In the Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace, Pope Francis welcomed members of the Joseph Ratzinger - Benedict XVI Vatican Foundation for the 12th Ratzinger Prize ceremony. Fr. Federico Lombardi explained the role of the Foundation in today's world.
FR. FEDERICO LOMBARDI
President, Ratzinger Foundation
To cultivate the relationship of dialogue between reason and faith characteristic of the thought of the Pope emeritus, which is essential for keeping the Church's presence alive in the culture of the contemporary world.
During his speech, Pope Francis described how the Foundation shows Pope Benedict XVI's ongoing impact on the Church and world.
POPE FRANCIS
The service of the Vatican Foundation Joseph Ratzinger - Benedict XVI is placed in this context, in the belief that his teachings and thoughts are not directed towards the past, but are fruitful for the future, for the implementation of the Council and for the dialogue between the Church and the world today, in the most topical and debated fields, such as integral ecology, human rights, and the encounter between different cultures.
This year's two recipients are Fr. Michel Fédou, a French theologian, and Professor Joseph Weiler, a Jewish lawyer and author. The Pope highlighted that while they come from different fields, both see Pope Benedict as being vitally important in today's world.
Pope Francis emphasized the importance of presenting the prize to the first Jewish recipient. He said one of the Pope emeritus' personal goals was to share and promote reconciliation between Christians and Jews.
The Joseph Ratzinger - Benedict XVI Vatican Foundation is dedicated to promoting research, study, and publications on the work and thoughts of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.
KG
