At 11:00 a.m., in the Holy See Press Office, a "Meeting Point" is held for accredited journalists dedicated to presenting the 2026 Ratzinger Prize and the initiatives of the Vatican Joseph Ratzinger – Benedict XVI Foundation for the centenary of the birth of Pope Benedict XVI (April 16, 1927). Speakers include the Foundation's President, Rev. Prof. Roberto Regoli, and its Executive Secretary, Prof. Pierluca Azzaro. Established in 2010, the Ratzinger Prize is awarded each year, with the Pope's approval, to prominent figures in theology and Christian-inspired culture. During the meeting the 2026 winner is announced: US theologian John C. Cavadini, professor of patristic theology at the University of Notre Dame (Indiana) and a specialist on the work of Saint Augustine, chosen by the Foundation's Scientific Committee with the approval of Pope Leo XIV. President Regoli praised "the seriousness of his theological publications, his commitment to university teaching, his disciplinary competence, his pastoral passion and his lasting ecclesial service", while Secretary Azzaro described him as a theologian who understands research and teaching as a form of mission and evangelization. The award ceremony will take place on December 19, 2026 in the Apostolic Palace. Cavadini, who directed the McGrath Institute for Church Life at Notre Dame, says: "I have sought to live my vocation as a theologian on the model of Origen of Alexandria, a third-century theologian who repeatedly declared his wish to be a vir ecclesiasticus, a man of the Church." The Foundation also announces three international conferences in November 2026 (in the United States and Kenya) and a major event in Rome in 2027 for the centenary of Benedict XVI's birth, culminating in a Mass in St. Peter's on April 16.