A delegation of Argentina’s top Jewish leaders are in the Vatican this
week to celebrate the annual day of Jewish-Catholic relations,
traditionally marked in a number of European countries on January 17th.
The annual celebration was first introduced in Italy in 1990 to remember
the Jewish roots of the Christian faith, to celebrate the dialogue with
Judaism that has been going on since the Second Vatican Council and to
further encourage such dialogue and contact through practical
activities.
Rabbi Abraham Skorka, who worked very closely
together with Cardinal Bergoglio when he was Archbishop of Buenos Aires,
is heading the delegation of Jewish leaders who met privately with Pope
Francis on Thursday. Rabbi Skorka is also giving a talk at the
Pontifical Gregorian University on the progress made in Catholic-Jewish
dialogue over the past 50 years, focusing especially on his Latin
American perspective.
But how much can this close friendship
between the Pope and the Rabbi help to further the wider relationship
between Catholics and Jews in different parts of the world? Philippa
Hitchen put that question to Fr Norbert Hofmann from the Vatican’s
Commission for Religious Relations with Judaism:
Fr
Hofmann says the Day of Judaism is celebrated in Italy, Poland, Austria
and the Netherlands and today we have another occasion to celebrate the
relationship through the Pope’s meeting with the delegation from
Argentina…..he says they’ll have lunch together at the Santa Marta
guesthouse where the Pope lives before Rabbi Skorka gives his talk at
the Gregorian University…..
Fr Hofmann notes that it’s a deep
friendship between Pope Francis and Rabbi Skorka, who edited a book
together with the former Cardinal Bergoglio…….he says this friendship is
a stimulus for the dialogue in Argentina and Latin America but also on a
worldwide level too….
Speaking of Pope Francis’ planned visit to
Israel, Jordan and Palestine in May of this year, Fr Hofmann says in
Jewish tradition, when one does something three times, it becomes part
of a solid and significant tradition. Though Pope Paul VI made a first
pilgrimage to the Holy Land, this forthcoming visit will be the third
state visit to Israel by a pontiff, so it is very significant and the
Jewish people are very happy to welcome Pope Francis. Given the
character of the Holy Father, he adds, there are bound to be some
significant gestures on this journey….