Pope Francis to receive Charlemagne Prize
December 23, 2015
Pope Francis has been named the 2016 recipient of the International Charlemagne Prize, for bringing “a message of hope and encouragement” to Europe in a time of uncertainty.
The Charlemagne Prize, awarded annually since 1950 by donors in Aachen, Germany, is given for "distinguished service on behalf of European unification." Among the early recipients were the Italian premier Alcide de Gaspari (1952), Germany's Konrad Adenauer (1954), the "father of Europe" (and candidate for beatification) Robert Schuman (1958), and US General George Marshall, famous for the "Marshall Plan" that stimulated European economic recovery (1959).
St. John Paul II received the award in 2004.
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Posted by: Randal Mandock -
Dec. 26, 2015 10:07 AM ET USA
I found it comforting to read in the Pope's 21 December address to the Roman Curia (see CWN article titled "Return to the Essentials") the excerpt from one of the greatest prayers ever composed: Pope Clement XI's "Universal Prayer for All Things Necessary to Salvation." Pope Francis' articulation of the prayer is the best translation I have seen. It is also the one used in the 1960 New Marian Missal that I follow at Mass and recommend to all catechists and CCD students. His citing it gives hope.
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Posted by: Thomas429 -
Dec. 24, 2015 1:15 AM ET USA
I do not see where he has done that much for Europe. Charlemagne Award? I wonder what the folks who did this are thinking.
