Cardinal Czerny awarded inaugural Pope Leo XIV Sustainability Medal

In brief

Villanova University has named Cardinal Michael Czerny as the first recipient of the Pope Leo XIV Sustainability Medal. The award was created by the university, which is the alma mater of the pope.

Cardinal Czerny previously served as the prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. He attended a news conference at the Vatican on September 14, 2026, to announce the 2026 Villanova University International Sustainability Conference, titled Responding to the Cries of the Earth and the Poor.