This talk examines the relationship between the Vatican and the international Zionist movement from the Balfour Declaration of 1917 through the first decade of Israeli statehood, set against the background of centuries of Catholic hostility toward Judaism and papal claims upon the Holy Land. The Vatican, for reasons both theological and political, opposed the creation of the Jewish State, and campaigned for the internationalization of Jerusalem and the Holy Places. Focusing on the key role of the American Catholic Church, Adrian Ciani shows how its leaders became influential intermediaries between the Vatican and Washington. Speaking as both loyal Americans and devout Catholics, they advanced papal policies on Palestine in the United States and at the United Nations, attempting to shape the fate of Palestine and the wider region.
By examining the theological attitudes and political tensions that once divided Catholics and Jews, it illuminates how far the work of reconciliation has brought us—particularly since the Second Vatican Council's declaration Nostra Aetate, which initiated an interfaith journey of dialogue and reconciliation that continues still. Understanding this difficult history can deepen our commitment to that reconciliation, grounded in honesty, mutual respect, and a willingness to confront the prejudices of the past.
Dr. Adrian Ciani
Adrian Ciani is a faculty member at St. Augustine's Seminary in the Toronto School of Theology where he teaches courses on the medieval and modern history of the Roman Catholic Church, and on Catholic education. His teaching includes a focus on the politics of the papacy and the historical relationship between Catholics and Jews.
His recent publications include a chapter on Vatican diplomacy under Pope Benedict XV for the Routledge History of the First World War (2025), a chapter on Vatican wartime neutrality under Pope Pius XII for the Routledge History of the Second World War (2022), and a chapter on the historical relationship between the papacy and Judaism since the French Revolution for The Cambridge History of the Papacy (2025).
His recent book, published by McGill-Queen's University Press in 2025, is titled Contesting Zion: The Vatican, American Catholics and the Partition of Palestine. It examines Vatican and international Catholic reactions and policies towards Zionism and the creation of the State of Israel. It focuses particularly on the political and diplomatic role American Catholics, who emerged as the most powerful advocates of the Vatican's vision for a postwar global order.