Phone: 216-696-6525

Toll Free: 1-800-869-6525

Address: 1404 East 9th Street, Cleveland, OH 44114

Why Catholic? Meet Bishop Edward C. Malesic
News

  Share this Page

Back to news list

‘Resilience in Uncertain Times’ is topic of annual interfaith colloquium

News of the Diocese

April 5, 2019

Congregation Shaarey Tikvah in Beachwood hosted the 31st annual Sam Miller Catholic Jewish Colloquium on April 4. The interfaith event took place just weeks after Miller’s death on March 7 at age 97. The colloquium is presented annually by the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland’s Interfaith Commission, Saint Mary Seminary and Graduate School of Theology, the Anti-Defamation League and the Jewish Federation of Cleveland. The site alternates between the Center for Pastoral Leadership in Wickliffe and a Jewish synagogue. The keynote speaker and responder also alternate between the two communities.
‘Resilience in Uncertain Times’ is topic of annual interfaith colloquium
Rabbi Scott Roland, who has served at Shaarey Tikvah for about three years, welcomed those gathered for the event in the sanctuary. A group of seminarians, some of their professors and several priests were among those in attendance.

“This is a great topic for these times. May our coming together shed a little light on the darkness around us,” Rabbi Roland said.

David Malik of the ADL said there is strength and resilience in the community. He credited Miller with helping to foster a culture of resilience, noting that Miller “took the time to help people he didn’t even know. We were honored to name the colloquium after him.”
‘Resilience in Uncertain Times’ is topic of annual interfaith colloquium
Father Joe Hilinski, who heads the diocesan interfaith commission, said the colloquium is an important bridge between the Catholic and Jewish communities and he credited the ADL’s support of the event. He also thanked Ursuline Sister Mary McCormick, academic dean and professor of systemic theology at Saint Mary Seminary, and Father Mark Latcovich, the first president-rector of both Borromeo and Saint Mary seminaries, who worked with him on the interfaith commission for their support and assistance. Father Latcovich was the responder this year -- something he had done once before.

“I am happy to introduce you to my bishop,” Father Hilinski said, noting there is a special relationship between a priest and his bishop. He also provided some biographical background on Bishop Nelson Perez, who spoke briefly.

Bishop Perez said this was the first time he had spoken in a Jewish synagogue. He said Pope St. John Paul II had many close Jewish friends and referred to the Jewish faith as an elder sibling of the Catholic Church.
‘Resilience in Uncertain Times’ is topic of annual interfaith colloquium
Regarding Miller, the bishop said, “He had a special relationship with the Catholic Church and Catholic education was close to his heart. That was very clear at his memorial service.” Also, Cleveland Bishop emeritus Anthony Pilla had a unique bond with Miller. “I heard many stories about them. They were like Batman and Robin. You could see the love they had for each other. It was powerful and beautiful. They were a dynamic duo,” he added.

Alan Rauss, an ADL board member, said Bishop Perez’s attendance and remarks help validate what was happening at the colloquium. “It demonstrates the continuing commitment of our two communities to work together to improve the world.”

Rauss also introduced Rabbi Terry Bard, a teacher, clinical psychologist, ethicist, researcher and rabbi who has been a member of the Harvard Medical School Department of Psychiatry since 1976. Bard also served as a Senior Fellow of the Oliver Wendell Holmes Society at Harvard Medical School and as initial creator and director of the Translational Medicine Clerkship in the combined Health Sciences and Technology collaborative between Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
‘Resilience in Uncertain Times’ is topic of annual interfaith colloquium
Bard taught for more than 20 years in the Harvard Medical School patient-doctor III program and is a member of the Harvard Medical School Teaching Academy, as well as editor in chief of the Journal of Pastoral Care Publications, Inc. and co-founder and co-director of the American Unit of the International Network of the UNESCO Chair in Bioethics.

Bard spoke for about a half hour on resilience – what constitutes it and how it might be used in our society. He said it’s important for children to experience failure – in a loving, supportive environment – in order to learn resilience.

“You don’t learn resilience if everything is always OK. Failure builds our character and the ability to move on,” he added.
‘Resilience in Uncertain Times’ is topic of annual interfaith colloquium
Bard said it’s important to be clear and consistent and to have a set of values that authenticates that in order to build resilience. “If you give a child a sense of his own ego strength, he tends to be more resilient. It’s important to integrate failure with these other components so a child has a better chance at resilience.”

He said humans have a natural tendency toward resilience, but noted that we also face failures. For example, he said a person could be dealing with a terminal illness, but still have hope. He credited the hospice movement with instilling hope and teaching terminally ill patients how to deal with their situations. “Those with a strong moral structure tend to be more resilient,” he added.

Even those impacted by the Holocaust had hope. Many of them developed resilience and a “never again attitude,” which they demonstrated to the world. He said the church also can be resilient “by providing a vision of hope and a feeling that we are not alone.”
‘Resilience in Uncertain Times’ is topic of annual interfaith colloquium
He said he’s always told doctors not to worry alone, not to worry about their inability to manage things. By sharing the burden, you can gain the power to move forward and to make a contribution.

Father Latcovich, who has been a priest since 1981, has had pastoral experience in parishes and as a campus minister at Ursuline College in addition to his duties at the seminaries. He is the eighth rector of Borromeo and the 20thpresident-rector of Saint Mary. Previously, he filled several other leadership roles at the seminaries. Father earned a bachelor’s degree in English literature from Borromeo, two master’s degrees from Saint Mary’s and a doctorate in sociology with specializations in family studies from Case Western Reserve University.

In his brief response, Father Latcovich said human beings “are wired for resilience,” which goes on throughout our lives as we make adjustments due to changes. “Through your own sense of journeying you become aware of the ability to change and be resilient,” he said.
‘Resilience in Uncertain Times’ is topic of annual interfaith colloquium
“We are a people of faith. What role does our faith play in resilience? We have a God who found us. There’s always one among us that we can talk to,” he said. In addition, the rituals, holidays and holy days associated with our faith provide stability and hope. The stories told in the Talmud and Scriptures allow us to look at the day with a lens of hope and that can reduce anxiety because we believe that God is good and that he answers prayers.

Father Hilinski said the Jewish and Catholic communities share a lot in common.

The discussion continued with a question and answer session during which Father Latcovich talked about Pope Francis’ challenge for Catholics to be missionary disciples and for the Church to look outward as it accompanies others without judging them.

“If we can do that, we can knock down walls and build bridges,” he said.

Subscribe! Sign up to receive news & updates.

Share This

Close

Photo Gallery

1 of 22