{"id":842,"date":"2026-03-17T15:35:24","date_gmt":"2026-03-17T14:35:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/introductory-remarks\/"},"modified":"2026-03-26T13:33:12","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T12:33:12","slug":"introductory-remarks","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/en\/introductory-remarks\/","title":{"rendered":"Introductory Remarks"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Introductory Remarks for the Benedict Prize of M\u00f6nchengladbach<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

August 26, 2013 from Vatican City<\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t

Tribute by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

What you have shared about the Benedict Prize of M\u00f6nchengladbach is entirely gratifying.
I was pleased to read the preamble to the statutes: such an initiative will surely encourage people to reflect on the great themes of Western existence and to offer valuable contributions.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

December 20, 2013<\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t

Tribute by the President of the North Rhine-Westphalia State Parliament, Ms. Carina G\u00f6decke<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\u201cOne should not wish to foresee the future, but to enable it.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

This quote by the French writer Antoine de Saint-Exup\u00e9ry perfectly encapsulates how essential each individual’s willingness is to collectively shape our coexistence today, tomorrow, and beyond. Our society relies on pioneers who have the courage to responsibly address the challenges of our time with innovative ideas and concepts based on existing values. I wholeheartedly support the Benedict Prize of M\u00f6nchengladbach, which aims to honor the constructive commitment of individuals to a tolerant and future-proof coexistence in Europe. My gratitude goes to the initiators who have infused new life into the Benedict Prize of M\u00f6nchengladbach and its idea, thereby making a forward-looking decision.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

March 20, 2014<\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t

Tribute by Manfred Rekowski, Praeses of the Evangelical Church in the Rhineland<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

The Benedict Prize of M\u00f6nchengladbach keeps alive the memory of a man who is also an important witness of faith for Evangelical Christians. For Benedict recommends a synthesis of meaningful work and prayer. This makes him a noteworthy advisor, especially for our time. Benedict of Nursia (480 \u2013 547) lived in a time of upheaval and experienced extensive migratory movements. Perhaps it was precisely this unrest that led Benedict to demand inner and outer steadfastness for monastic life. However, the Western monasticism profoundly shaped by Benedict was not merely an offer of a \u201cWay of Life\u201d carried and determined by our Christian faith and commandment of love. It became a decisive preserver, co-creator, and tradition-bearer of our Western culture throughout Europe. With full justification, Benedict has therefore been called an ambassador of peace, a master of civilization, and a messenger of faith*.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t

*from the declaration of Pope Paul VI on October 24, 1964, in Montecassino (Elevation of Benedict as \u201cPatron Saint of Europe\u201d)<\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Introductory Remarks for the Benedict Prize of M\u00f6nchengladbach August 26, 2013 from Vatican City Tribute by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. What you have shared about the Benedict Prize of M\u00f6nchengladbach is entirely gratifying.I was pleased to read the preamble to the statutes: such an initiative will surely encourage people to reflect on the great themes […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-842","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nIntroductory Remarks - Benediktpreis von M\u00f6nchengladbach<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/en\/introductory-remarks\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Introductory Remarks - Benediktpreis von M\u00f6nchengladbach\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Introductory Remarks for the Benedict Prize of M\u00f6nchengladbach August 26, 2013 from Vatican City Tribute by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. What you have shared about the Benedict Prize of M\u00f6nchengladbach is entirely gratifying.I was pleased to read the preamble to the statutes: such an initiative will surely encourage people to reflect on the great themes […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/en\/introductory-remarks\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Benediktpreis von M\u00f6nchengladbach\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-26T12:33:12+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/iStock-1301768659-1024x683.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"683\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.benediktpreis.de\\\/en\\\/introductory-remarks\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.benediktpreis.de\\\/en\\\/introductory-remarks\\\/\",\"name\":\"Introductory Remarks - Benediktpreis von M\u00f6nchengladbach\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.benediktpreis.de\\\/en\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.benediktpreis.de\\\/en\\\/introductory-remarks\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.benediktpreis.de\\\/en\\\/introductory-remarks\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.benediktpreis.de\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/iStock-1301768659-1024x683.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-03-17T14:35:24+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-26T12:33:12+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.benediktpreis.de\\\/en\\\/introductory-remarks\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.benediktpreis.de\\\/en\\\/introductory-remarks\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.benediktpreis.de\\\/en\\\/introductory-remarks\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.benediktpreis.de\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/iStock-1301768659-1024x683.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.benediktpreis.de\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/iStock-1301768659-1024x683.jpg\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.benediktpreis.de\\\/en\\\/introductory-remarks\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Start\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.benediktpreis.de\\\/en\\\/home\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Introductory Remarks\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.benediktpreis.de\\\/en\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.benediktpreis.de\\\/en\\\/\",\"name\":\"Benediktpreis von M\u00f6nchengladbach\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.benediktpreis.de\\\/en\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.benediktpreis.de\\\/en\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.benediktpreis.de\\\/en\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Benediktpreis von M\u00f6nchengladbach\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.benediktpreis.de\\\/en\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.benediktpreis.de\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.benediktpreis.de\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/02\\\/Benediktpreis-Logo.svg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.benediktpreis.de\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/02\\\/Benediktpreis-Logo.svg\",\"width\":207,\"height\":64,\"caption\":\"Benediktpreis von M\u00f6nchengladbach\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.benediktpreis.de\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Introductory Remarks - Benediktpreis von M\u00f6nchengladbach","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/en\/introductory-remarks\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Introductory Remarks - Benediktpreis von M\u00f6nchengladbach","og_description":"Introductory Remarks for the Benedict Prize of M\u00f6nchengladbach August 26, 2013 from Vatican City Tribute by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. What you have shared about the Benedict Prize of M\u00f6nchengladbach is entirely gratifying.I was pleased to read the preamble to the statutes: such an initiative will surely encourage people to reflect on the great themes […]","og_url":"https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/en\/introductory-remarks\/","og_site_name":"Benediktpreis von M\u00f6nchengladbach","article_modified_time":"2026-03-26T12:33:12+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1024,"height":683,"url":"https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/iStock-1301768659-1024x683.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"2 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/en\/introductory-remarks\/","url":"https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/en\/introductory-remarks\/","name":"Introductory Remarks - Benediktpreis von M\u00f6nchengladbach","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/en\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/en\/introductory-remarks\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/en\/introductory-remarks\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/iStock-1301768659-1024x683.jpg","datePublished":"2026-03-17T14:35:24+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-26T12:33:12+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/en\/introductory-remarks\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/en\/introductory-remarks\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/en\/introductory-remarks\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/iStock-1301768659-1024x683.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/iStock-1301768659-1024x683.jpg"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/en\/introductory-remarks\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Start","item":"https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/en\/home\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Introductory Remarks"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/en\/","name":"Benediktpreis von M\u00f6nchengladbach","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/en\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/en\/#organization","name":"Benediktpreis von M\u00f6nchengladbach","url":"https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/en\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Benediktpreis-Logo.svg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Benediktpreis-Logo.svg","width":207,"height":64,"caption":"Benediktpreis von M\u00f6nchengladbach"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/842","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=842"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/842\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":847,"href":"https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/842\/revisions\/847"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.benediktpreis.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=842"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}