Beyond Rome

As one of the bonus episodes for Beyond Rome, we are sharing conversations from our conference, Called to Friendship: Nostra Aetate at 60.

This talk from Luma Simms explores the often-overlooked reality of how anti-Semitic attitudes are carried into the West through immigrant communities—both Muslim and Christian. Drawing on personal experience and a Catholic lens, Luma addresses the cultural and theological roots of anti-Semitism among Middle Eastern Christians and highlights how Western Christianity, particularly through the lens of Nostra Aetate, offers a path of reconciliation, renewal, and healing. This timely conversation invites a candid yet compassionate exploration of complex identities, inherited prejudices, and the Church’s unique role in confronting them.

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As one of the bonus episodes for Beyond Rome, we are sharing the opening keynote address from our conference, Called to Friendship: Nostra Aetate at 60.

Given by George Weigel, this keynote address illustrates Pope St. John Paul II as one of the greatest exemplars of Catholic-Jewish friendship and offers us ways to combat antisemitism today.

This opening keynote by George Weigel reflects on the profound spiritual dimensions of Catholic-Jewish relations through the lens of Pope John Paul II’s historic pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 2000, when the Polish Pope prayed at the Western Wall during the Great Jubilee of the Incarnation. As we mark this providential convergence of anniversaries—60 years since Nostra Aetate, 25 years since that historic pilgrimage, the election of a new Pope Leo committed to Catholic Social Teaching, and our current Jubilee of Hope—the keynote argues that Catholic support for Israel and the Jewish people must be understood primarily as a spiritual and theological imperative with profound political implications. Drawing parallels between John Paul II’s transformative invocation of the Holy Spirit in Warsaw on Pentecost 1979 and the theological foundations of Jewish-Catholic dialogue today, the address demonstrates how authentic spiritual commitments rooted in God’s irrevocable covenant and the Church’s examination of conscience can unleash world-changing consequences, challenging Catholics to ground their approach not in political calculation but in the deeper theological truths that continue the Pentecost moment when the Spirit moved the Apostles to proclaim the Gospel to all nations.

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In this episode, host Simone Rizkallah speaks with Father Thomas Joseph White, O.P., Rector of the Angelicum and contributor to the new book Catholic‑Jewish Engagements on Israel: Holy Land, Political Territory, or Theological Promise? They discuss his chapter, “The State of Israel and the Holy See: A Theological and Ethical Perspective,” which offers a Catholic case for support of the Jewish people and the State of Israel.

Fr. White draws on natural law principles to explore how Catholic moral theology affirms the rights of the Jewish people to political self-determination in their historic homeland. He explains how natural law provides a framework for understanding the legitimacy of the modern State of Israel while also addressing the ethical responsibilities Catholics have toward justice, peace, and the dignity of all peoples in the region.

Link to the book:

https://www.cuapress.org/9780813239743/catholic-jewish-engagements-on-israel/

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In this episode, I sit down with Sr. Maris Stella of the Sisters of Life to discuss the remarkable life and witness of Cardinal John O’Connor — a champion of life, a bridge-builder with the Jewish people, and a spiritual father who left a lasting mark on the Church in America. Spoiler: after his death, it was discovered that his mother was Jewish and his grandfather a rabbi!

While serving as a Naval Officer, Sister Maris Stella had a profound experience of God’s love in the Eucharist that opened her heart to religious life. She encountered the Sisters of Life and knew she was being called to lay down her life so that others might live and have eternal life. Sister Maris Stella has served in various missions including the formation of postulants, the Visitation Mission to women who are pregnant and vulnerable to abortion, the Hope and Healing Mission work of retreats and accompaniment for those suffering after abortion, and the Denver Mission of Evangelization. Sister Maris Stella is originally from Massachusetts and is the 2nd of 4 children. Upon graduation from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis MD, she served in the Navy for 5 years. She entered the Sisters of Life in 2006 and professed her final vows in 2014. She holds a Master's degree in Theology from the Augustine Institute and has done extensive research and writing on the life of her congregation's founder, John Cardinal O’Connor. Sister Maris Stella currently serves as the Vicar General of the Sisters of Life.

Resources: 

https://philosproject.org/catholic/nostraaetate60/

https://sistersoflife.org/who-we-are/who-we-are/

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In this episode, Simone Rizkallah sits down with Dr. Gerry McDermott to discuss his influential book Israel Matters: Why Christians Must Think Differently about the People and the Land. Together, they explore:

Why many Christians misunderstand Israel and the promises of God, the persistence of supersessionism (replacement theology) and why it matters for today, Biblical foundations for Israel’s enduring role, including Genesis 12:3 and Galatians 6:16, and insights from French Roman Catholic–turned–Russian Orthodox priest Lev Gillet and his unique perspective on Israel and the Church.

Dr. McDermott argues that Christians cannot fully understand their own faith—or their mission in the world—without grappling with the continuing role of Israel, both the people and the land.

Learn more about Dr. McDermott’s book Israel Matters here: @Matters-Christians-Differently-People/dp/1587433958

Bible verses: 

Genesis 12:3 (ESV)
"I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."

Galatians 6:16 (ESV)
"And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God."

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Simone interviews Dr. Gavin D’Costa about his groundbreaking work in Jewish-Catholic dialogue and the emerging idea of minimalist Catholic Zionism — a theological approach that affirms God’s enduring covenant with the Jewish people while engaging questions of land, justice, and peace.

They explore:

• How Vatican II transformed Catholic-Jewish relations.
• Why the land of Israel is central to Jewish identity and faith.
• How justice for Palestinians fits into a Catholic Zionist framework.
• The role of education in countering antisemitism.
• Why friendship across faith lines is essential for the Church’s future.

A deep and timely conversation for anyone seeking to understand the paradigm shift happening in Catholic-Jewish relations today.

Bio and article to include:

Professor Gavin D’Costa is Professor at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas, Rome; and Emeritus Professor of Catholic Theology at the University of Bristol, UK. D'Costa is author of eight monographs, most recently: Vatican II. Catholic Doctrines on Jews and Muslims, (OUP, 2014) and Catholics and Jews After Vatican II (OUP, 2019). His work has been translated into seven languages. D’Costa has also published a book of poetry, and had has two of his poems (Daughters of Zion, Mass for Uncertain Times) set to music by the English composer, John Pickard. He is an advisor to the Roman Catholic Bishops in England and Wales on matters related to other religions and has worked with the World Council of Churches and the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, Vatican City.

https://firstthings.com/catholic-zionism/

https://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2025/07/98336/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-church-the-jews-and-the-development-of-doctrine

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Welcome to Season 2! This week Simone Rizkallah is joined by Peter Wolfgang, an orthodox Catholic from a Jewish family. They discuss the religious and political landscape of the Church, the world, and the Near East—what to be aware of and what to do, particularly as American Catholics. 

Peter Wolfgang is President of Family Institute of Connecticut Action, a Hartford-based advocacy organization whose mission is to encourage and strengthen the family as the foundation of society.  He is a widely-published writer. Peter lives in Waterbury, Conn., with his wife and their seven children.

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This week Simone Rizkallah and James O’Reilly are joined by Fr. Deacon Andrew Bennett, founder of the Canadian Christian Declaration on Antisemitism, for a timely and urgent conversation about the growing crisis of antisemitism in Canada. Drawing from Church teaching, public theology, and his experience in public life, Fr. Deacon Andrew explores how Christians are called to respond with courage, clarity, and conviction.

The discussion also reflects on the roots of antisemitism in Canadian culture, the role of the Church in building solidarity with the Jewish people, and how Christians can offer a public witness to truth and justice through their words and actions.

Fr. Deacon Andrew Bennett is a deacon of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, program director for religious freedom at Cardus, and a senior fellow at the Religious Freedom Institute.

Beyond Rome is available on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and a variety of other media platforms!

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This week Simone Rizkallah and James O’Reilly are joined by Dominican priest and theologian Fr. James Brent, O.P., for a powerful conversation about Pentecost and the transformative power of truth in the Christian life. Drawing from Scripture, philosophy, and the Church Fathers, Fr. Brent explores how the descent of the Holy Spirit reveals not only divine power, but divine reason. The discussion also delves into the Catholic understanding of truth, freedom, and evangelization in a post-truth age, offering listeners both intellectual clarity and spiritual inspiration.

Fr. James Brent is a member of the Dominican Province of St. Joseph and serves as a professor at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C. He is known for his accessible and profound teaching on Thomistic philosophy, the interior life, and the renewal of the mind in Christ.

Beyond Rome is available on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and a variety of other media platforms!

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This week, James O’Reilly is joined by Fr. Chris to explore the life and legacy of St. Ephrem of Syria—the only Syriac Christian recognized as a Doctor of the Church. A prolific hymnographer, theologian, and poet, St. Ephrem’s writings continue to shape both Eastern and Western Christian thought.

The conversation also dives into the beauty of Eastern Catholic spirituality and its unique contributions to the universal Church. Fr. Chris shares insights on prayer, theology, and the rich liturgical life of the Eastern tradition.
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Giving to Philos Catholic:

If you've enjoyed this podcast, then please consider supporting our work! You can mark your gift for "Beyond Rome" through our giving page (see link below).

Give here ➡️ https://raisedonors.com/philosproject/give-philos-catholic
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