The recipients of the 2022 Ratzinger Prize will receive the award from the hands of Pope Francis. This year’s recipients are a professor of theology and a professor of law.
Newsroom (07/10/2022 13:45, Gaudium Press) Pope Francis will award the Ratzinger Prize to the two 2022 laureates, Professor Michel Fédou, SJ, and Professor Joseph Halevi Horowitz Weiler.
The award ceremony will take place on December 1 in the Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace.
The Ratzinger Prize is awarded to university personalities who have distinguished themselves for publications or scientific research of outstanding value during the year.
Created in 2011, the award is a recognition of the academic work of researchers and scholars who have made a significant and authentic contribution to theology.
Michel Fédou, SJ
Professor Michel Fédou is a French Jesuit, born in Lyon in 1952. He has been professor of dogmatic and patristic theology at the Centre Sèvre in Paris since 1987. He was dean and then president of the Faculty of Theology of the same establishment.
Deeply committed to ecumenical dialogue, Father and Professor Michel Fédou is a member of several associations that engage in dialogue with Lutherans and Orthodox. He is the author of several works mainly on patristics and Christology.
Joseph H. H. Weiler
The other recipient of the 2022 Ratzinger Prize, is Jewish professor Joseph HH Weiler. An American citizen but born in South Africa in 1951, Joseph HH Weiler is a professor and holder of the Jean Monnet Chair at New York University, director of the Hauser Global Law School program, and professor at the College of Europe. In addition he is a professor and member of the student council of several teaching institutes in Europe and Macau.
Joseph Weiler is the author of works on constitutional, international and European law. Weiler became especially well-known in Italy when he argued that the crucifix displayed in school classrooms does not violate the European Convention on Human Rights.
The Ratzinger Foundation Committee
So far the Joseph Ratzinger prize has been distributed to 26 personalities from 16 countries. The winners are previously selected by the scientific committee of the Foundation, which is currently five: Cardinal Angelo Amato, who was replaced this year by Archbishop Salvatore Fisichella, Cardinal Kurt Koch, Cardinal Luis Ladaria, Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi and Monsignor Rudolf Voderholzer, Bishop of Regensburg and President of the Papst Benedikt Institute.
Besides the awarding of the prize, the Ratzinger Foundation promotes symposiums internationally in partnership with universities from all over the world. (FM)
Compiled by Florence MacDonald
