In Our Age: Celebrating 60 Years of Interfaith Dialogue

Elliot J. Cosgrove, a leading voice of American Jewry, is Senior Rabbi of Park Avenue Synagogue in New York City. Ordained in 1999 at the Jewish Theological Seminary, he earned a doctorate at the University of Chicago Divinity School and is a Senior Hartman Rabbinic Fellow.

Rabbi Cosgrove sits on the Chancellor’s Cabinet of the Jewish Theological Seminary and on the editorial board of Masorti: The New Journal of Conservative Judaism. An officer of the New York Board of Rabbis, he serves on the boards of UJA-Federation of New York, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, and Hillel at the University of Michigan. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Rabbi Cosgrove represented the Jewish community at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum during the visit of Pope Francis to New York in 2015. A frequent contributor to Jewish journals and periodicals, he is the author of 16 volumes of sermons, the editor of Jewish Theology in Our Time and the author of For Such a Time as This: On Being Jewish Today.He is the host of Conversations with Cosgrove, a podcast featuring sermons, conversations, and selected programs.

Timothy Dolan was named Archbishop of New York by Pope Benedict XVI on February 23, 2009. He had served as Archbishop of Milwaukee, appointed there by Pope Saint John Paul II on June 25, 2002.

Born February 6, 1950, Cardinal Dolan was the first of five children born to Shirley and Robert Dolan. His education began at Holy Infant Parish School in Ballwin, Missouri, and continued through the high school and college seminaries in Saint Louis. He then completed his priestly formation at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, where he earned a License in Sacred Theology at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas.

Ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Saint Louis on June 19, 1976, he served as associate pastor at Immacolata Parish in Richmond Heights, Mo., until 1979 when he began studies for a doctorate in American Church History at The Catholic University of America. 

On his return to Saint Louis, Cardinal Dolan again served in parish ministry from 1983-87, and then was appointed to a five-year term as secretary to the Apostolic Nunciature in Washington, D.C. When he returned to St. Louis in 1992, he was appointed vice-rector and professor of Church History at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary, as well as an adjunct professor of theology at Saint Louis University.   

In 1994, he was appointed rector of the Pontifical North American College in Rome, where he remained until June 2001. While in Rome, he also served as a visiting professor of Church History both at the Pontifical Gregorian University and the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas. 

On June 19, 2001 – – the 25th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood – – then Monsignor Dolan was named the Auxiliary Bishop of St. Louis by Pope Saint John Paul II, choosing for his Episcopal motto the profession of faith of St. Peter: Ad Quem Ibimus, “To Whom Shall We Go?” (Jn 6:68).   

Cardinal Dolan served as chairman of Catholic Relief Services, and is a member of the Board of Trustees of The Catholic University of America.

Cardinal Dolan completed a three year term as president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, in November, 2013.  He also completed terms as chair of the Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life activities and the Bishops’ Committee for Religious Liberty. 

On January 6, 2012, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI announced that Timothy Dolan was to be appointed to the College of Cardinals. He currently serves as a member of the Dicastery for the Oriental Churches, and the Dicastery for Evangelization.

Following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, Cardinal Dolan participated in the Conclave that elected Pope Francis in March, 2013. He also participated in the Conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV in May, 2025.

Dr. Zeki Saritoprak is a Professor in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies and Director of the Bediuzzaman Said Nursi Chair in Islamic Studies, at John Carroll University. 

A native of Turkey he has spent more than thirty years studying Islamic theology and mysticism. He is the author of many works on Islam, spirituality, and interfaith dialogue. Dr. Saritoprak received his Ph.D. in Islamic Theology from the University of Marmara in Turkey and has authored more than fifty academic articles and encyclopedia entries, in addition to his published books.

Dr. Saritoprak has been teaching Islamic Studies courses in the Theology and Religious Studies Department at JCU since 2002 and in 2003. Since then, he has become the inaugural holder of the Beddiuzzaman Said Nursi Chair in Islamic Studies. At JCU, Dr. Saritoprak has been a tireless advocate for diversity and helping JCU to become a more welcoming place for Muslim and other minority students. He helped found, and still serves as, the adviser for the Muslim Student Society and often leads the group's Jummuah or Friday prayer.

Outside of JCU, Dr. Saritoprak has been a leader in dialogue and interfaith work. He is a member of the National Catholic-Muslim Dialogue and currently a Muslim co-Chair for the Midwest Catholic Muslim Dialogue both of which are co-sponsored by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Islamic Society of North America. In his many writings including his books on Islam's Jesus and Islamic Spirituality and his countless public appearances, Dr. Saritoprak has become a tireless advocate for dialogue, reconciliation, and peace between the adherents of the world's religious traditions. He is currently working on a Manuscript for a book on Islamic Eschatology.

Patricia Heaton is currently starring as a multi-tasking, working mother in ABC's new hit sitcom "The Middle" which tells the story of a middle-class Midwestern family through the eyes of the mother. Her hilariously realistic portrayal of much put-upon housewife Debra Barone in the hit show" Everybody Loves Raymond" garnered her six nominations and two Emmys for best actress in a sitcom. She was again nominated by her peers for her performance in Neil Simon's "The Goodbye Girl," and has performed in numerous other TV and film roles. Heaton's professional accomplishments don't end with her acting. She produced and starred in the romantic comedy The Engagement Ring for TNT, and produced the award-winning documentary The Bituminous Coal Queens of Pennsylvania which was directed by her husband, David Hunt. Their joint production company, Fourboys Films, was a producing partner with Walden Media on the feature film Amazing Race, the story of British abolitionist William Wilberforce.

Heaton's talents as a humorist were on display in The New York Times best-Her autobiography Motherhood and Hollywood- How to Get a Job Like Mine, was a New York Times bestseller.

A mother of four, her deep faith and strong social conscience have prompted her to work with organizations like Feminists For Life, for whom she serves as honorary co-chairman. Heaton served at the request of President Bush on his Council for Volunteerism, and lives out her commitment to serve through the many charities she supports, including Autism Speaks, The American Red Cross, World Vision, Compassion international, The Tuberousclerosis Society, The Every Child Foundation, Sparrows Gate Orphanage, and numerous other local, national and International organizations and causes.

The Irma Pastrana Borrero Foundation for Humanity’s Peace and Development (“The Pastrana Foundation”) is dedicated to fostering inter-religious dialogue and education through the arts and academia in cities such as New York and London, which have diverse communities that enrich the experience of living in a multicultural environment.

Many religions coexist in these cities, and we believe that understanding and respecting how different faiths honor God can not only foster greater empathy, insight, and unity among people but also bring us closer to our Creator. Those who engage with only one tradition may not experience the richness that comes from understanding how others seek and honor God. We believe the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament, and the Qur’anactually complement each other. Those of us who could understand the three faiths and their roots would feel closer to God. When we also embrace the wisdom found in the Dharmic traditions, we believe people can find a greater sense of balance and harmony, moving beyond narrow interpretations toward a broader appreciation of faith. 

The Pastrana Foundation believes that the more humans learn about other religions, the less likely it is that we will continue fighting religious wars. It saddens us to reflect on the many lives and resources humanity has lost to conflicts rooted in religious division, losses that we hope future generations can prevent through dialogue and understanding. The loss of these human lives and resources has delayed humanity’s development, and we expect to change that through academia, art, and dialogue. 

At The Pastrana Foundation, we believe that God’s purpose for us is to come together and learn from one another’s cultures and religions, rather than fighting over them.

The Pastrana Foundation is proud to be the sponsor of this landmark celebration and discussion on interfaith dialogue at the Sheen Center. We want to thank Father Ryan Muldoon for organizing this event, as well as the Archdiocese of New York, the Park Avenue Synagogue, and the Peace Islands Institute for their contributions to its success.