Benedictine College conference revisits Jewish-Catholic friendship, Nostra Aetate anniversary

Benedictine College brought Jewish-Catholic dialogue into the center of campus life in Atchison with a free conference and keynote that tied a landmark Church document to today’s rise in antisemitism. The college’s video page featured Joe Heschmeyer’s keynote and Q&A, recorded May 6, as part of a one-day gathering marking the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, the Catholic Church’s defining statement on its relationship with Jewish people.

The full program, titled Nostra Aetate Beyond 60: Shoulder to Shoulder: Strengthening Jewish-Catholic Friendship at a Moment of Crisis, was built to reach beyond a single lecture. Benedictine said Catholics, scholars and students were invited to explore the theological, historical and spiritual foundations of Jewish-Catholic friendship, with opening remarks, keynotes by Heschmeyer, Lawrence Feingold and Matthew Ramage, a panel on Hebrew Catholics and Jewish-Catholic relations, and closing remarks. The college also said registration was free for both in-person and virtual attendees, widening access beyond those already on campus.

That local reach matters in Atchison, where Benedictine remains one of the county’s most visible institutions and a regular host for theology, culture and public-interest programming. By co-hosting the conference with the Coalition of Catholics Against Antisemitism, the college placed the event squarely in the public conversation about religious difference, not just in an academic lane. The framing made clear that the purpose was not simply to revisit history, but to ask how Catholics and Jews should respond now, as religious identity faces pressure in public life.

The timing also carried weight outside the college. The Anti-Defamation League and Jewish Federations of North America reported in 2025 that 77% of American Jews felt less safe because of the Oct. 7 attacks, and 56% said they altered their behavior out of fear of antisemitism in 2024. A Jewish Federations summary of the study said 79% of Jews were concerned about antisemitism and 48% took steps to increase personal security. In October 2025, Pope Leo XIV said Nostra Aetate remained highly relevant and reaffirmed that the Church does not tolerate antisemitism. For area parishes, students and civic leaders, Benedictine’s conference offered a practical reminder that interfaith friendship is not abstract doctrine. It is part of how communities decide whether public life will be shaped by suspicion or by informed, sustained conversation.