winona, MN): Co-sponsored by the Diocese of Winona-Rochester and Word on Fire, this conference will examine “Joseph Ratzinger and His Sources.”
Nov. 18–21 (Nairobi, Kenya): Co-hosted by Tangaza University and Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, “Constellations of Hope: Africa and the Renewal of the Church in the Vision of Benedict XVI” will explore Ratzinger’s perspective on Africa as a source of spiritual and moral energy for the global Church.
Centenary events will culminate in 2027 with a major academic symposium in Rome involving top pontifical universities, musical performances, and a commemorative Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica on April 16, 2027.
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