NEWS & VIEWS

Jews lay guilt trip on Vatican for not going far enough in Anti-Semitism Conference, but Pope humbly and nobly stands his ground

      The much-ballyhooed three-day conference on anti-Semitism ended with B’nai B’rith president Tommy Baer applauding Pope John Paul II’s recent statement which declared that anti-Semitism is "an offense against God and the Church." While Catholics have always known this, it seems Baer has a different understanding of Catholicism. In remarks made after the Papal statement, Baer went on to state that: "Pope John Paul said what needed to be said. Adolf Hitler and the Nazis’ demonization of the Jews could not have succeeded if centuries of Christian teaching had not previously stimulated the beliefs that Jews were alien, unworthy, even satanic."

    The truth is that the Roman Catholic Church has never taught any of these things about Jews, their culture or their faith. Adolf Hitler hated the Catholic Church; he hated Jesus Christ. If, as Baer indicates, the Catholic Church taught that Jews were "alien, unworthy, even satanic," would not have Hitler championed them against the Catholics? What nonsense is this. The reasons for Adolf Hitler’s campaign against the Jews, as well as other ethnic and religious sects, has absolutely nothing to do with Church teachings. The historical reasons of Hitler’s actions have been documented; other reasons are speculative at best. The Holy Father’s statement, which laid the blame where it belongs - on the apathy of many Christians who failed to act in the face of the the Jewish persecutions by the Nazis - was offered in humility and love. It must be accepted in like manner. If it is not, as Baer suggests by criticizing the Vatican for its refusal to open up confidential archives for Jewish groups to examine to root out alleged complicity with the Nazis is to deny the Holy Father’s statement, to refute the love of God, and to continually dredge up the differences in the two faiths, the two cultures, and to allow hate-mongering to fester deep in the heart. God heals the heart. That is the message John Paul II gave. It is time we heeded it, and began to love as God loves, and leave the past where God can heal it. After all too much of a guilt complex can hinder healing and as we near the Third Millennium, healing is vital for all faiths and cultures.

Information for this article gathered from Associated Press and Catholic World News Service

November 4, 1997 volume 8, no. 23         DAILY CATHOLIC