Birmingham: Nostra Aetate 60th Anniversary celebration at St Chad's Cathedral

Cardinal Vincent with participants at St Chad''s

Source: Columbans

The National Nostra Aetate 60th Anniversary celebration took place at St Chad's Cathedral in Birmingham on Saturday.

The celebration was organised by the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales (BCEW) and included a panel discussion on the capacity of faith communities to discuss end-of-life concerns.

The discussion was followed by Sung Vespers, presided over by Archbishop Bernard Longley of Birmingham, together with Cardinals Vincent Nichols and Michael Fitzgerald, alongside local faith leaders from the Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, and Sikh communities, who each offered a reflection. A reflection from the Anglican Bishop of Birmingham, Michael Volland, was also read: "A hopeful future for mankind will emerge only from a recognition that everyone is our neighbour," it read.

This national event - which was also attended by many bishops and people of different faiths - followed a series of three local events organised by the Columbans, in partnership with the local Church and other faith communities, which focused respectively on bilateral dialogue between Christians and Jews, Muslims, and the Dharmic traditions.

As we move forward, the legacy of this important document continues to inspire us to deepen our relationships with people of all faiths and none. The title of the document, Nostra Aetate ("In Our Time"), points to the ongoing need to build life-giving relationships among diverse communities today. We recognise the many challenges that remain, yet we journey on in hope.

The declaration "paved the way for a new era of understanding, particularly in Catholic-Jewish relations, and it prompted respect for all religions," said Bishop Patrick McKinney, the lead Catholic Bishop for Interreligious Dialogue.