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Public Lecture:ÌýVatican II, Interreligious Understanding, and the Importance of Dialogue Today
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Speaker:ÌýCardinal Michael Fitzgerald, M.Afr. Ìý
Date & Time:ÌýMonday, October 28, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. Ìý
Location:ÌýDonahue Auditorium, Dolan Science Center, ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥
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¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ is honored to welcome back Cardinal Michael Fitzgerald, a distinguished scholar, church leader, and longtime advocate for interfaith engagement, for a public lecture titledÌý“Vatican II, Interreligious Understanding, and the Importance of Dialogue Today.â€
As one of the Catholic Church’s foremost authorities on interreligious dialogue, Cardinal Fitzgerald has devoted his career to fostering mutual respect and understanding among people of different faiths. A member of the Missionaries of Africa (M.Afr.), he has served in leadership positions around the globe, including as President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and as Apostolic Nuncio to Egypt and Delegate to the League of Arab States. His scholarship and ministry have contributed greatly to building bridges between the Catholic Church, the Muslim world, and other religious communities.
In this lecture, Cardinal Fitzgerald will reflect on the enduring significance of the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965), particularly its groundbreaking documentÌýNostra Aetate, which reshaped Catholic teaching on interreligious relations. He will also address the ongoing relevance of dialogue in today’s world, where building understanding across religious and cultural differences is more urgent than ever.
This event isÌýsponsored by the Tuohy Center for Interreligious Understanding. Cardinal Fitzgerald previously served as a fellow at the Tuohy Chair in Interreligious Studies in 2014-2015, and we are delighted to welcome him back to campus for this special occasion.
The lecture isÌýfree and open to the public. No registration is required.ÌýStudents, faculty, staff, and community members are warmly invited to attend and engage in this timely conversation on faith, dialogue, and global understanding.
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