With the pope's agreement and funding, the Joseph Ratzinger-Benedict XVI Vatican Foundation has been established to promote theological studies on his writings and to reward promising scholars.
Msgr. Giuseppe Antonio Scotti, president of the foundation, said it was established with just over $3.1 million from the pope.
The money represents part of the royalties from the publication of his books; the rest of his royalty income goes to charity, Msgr. Scotti told reporters Nov. 26.
Cardinal Camillo Ruini, retired papal vicar of Rome and president of the new foundation's scientific committee, said he hoped that someday the "Ratzinger Prizes" in sacred Scripture, patristics and fundamental theology "would be considered as something analogous to a Nobel Prize for theology."
The prizes and the conferences the foundation hopes to host should focus, like the pope's work, "on helping the truth, meaning and beauty of Christianity in relation to today's culture and society emerge," Cardinal Ruini said.
The activities of the Vatican-based foundation will be coordinated with those of a Germany-based foundation honoring the pope. The Joseph Ratzinger-Papst Benedikt XVI Stiftung was established in 2007 by a group of his former students.
Cardinal Ruini and other members of the scientific committee will draw up the specific requirements for submissions for the Ratzinger Prizes and will choose the winners, he said.
The other members of the committee include two former secretaries of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith: Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Vatican secretary of state, and Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for Saints' Causes.
Archbishop Luis Ladaria, current secretary of the doctrinal congregation, and Archbishop Jean-Louis Brugues, secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education, also are committee members.
SIC: CNS/INT'L
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