The Catholic Church and the Jewish People

Rabbi Arie Folger meets with Pope Francis

Father Coughlin is dead. And so is the antisemitic approach he had to the Jewish people sourced on the former theology of his Church.

Father Charles Coughlin was a popular Catholic Priest whose radio program broadcast antisemitic commentary during the 1930s. He even supported some of Hitler’s policies toward the Jewish people in Europe during that time. Although extreme in his negative attitude about the Jews, it was not that far off from the official attitude of the Catholic Church of his day. Until the sixties the Church did not view the Jewish people in a favorable light. We were accused of Deiocide! Centuries of persecution resulted from that. But all this has changed dramatically since the Holocaust.

One of the most remarkable events of my lifetime has been what happened 20 years after the Holocaust at Vatican II. In a policy statement entitled Nostra Aetate - the Church  reversed its attitude towards Judaism and its relationship with the Jewish people. After centuries of delegitimization, persecution, and attempts at conversion by force, they have done a complete 180. We are now a brother religion whose people remain the chosen of God. They no longer persecute us, but rather have sought to mend fences between us towards a better relationship that promotes to the world the common moral teachings of our bible – ( the Torah, Nevi’im, and Kesuvim) which we share with them as part of their bible.

In the modern era, we will often find ourselves on the same side – fighting for the same values. 

The same things has happened in the Fundamentalist Protestant Church. Even though Protestants reformed some of the teaching of the Catholic Church from which they split, they held on to its attitude towards Judaism and the Jews. But now - where they once despised us or tried to convert us, they now love us and support the State of Israel more than most Jews do.

Ahhh…   but there are still skeptics. I guess centuries of persecution will do that to our national psyche. There are many Jews that still believe that nothing changed. That its just a sophisticated ruse. That for Christians and Catholics - all of this ‘love’ is really all about converting us. And that nothing has really changed at all.

Fortunately that attitude is decreasing and being replaced by a more realistic one. Interfaith relationships are at an all time high. People like Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein have helped to change the attitude and approach Fundamentalist Christians have about us. And people like Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein who is the director of Interfaith Relations for the Simon Wiesenthal Center will testify to that change as well. Like me - they are no longer skeptical about the motives of either the Catholic Chruch or Fundamentalist Christians.

None of this is news. I have addressed it all before. I bring it up now in the context of a recent and perhaps historic visit to Pope Francis by a delegation of rabbis. Led by Vienna Chief Rabbi Rabbi Arie Folger, the delegation included representatives of the Conference of European Rabbis, the Rabbinical Council of America and the Chief Rabbinate of Israel.  They presented the Pope a declaration they called ‘Between Jerusalem and Rome’ which reflects on the fifty years since Nostra  Aetate and Vatican II. - the point at which the Church changed centuries of negative theology about us into a positive theology.

It refers to the Catholic Church as “partners, close allies, friends and brothers in our mutual quest for a better world blessed with peace, social justice and security”.

One can read the full description of that event here. The Pope has responded via a Catholic website called Vatican Radio. His words are truly remarkable. Here is part of what he said: 

In our shared journey, by the graciousness of the Most High, we are presently experiencing a fruitful moment of dialogue.  This is reflected in the Statement Between Jerusalem and Rome which you have issued and which you present to me today. This document pays particular tribute to the Second Vatican Council’s Declaration Nostra Aetate, whose fourth chapter represents the “Magna Charta” of our dialogue with the Jewish world.  Indeed, the ongoing implementation of the Council’s Declaration has enabled our relations to become increasingly friendly and fraternal.  Nostra Aetate noted that the origins of the Christian faith are to be found, in accordance with the divine mystery of salvation, in the Patriarchs, in Moses and in the Prophets.  

Pope Francis emphasized that this documented recognizes that our theological differences are profound. But… 

“despite profound theological differences, Catholics and Jews share common beliefs” and also “the affirmation that religions must use moral behavior and religious education - not war, coercion or social pressure – to influence and inspire”.  This is most important: may the Eternal One bless and enlighten our cooperation, so that together we can accept and carry out ever better his plans, “plans for welfare and not for evil”, for “a future and a hope” (Jer 29:11).

On the occasion of your welcome visit, I would like to express to you and to your communities beforehand my best wishes for the Jewish New Year which will begin in a few weeks.  Shanah tovah!  Once more I thank you for coming and I ask you to remember me in your prayers.  Finally, I would invoke upon you, and upon all of us, the blessing of the Most High for the shared journey of friendship and trust that lies before us.  In his mercy, may the Almighty bestow his peace upon us and upon the entire world.  

All I can add to that is to say, Amen. And to hope that this can change the hearts and minds of those who have till now remained skeptics.