Nostra Aetate - 50 Years Later: Commemorating Jewish-Catholic Relations
Location(s): Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center | Dallas, Texas
Jewish-Catholic relations were forever changed when, 50 years ago, the Catholic Church published a groundbreaking declaration on the authentic value of non-Christian religions. Known by its Latin title, “Nostra Aetate,” this declaration focused particularly on Jewish-Catholic relations and initiated a wave of inter-religious dialogue and collaboration that has had enormous impact both in Dallas and throughout the world.
Join us at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center on Wednesday, Nov. 4, at 7:00 p.m., as we commemorate 50 years of “Nostra Aetate” with a conversation between the two leading authorities on inter-religious dialogue that has shaped the last five decades of Jewish-Catholic relations. The University of Dallas, together with the Catholic Diocese of Dallas and the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas, present “Nostra Aetate- 50 Years Later: Commemorating Jewish-Catholic Relations,” a joint address by Rabbi David Rosen, former chief rabbi of Ireland and international director of inter-religious affairs for the American Jewish Committee, and Bishop Brian Farrell, Vatican secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.
“Rabbi Rosen and Bishop Farrell are both exemplary men of faith who live out on a daily basis the spirit of ecumenism and interreligious dialogue. We are honored to be able to host this opportunity for two ancient faiths to celebrate how far we’ve come and continue to grow in understanding and friendship,” said University of Dallas President Thomas W. Keefe.
“Nostra Aetate,” Latin for “in our time,” focused particularly on Jewish-Catholic relations and initiated a wave of interreligious dialogue and collaboration between the two communities that has had enormous impact both in Dallas and throughout the world.
Rabbi Rosen and Bishop Brian Farrell will bring a message of peace and interreligious relations to the greater Dallas community through their joint keynote address, which will take the form of a dialogue.
Currently based in Jerusalem, Rosen served as chief rabbi of Ireland from 1979-1985. The recipient of a papal knighthood for his contribution to Jewish-Catholic reconciliation and a Commander of the British Empire by H.M. Queen Elizabeth II for his work promoting interfaith understanding and cooperation, Rosen has worked toward interfaith understanding for decades and across continents. As the international director of interreligious affairs, he oversees interfaith relations for one of the largest global Jewish advocacy groups in existence, the American Jewish Committee (AJC). Appreciation is extended to the AJC for his appearance at this event.
Farrell, the older brother of Dallas Diocese Bishop Kevin Farrell, has led the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity at the Vatican since 2002, serving Pope Francis, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and Pope St. John Paul II. He previously worked for the Vatican’s Secretariat of State from 1981-2002.
For more information contact Lynn Rossol at or 214-379-2854
To purchase tickets, visit www.udallas.edu/50years.