Two Former Speakers at the Dominican House of Studies Honored by Pope Benedict

On Saturday, October 20, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI conferred the Ratzinger Prize for Theology on two scholars, the American Father Brian E. Daley, S.J., and the French layman Rémi Brague. Father Daley is the Catherine F. Huisking Professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame, and serves as the executive secretary of the North American Orthodox-Roman Catholic Consultation. Father Daley’s books include major studies on patristic eschatology and St. Gregory of Nazianzus. Dr. Brague is professor emeritus at the Sorbonne in Paris and professor at the Ludwig-Maximilian University in Munich. His books include explorations on the topics of western civilization and the law of God in the history of philosophy.

The Dominican House of Studies in Washington has special congratulations to offer to these two recipients. Both scholars have been hosted there through the Pontifical Faculty’s Thomistic Circles. Dr. Brague gave a lecture on December 9, 2010 entitled, “Is a Secular Society Possible?” Father Daley spoke at a conference on Chalcedonian Christology, held October 5-6, 2012, with a lecture entitled, “Unpacking the Chalcedonian Formula: From Studied Ambiguity to Saving Mystery.” Prefacing his talk, Father Daley said that his great uncle, Father George Ignatius Conlan, O.P., was a son of the Dominican Province of St. Joseph. Also, he told the conference attendants that he enjoys returning to this priory to see his great grandparents’ names recorded as benefactors on a plaque to honor them.

The Ratzinger Prize, which was given for the first time last year, has been nicknamed the “Nobel” in theology. It was established by the Ratzinger Foundation, with charitable donations and money set aside from the sale of Pope Benedict’s books, to recognize select scholars outstanding in the fields of Sacred Scripture, patristics, and fundamental theology. Each recipient receives $87,000 and is awarded the prize with special congratulations by Pope Benedict himself. This year, the Holy Father did so within the context of the Synod of Bishops for the New Evangelization, as many bishops from around the world were in attendance to see Father Daley and Dr. Brague honored. May God continue to bless the important work of Father Daley and Prof. Brague!