Insights: The Catholic-Jewish Faiths

By Leonard F Badia

A great simple, concise, and practical summary of Basic ideas of the Catholic and Jewish Faiths.  An excellent book for Interfaith Information/Services. It explores Catholic-Jewish roots, their Religious beliefs and Religious Houses. A Great Book for Interfaith Discussions and Insights.

• Language: English
• Publisher: TOPLINK PUBLISHING, LLC
• Release date: May 10, 2017
• ISBN: 9781946801593

Leonard F Badia

It is an informative, simple and very practical style with the best biblical information. It portrays the historical Jesus found in the New Testament writings with great liveliness and charm. The author aims for High School and College students. He also aims for the average reader and discussion groups.

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Insights

The Catholic-Jewish Faiths

Leonard F. Badia

Copyright © 2017 by Leonard F. Badia.

PAPERBACK: 978-1-946801-58-6

EBOOK: 978-1-946801-59-3

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

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Contents

Vatican Council II and the Jewish People

Catholic - Jewish Background

Catholic - Jewish Roots

Catholic - Jewish Beliefs

Catholic - Jewish View of Jesus

Catholic - Jewish Religious Houses

Catholic - Jewish Issues

Catholic - Jewish Questions and Answers

Catholic - Jewish Religious Services

Catholic - Jewish Reflections

Catholic - Jewish Conclusions

Catholic - Jewish Terminology

Appendix

Introduction

Vatican Council II and the Jewish People

Vatican Council II created a resurgence in Catholic life. The Council was revolutionary because it breathed new life and spirit in the Church. Unlike other General Church Councils, Vatican II’s goal was to eradicate the seeds of discord and promote peace and unity of all mankind.

It began under Pope John XXIII. Pope Paul VI continued and expanded the ideals of the Council. Although Pope John Paul l’s reign was brief, he vigorously encouraged it. However, it took a special man with a great vision to build upon the foundations of Vatican II. That man was Pope John Paul II.

There were sixteen Council documents in all. The document, Nostra Aetate (In a New Age) was promulgated under Pope Paul VI. While the entire document deals with a Declaration of the Relationships of the Catholic Church to Non-Christian Religions (Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims and Jews), section 4 deals with the Jews.

Briefly it says: I) the Church deplores the hatred, persecutions and displays of anti-Semitism directed against the Jews at any time and from any source: 2) at the end of history, the Jewish people will join us and all others in praising God with one voice.

In order to put the Nostra Aetate document into practice, Pope Paul VI established the Vatican’s Commission for Religious Relations with Jews. The Commission spelled out how to achieve the Church’s relationship with the Jews. Briefly summarized, it said: I) to create a sincere and honest dialogue in which each religion retains its own integrity; 2) to examine liturgies and appreciate the common bonds they have with one another; A particular feature says that homilies are not to be based on biases; 3) to teach and educate Catholics how to appreciate their Jewish heritage; 4) to encourage theological, historical, and sociological research on Catholic-Jewish problems.

Interestingly, Catholic-Jewish Dialogue produced positive results such as: 1) re-examination of the anti-Semitic tone of St. John’s Gospel as charged by the Jews. St. John’s Gospel speaks of the trial of Jesus as a trial of the world and has nothing to do with anti Semitism; 2) Jews must not be referred to as the killers of God.; 3) The Good Friday Services’ Prayer for the Jews now reads, the first to hear the Word of God, that they may continue to grow in the love of His Name and in faithfulness to His Covenant, The Church removed the phrase, the Profidious Jews; 4) a plea to ask forgiveness of God and of the Jewish community for those Christians who were guilty through conduct, neglect or silence; 5) both religions accept the same God of the universe and Lord of history. God will judge all according to their deeds at the end of time. God is both a Judge and Lover. God is constantly and personally involved in our lives; 6) Jews and Christians are trustees and witnesses of an ethic marked by the Ten Commandments; 7) Jews and Catholics have common prayer services and celebrate annual Holocaust services for Jews and non-Jews who perished in the Holocaust.

Of course, there were many other Dialogue accomplishments but these represent the main ones.

A look at other spin offs will help to appreciate what was started by Vatican II -

On September 10, 2000, many Jewish Scholars published in the New York Times paper the DABRU EMET (these things you are to do: speak the truth to one another, render true and perfect justice in your gates) (Zachariah 8:16). They said, 1) Jews and Christians worship the same God; 2) Jews and Christians seek authority from the same Book-the Bible- what Jews call TA NA KH and Christians call the OLD TESTAMENT; 3) Christians can respect the claim of the Jewish people upon the lend of Israel and Jews recognize that Jewish justice mandates justice for all non-Jews who reside in a Jewish state; 4) Jews and Christians accept the Moral Principals of the Torah which contains the Ten Commandments; 5) Jew do not blame all Christians for the Holocaust sins committed by their ancestors and applaud the Christians who risked and sacrificed their lives to save Jews during the Nazi regime; 6) Neither Jew or Christian should be pressed into affirming the teachings of the other community; 7) Jews and Christians must cherish their own traditions and in that way they will pursue their relationship with integrity; 8) Jews and Christians must work together for Justice and Peace.

Finally, we look at the noted accomplishments of Pope John Paul II who will go down in history as the greatest mend the Jews ever had. He has built a permanent bridge between Catholics and Jews.

During Pope John Paulll’s long reign (1978 to 2005), his achievements were numerous concerning Catholic-Jewish Relations.

Some accomplishments are: 1) In 1991, he established an international Catholic-Jewish Liaison committee with the Vatican to further the dialogue. Consultations are established in the cities of Madrid, London, Prague, Jerusalem, Baltimore, and U.S.A and Rome; 2) On June 7, 1979, he visited the notorious Auschwitz death camp in Poland. On that occasion, he said, let us pray and keep the memory of the people whose sons and daughters were intended for total extermination; 3) On April 13, 1986, Pope John Paul II was the first Pope ever to visit the ancient Synagogue in Rome. He was warmly received by the chief Rabbi, Elio Toaff and the Jewish congregation. The Pope said, the Jewish religion is not extrinsic to us, therefore, we have a relationship which we do not have with any other religion; 4) Pope John Paul II established formal diplomatic relations with the State of Israel on December 30, 1993; 5) On March 16, 1998, a very important document which took ten years in preparation was called, We Remember: A Reflection on the Shaoh. Among the many statements made, a very significant and historical statement was the Holy Father’s official apology to the Jews. It said, We deeply regret the errors and failures of those sons and daughters of the Church; 6) In December, 1999, the Pope established a special commission. It was comprised of three Catholic and three Jewish scholars who will be allowed to examine the Vatican Archives of the Second World War. They will look into the many complex historical and moral issues involving the Church and the Holocaust, beginning with an analysis of thousands of archive documents of World War II.

In the journey of reconciliation between the Church and the Jews, Pope John Paul II has moved ahead impressively but more remains to be done by both Catholics and Jews.

Having discussed the background of Vatican II Council and the Jewish people, let us now examine the various scenes of Catholic­ Jewish relations Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.

Chapter I

Catholic - Jewish Background

Hostility between the Christians and the Jews is ancient. For centuries, Jews were accused from Christian pulpits as murderers of Christ and tools of the devil. Violence, both random and organized, had been directed against the Jews of Europe. Although toleration for Jews increased in the nineteenth century, a new wave of especially deadly anti-Semitism swept Europe after 1880.

I. ANTI-SEMITISM AND THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

Hitler discovered a subject that the Church had used for hundreds of years to stir people up, the Jews. For centuries, the Church taught Christians to blame the Jews for the death of Jesus, even though the New Testament says that it was the Romans who put Jesus to death. The teachings of the Church councils made the restrictions very clear as will be