Church documents show affinity Catholics have for Jews

John Lee

I have always felt a nearness, great love and affinity for my Jewish brothers and sisters. It is a particular joy for me that Pope Francis has as great a love and closeness for and towards the Jewish people, as I have. 

While still the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, his very closest friend was a Jewish rabbi whom he invited to join him on his recent visit to the Holy Land and the prayer service later, arranged in the Vatican Gardens. Pope Francis makes a special point of mentioning the Jewish people positively and with obvious love, wherever possible. For this we thank him.

I was educated at Christian Brothers College, a Catholic school in Boksburg. There was one Jewish pupil in my class of 40, Theo Kopenhager, who today is a specialist gynaecologist. At the end of each year, when we had our religious instruction test, the Brothers would contact Theo’s rabbi to ask him to set the questions especially for Theo from the Hebrew Scriptures.

The documents of The Second Vatican Council (1963-65) of the Catholic Church, state inter alia, that to the Jews “belong the sonship, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and of their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ” (Rom 9:4-5), for the gifts and the call of G-d are irrevocable (Rom 11:29).

“The Church cannot forget that she received the revelation of the Hebrew Scriptures through the People, with whom G-d in his inexpressible mercy deigned to establish the Ancient Covenant. Indeed, the Catholic Church believes that Christ has reconciled Jew and Gentile, making them both one.

“The Church recalls too that from the Jewish People sprang the Virgin Mary, the apostles, her foundation stones and pillars, as well as most of the early disciples who proclaimed the Christian Gospel to the world.

“The Church awaits the day known to G-d alone when all peoples will address the L-rd with a single voice and serve him with one accord” (Soph 3:9 cf Is 66:23, Ps 65:4).  

“Since the spiritual patrimony common to Christians and Jews is so great, this Sacred Synod wishes to recommend that mutual understanding and respect which is the fruit of brotherly dialogues.

“The Church repudiates all persecutions against any man, and she deplores the hatred, persecutions and displays of anti-Semitism directed against the Jewish People at any time and from any source.” (Nostro Aetate: 4 Vatican Council II).

With sincere brotherly love and esteem

Yeoville, Johannesburg

The letter has been slightly shortened. – Editor