Cover of Bridges - December 2025
In late 2025, the Columban Centre for Christian-Muslim Relations (CCCMR) released a landmark edition of its quarterly newsletter, Bridges, specifically curated to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council’s declaration, Nostra Aetate (In Our Time). Promulgated on 28 October 1965, this document serves as the Magna Carta of interreligious dialogue, fundamentally shifting the Catholic Church’s approach toward other faith traditions.
Key Highlights of the Anniversary Edition
The December 2025 issue (No. 109) serves as a reflective record of the global and local events that marked this diamond jubilee. Central to the reportage is the coverage of Pope Leo XIV’s activities in October 2025. The newsletter details the Pope’s general audience dedicated to the document’s legacy, where he reaffirmed the Church’s rejection of antisemitism and all forms of religious discrimination. Against a backdrop of global fragmentation, the newsletter also highlights the Pope's message at the Sant'Egidio Peace Meeting, emphasising that religions must be “bridges and prophecy” rather than “weapons or walls”.
Local Context and Leadership
Closer to home, the special edition celebrates a significant milestone for the Australian interfaith community: the appointment of Patrick McInerney, Director of the CCCMR, to an international commission for Christian-Muslim relations by the Holy Father. This recognition underscores the Centre’s long-standing commitment to fostering interfaith harmony in the Australian multi-religious landscape.
Educational and Practical Resources
True to its mission, this edition of Bridges functions as an educational resource. It outlines four practical imperatives for Nostra Aetate:
- Upholding international law as a standard for justice.
- Defending common human dignity.
- Preserving peace within local neighbourhoods.
- Practising justice within personal circles of influence.
The special edition of Bridges reaffirms that while Nostra Aetate is 60 years old, its mission is as urgent today as it was in 1965. It invites readers to view dialogue not as a mere tool for social cohesion, but as a transformative journey of the heart.
Related links
- Read more from the current Columban Interfaith eBulletin.
