In the September 18
th edition of the Vatican
Insider there was published an article entitled: “
Pope
Francis and the Jews: the first six months”. In this article we hear how the Jewish people
just love Francis. In an attempt to show
you the reader how it is I think I want to take a look at this article and
provide commentary as it comes to me:
[My Comments]
Ever
since the Second Vatican Council brought to the forefront of the Catholic
conscience its ineradicable fraternal relationship with Judaism and the Jewish
People [Lets assume they are ignorant of Trents recognition of the Jewish
people, but didn’t just pander but called them to accept their messiah as well], each subsequent papacy has nourished this
awareness with words and deeds.[Lets get this straight, it is only subsequent
to the Papacy that we see the Jews as elders and worthy of dignity through
words and actions? Smells like Vatican
II spirit.]
John XXIII was the driving force behind the
creation of a Vatican II “document on the Jews” that evolved into much wider
interreligious and ecumenic application, “Nostra Aetate”. [I know this is pulling threads
but there is no ecumenism with the Jews, even with the protestants for that
matter because they practice a different faith.
Its really only with the Orthodox and oriental Churches in which ecumenism
exists. The rest can be said to be
interreligious dialogue.]
As Papal Nuncio in France, Bulgaria and
Greece, Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli had experienced the horrors of the Shoah and
acted to save Jewish lives [An honorable thing, now will the Jews
recognize this of Pius XII or continue their slander]. His historic encounter in 1960 with
the Jewish historian and Holocaust survivor, Jules Isaac – who presented John
XXIII with his manuscript on “The teaching of contempt: Christian roots of
anti-Semitism” [wow, can you say the pot calling the kettle
black. Lets us a false understanding of
the faith and apply it to persecutions, then lets make people feel bad that they
make any links to the matter]–
strongly reinforced the Pope’s determination to cancel the infamous accusation
of “deicide” [Did or did the Jewish leaders at the time of
Christ call for Christs death? The person that read this was obviously
oblivious to the documents from Vatican II where the charge is actually issued] and by a new focus on the brotherly roots of
the two religions, permanently change the course of Catholic-Jewish
relations. “Nostra Aetate” was the outcome and has become the premise for
all subsequent steps towards reconciliation [Yet this presupposes that the
Pope and the Church still seek for the Jews to recognize that their covenant is
abrogated and that they must recognize Jesus as the Messiah and their God. Yet when will this occur? When was the last time you heard a pontiff or
even a local ordinary, in charity, tell the Jewish people that they are called
to conversion?].
Mutual respect for the other’s religious
identity [Exxactly what do we respect about Talmudic Judism? That they have
a lineage?] has –
though sometimes with difficulties – been maintained as a cornerstone for this
evolving history. The Church’s attempts to convert Jews in past
centuries, with repeated recourse to humiliation, brute force and persecution
throughout Europe, were permanently overturned by this new document [Excuse my language for a
moment. What the hell are they talking about? The church cant and did not
attempt to convert people through humiliation, brute force or persecution. To do so invalidates the very
conversion. If a person, lets say even a
member of the clergy applied such tactics to induce conversion they did so on
their own and they were ignorant of the faith to begin with.]
In barely a half year into his papacy, Pope
Jorge Maria Bergoglio has already won the hearts and minds of many skeptical
Jewish religious leaders.
Dr. Riccardo Di Segni, the Chief Rabbi of Rome
known for his very cautious attitude toward interreligious dialogue and his
insistence on mutually recognized limits, said, “This Pontiff does not cease to
surprise.” He noted that while Francis’ words are not new but, rather, inherent
to Christianity as confirmed by Vatican II [When you hear this you should immediately
ask yourself did Vatican II change anything?
Did it even claim the authority to do so? What is he really surprised at with this new
approach?], “It is
the force with which he expresses them and his capacity of communicating them
that is astounding.”
He was referring to an article written by the
Pope in which Francis declared that “since the Second Vatican Council we have
rediscovered that the Jewish People are still for us the holy root that
produced Jesus”[Again this just shows the deficiency by which
the Holy Father received his training.
Anyone familiar with Church history would know this rediscovery is
mockery to actual historical occurances]. He also stated that despite the horrors inflicted on the
Jewish People by the Shoah, “God never abandoned his covenant with Israel [Which is a true to the extent
that he held up his end but the Jewish people rejected their own covenant which
was then abrogated as per Paul in Hebrews.
This isn’t a matter of trying to make the Jews feel good. This is a matter of truth and actual church
teaching. Its like we have become
obsessed with making everyone feel good where they are at that to even call
them to a conversion is inconvenient and too hard to do.] , and notwithstanding their terrible
suffering over the centuries, the Jewish People have kept their faith [What faith do they hold? Is it a true faith? Is it the same as what Christ himself
fulfilled? This is what will drive a man mad.]. For this, we will never be
sufficiently grateful to them as a Church, but also as human beings. In the
persistence of their faith in the God of the Covenant, they summon all,
including us as Christians, to recall the fact that we are awaiting the return
of the Lord as pilgrims, and must therefore always remain open to Him and never
retreat from what we have already achieved.” [But we are retreating from
that what we received. We are terrified
from the hierarchy on down to proclaim anything but good about others and what
they believe.]
During his first official meeting with Jewish
leaders represented by a delegation of the International Jewish Committee for
Interreligious Consultations (IJCIC) last July, Francis said, “Because of our
common roots, a true Christian cannot be anti-Semitic [Just restating Catholic
teaching from the beginning…Pius XI also made this clear before WWII but do we
hear about that?].”
In keeping with his informal, iconoclastic
style [Notice that the author sees no issue in writing about a pontiff
pointing out that the Pope uses heretical styings. Pray tell where are we headed when those in
the Vatican Insider make iconoclasm a new treddy pick for the church?], the Pope walked in, unannounced, causing a
stir among the delegates milling around the room. Rabbi Noam Marans, the
American Jewish Committee’s director for Interreligious Relations in the U.S.,
later summed up the general reaction. “Pope Francis is unassuming, unscripted,
warm. It is a religious experience to be in his presence”.
INTERVIEW WITH RABBI DAVID ROSEN:
An in-depth conversation with Rabbi David
Rosen, AJC’s International Director of Interreligious Affairs, reveals the
essential traits of Pope Francis that are winning worldwide Jewish support and
hopes for what the future could bring.
“There
has never been a Pope with as deep an understanding of Jews as Pope Francis”
[A poor opinion based on what?
Personal feelings, his approach to the Jewish people?] states Rabbi Rosen candidly. “Of
course Pope John Paul II had a unique childhood experience of the Jewish
community in Wadowice. But by the time he was a priest, there was little
living community left to talk of, so his engagement was not as a developed
adult.
Francis, on the other hand, has not only
nurtured lifelong friendships with the Jewish community in Buenos Aires, with
whom he has had “a vibrant
interaction”, says Rabbi Rosen, but has co-authored a book with an
Argentinian rabbi, Abraham Skorka, “thus addressing issues face to face with
Jewish self-understanding and experience. This profoundly shapes his sensitivity and his commitment to the
Jewish-Christian relationship.” [Maybe someone should ask the Holy Father in
another wide ranging interview whether or not Jews are still called to
conversion?]
Rabbi Rosen points to Pope Francis’ “remarkable capacity to communicate his
profound humanity in simple and sincere gestures.
Comparing the communicative genius of Pope
Wojtyla with that of Pope Bergoglio, Rosen says, “John Paul II was a master of dramatic gestures but these were often
novel and challenging. Francis’ brilliance”, he continues, “lies precisely in his simplicity – which
paradoxically has a dramatic impact and has endeared him to the world.” [Remember
they love the iconoclastic styles]
David
Rosen notes that “the Jewish response
has been remarkably warm.”
“In
substance”, says AJC’s Interreligious Director, “he is the self-same
continuity of his predecessors. However he has also built upon his
predecessors in relation to the Jewish People.
“Benedict
XVI was the first to invite Jews to attend his Papal installation and the
Jewish presence at Francis’ inauguration was even more significant and
extensive. [Did this invitation have a
reason to it other than good will?]
“His
public comments to the Jewish representatives at his inauguration, his letters
to the Chief Rabbis of Rome and of Israel, his reference to Jewish historic
commitment and triumph over persecution in his media interviews – all have
deeply impressed Jews worldwide and in Israel that Pope Francis is a profoundly
genuine friend of the Jewish People.
Asked what he sees as the main avenues for a
revitalized cooperation between Jews and Catholics now and in the future, Rabbi
Rosen observes that while the major theological issues of the past have been
mainly addressed, and although the discussion can never be exhausted, the
Jewish side is now focused on practical things to be accomplished together. [In other words more dialogue
without a purpose. If there is no call
to conversion amongst all this good will what does it profit them?]
“Above
all there is an enormous educational challenge” says Rabbi Rosen.
“While
the teaching of the Magisterium towards Jews, Judaism, and Israel are
overwhelmingly positive, there are many parts of the Catholic world where
pre-Conciliar attitudes still prevail and where anti-Judaism if not
anti-Semitism is still to be found [It should have been asked what exactly is meant by this? I myself
stand firmly against the Jewish religion that is now held because it is a false
religion. I don’t hate the people that
perpetuate the Talmudic rite, but neither do I say silent on the matter. So too whenever a person holding this faith
brings up anti-Semetism they must really be asked what they mean by this. I wrote on this a few posts back to clear up
the real issues.]. This is especially so in many parts of
Latin America where, other than in the main cities of Argentina and Brazil,
Jews often hardly feature at all on the ‘Catholic radar screen’. [Don’t even know what this means]
“Surely
here a Latin American Pope can play a very special role and exert initiative.
“Remarkably,
the teaching of Nostra Aetate and of the Magisterium following on therefrom are
not an obligatory part of the syllabus for the formation of priests everywhere [Because to document is merely a pastoral
letter on how some thought at the time it would be best to approach other religions.]. Addressing this should be a minimal
educational responsibility on the part of the Church to its own teachings – not
to mention how Jesus and his contemporary Jewish brothers, followers and
opponents are presented (or not presented) in sermons in many places especially
at Easter time. The Church could do so much in educational terms. [AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! If your eyes don’t begin
to bleed you have no soul!]
“There is
of course a parallel challenge on the Jewish side, but it is not a symmetrical
one and Jewish approach has and is changing in response.
“However
the onus is first and foremost on the Christian side. [To deny Christ? To condemn people that didn’t follow the
faith and were reprimanded already for it at the time they lived? The onus is not on us, but on the Jewish
people that deny Christ as their God out of ignorance.}
“Perhaps
this is substantially a consequence of historical power, but the Church is the
one here with the most terrible tragic record. It is a record that still
has to be addressed. In truth, it has already been addressed, but the
problem is that not everyone in the Church knows this yet! [Strawman, and the Vatican Insider is happy to
publish it. Souls are perishing and the
Jews are concerned with apologies for things that have been condemned?
AHHHHHHHH!!!]
“Beyond
this specific responsibility, we have already begun to work and dialogue
together on common challenges of our times – social, scientific, environmental,
etc., above all, concerning the sanctity of human life and combating
dehumanization in its various forms. Here there is unlimited scope to do
more and more together for the benefit of humankind as a whole.”[What does it profit a man to solve all the
worlds whoas but lose his soul?]
PRAY, PRAY, PRAY for Francis at every opporutunity. Pray for Your own Priests! But Trust in God! And never lose faith in His Holy Spotless bride the Church!
+JMJ+
Now since I'm turning a new leaf I want to hit on something
that really grinds my gears because it doesn't help anything, which is the
labeling of fellow Catholics as Anti-Semitic. Now maybe this is the first time
you have come across this, but it seems this).
Yet far too often our own brothers and
sisters in the faith are more than willing to jump down the throats of others
without first seeking clarity from the person themselves. Hence the topic.
