Posted on 08/27/2002 3:11:05 PM PDT by jstone78
Should Non-Catholics Run the Catholic Church?
by Paul Gottfried
The announcement that a majority of Spanish bishops are urging the pope to canonize Queen Isabella I has brought forth bellowing objections from the usual sources, namely, leftwing victimologists who are appalled that they have not been asked to endorse such decisions. A man identified as the secretary general of the Spanish Jewish Federation, Carlos Schorr, fumes that the church would consider for high honors someone who had engaged in "religious persecution," though he adds that not being a Catholic or being in charge of the church, the call is not really his to make.
The same piece, published in a Jewish Global News Service, explains that the consideration of Isabella for canonization is the latest in a series of offenses that the church has recently inflicted on Jews and other sensitive people. For example, the church canonized Edith Stein, who died in a concentration camp as a Jewish woman but had previously become a Catholic. And the church has the temerity to propose Pius XII as a saint, despite the fact that "he was generally silent during the Holocaust."
The collected gripes here reproduced have the value of one enormous whine. Having studied the matter, I think Pius deserves praise (canonization I leave to the church) precisely for his admirable behavior in helping out Jews during the Holocaust. As for Edith Stein, I suppose the same objection raised against her canonization could be made just as easily against St. Paul, who abandoned the Jewish community of his time by taking on Christian beliefs. I am also struck by the fact that the Spanish Jewish leader quoted does not have a Sephardic but a Central or Eastern European Jewish name. The overwhelming odds are that his own ancestors were not driven out of Spain after the conquest of Granada in 1492.
As far as I know, Sephardic Jews, those descended from the Jewish families expelled by Ferdinand and Isabella, are not the ones now heard complaining. The majority of Jewish refugees from the Iberian Peninsula, from Portugal as well as Spain, landed up in the Levant and are today a small part of the total Jewish population, despite their production of such illustrious Westernized representatives as Spinoza, David Ricardo, Georges Bizet, Judah Benjamin, and Benjamin Disraeli. Sephardim should also not be confused with the generally hitherto poor and usually badly educated Mizrachim, Jews from Arab countries who have taken over the Sephardic book of prayers and share the same pronunciation of Hebrew but are ethnically distinct from their liturgical cousins. Sephardim were naturally and justifiably unhappy about their treatment at the hands of a Spanish monarchy that at least some of them had served. Less defensible is the screaming now pouring out of those whose ancestors Isabella had not in any way victimized.
Although Isabella may not have been a Mother Theresa or an Edith Stein, she is a figure who contributed mightily to the forging of a Spanish national identity. (And there seems to be silence about her role, now more politically correct, in reconquering Spain from the Muslims.) One can understand why Basque separatists object to her canonization, the same way that American Southerners before their recent lobotomization resented the original cult of Abraham Lincoln, as a national consolidator rather predecessor of Martin Luther King. Neither Louis IX of France nor Stephen I of Hungary, nor Constantine in the Orthodox Church, would strike one as a Christ-like figure or as a model of religious tolerance.
But the church canonized such rulers in part as a way of affirming the ties between itself and particular peoples. Such actions simply take over the sacralization of national liberators and rulers practiced among other groups, e.g., the Jewish veneration of David and Solomon or the Jewish celebration on Chanukah of what became the consolidation of Hasmonean rule, and indigenous Jewish tyranny before the Roman occupation of the Jewish commonwealth.
Allow me, however, to suggest how Catholic leadership can spare itself further embarrassment when it comes to beatifying and canonizing. It should look for candidates like Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, Jewish Communists who had cordial relations with the Soviet Union and who therefore will not likely be accused of anti-Semitism and its supposed twin evil, anti-Communism. No doubt if Pius XII has snuggled up to the Commies instead of declaring them to be the "scourge of God," Cornwell would not have had to invent a Nazi lineage for this unfortunate figure.
Muslims or Hindus never have to consult outsiders, in deciding whom each faith should venerate.
It's tough to break out of that persecuted mindset.
Excellent observation! Sure and here's a tip o' my hat to you.
1.The same piece, published in a Jewish Global News Service, explains that the consideration of Isabella for canonization is the latest in a series of offenses that the church has recently inflicted on Jews and other sensitive people. For example, the church canonized Edith Stein, who died in a concentration camp as a Jewish woman but had previously become a Catholic. And the church has the temerity to propose Pius XII as a saint, despite the fact that "he was generally silent during the Holocaust."
The attacks on Pius the 12 first came from Catholic leftists and were picked up by a few Jewish leftists. The media has blown this out of contect.
I am also struck by the fact that the Spanish Jewish leader quoted does not have a Sephardic but a Central or Eastern European Jewish name. The overwhelming odds are that his own ancestors were not driven out of Spain after the conquest of Granada in 1492.
Gottfried later speaks of Spinoza but doesn't put two and two tegethr to realise taht many Spanish Spanish Jews fled not only to the Netherlands and Western Europe but to the Holy Roman Empire and Eastern Europe. Gottfried does not know Jewish history.
As far as I know, Sephardic Jews, those descended from the Jewish families expelled by Ferdinand and Isabella, are not the ones now heard complaining. The majority of Jewish refugees from the Iberian Peninsula, from Portugal as well as Spain, landed up in the Levant and are today a small part of the total Jewish population, despite their production of such illustrious Westernized representatives as Spinoza, David Ricardo, Georges Bizet, Judah Benjamin, and Benjamin Disraeli. Sephardim should also not be confused with the generally hitherto poor and usually badly educated Mizrachim, Jews from Arab countries who have taken over the Sephardic book of prayers and share the same pronunciation of Hebrew but are ethnically distinct from their liturgical cousins. Sephardim were naturally and justifiably unhappy about their treatment at the hands of a Spanish monarchy that at least some of them had served. Less defensible is the screaming now pouring out of those whose ancestors Isabella had not in any way victimized.
Sephardim are a minotiry, but most settled the entire mediteranian area remaining under Muslim control. Teh Morroccan Jewish community is Sephardic as is that of the Balkans and most of Turkey's.
WEre Gottfried not ignorant of the subject, he could have picked up the Jewish Encyclopedia or look up in what areas people spoke the Sephardic pidgin, Ladino.
The truth then is that Gottfrieds last statement is pointless and incorrect, but exists to pursue his political agenda.
But the church canonized such rulers in part as a way of affirming the ties between itself and particular peoples. Such actions simply take over the sacralization of national liberators and rulers practiced among other groups, e.g., the Jewish veneration of David and Solomon or the Jewish celebration on Chanukah of what became the consolidation of Hasmonean rule, and indigenous Jewish tyranny before the Roman occupation of the Jewish commonwealth.
Actually the early Hasmoneas were quite nice compared to the Roman puppet Kings like Herod.
And finally we get to Gottfrieds agenda.
Allow me, however, to suggest how Catholic leadership can spare itself further embarrassment when it comes to beatifying and canonizing. It should look for candidates like Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, Jewish Communists who had cordial relations with the Soviet Union and who therefore will not likely be accused of anti-Semitism and its supposed twin evil, anti-Communism. No doubt if Pius XII has snuggled up to the Commies instead of declaring them to be the "scourge of God," Cornwell would not have had to invent a Nazi lineage for this unfortunate figure.
There is a huge difference between the leftist attacks on Pius the 12 who saved Jews, and is being smeared in an attack on Catholics and Jews by the left, and one on Isabella of Aragon and Castille who had the Jews expelled.
The Catholic Church can beatify whomever they want, but it sure does give ammunition to those who look at the instutional anti-Semetism of the Catholic church.
You don't give John Paul II any credit either, do you? What kind of groveling would Catholics have to do to get beyond this Jewish whining?
Actully, I give John Paul II a lot of credit for standing up to the Nazis, the Soviets and communists, and against leftists trying to reform the church into oblivion.
Pope John Paul II has done a lot of good in mending Jewish-Catholic relations, despite the assualt by the left and a few retreads who still like to scream "Christ Killer" every Easter.
That is why the proposed canonization of Isabella I is so painful.
I have a few questions for you
1. How bad of person could one be before you would oppose beautifacation?
2. What is the worst thing they could do to Jews before you would say, it is too much?
1. What an odd question. The process that leads to beatification is rigorous. It is also based in a historical context. You're looking at Isabella with 21st century eyes. Popes with servants would never be eligible for canonization, in your world. I assume the Church will apply the same diligence to Isabella it applies to every other saint it recognizes.
2. Jews should not be persecuted, and never should have been persecuted. Blacks should not be slaves, and never should have been slaves. Looking at the 15th century through a present-day lens is simply historical revisionism and distorts the events and motivations of people of the time.
It is typically the Jewish left which, like blacks pushing reparations, will simply not turn the page.
Then why the complaint? Some Jewish groups are pointing out a flaw in Isabella. Catholics should thank them for preventing a mistake like sanctifying a sinner.
2. Jews should not be persecuted, and never should have been persecuted. Blacks should not be slaves, and never should have been slaves. Looking at the 15th century through a present-day lens is simply historical revisionism and distorts the events and motivations of people of the time.
Motivations?
I suppose theft, cancellation of debt owed by the crown, and revenge should be balanced by the desire of Ferdinand and Isabella to unify Spain.
I believe that some crimes cannot be overlooked. They did not inherit a situation like slavery. They created the crime.
It is typically the Jewish left which, like blacks pushing reparations, will simply not turn the page.
The left is using this to attack the Church. I'm just disappointed.
Some things should not be gotten over.
And Christopher Hitchens thought Mother Teresa's taking money from Charles Keating should disqualify her from canonization. The Church will take the input of Jewish groups into consideration, I'm sure.
Some things should not be gotten over.
You'll understand, then, when Catholics, after hearing the same complaints over and over and over and over, simply move on and apply the criteria it has always used for sainthood.
The Jews are not going to influence the canonization of Isabella anymore than they are going to influence the canonization of Pius IX.
Fair resolution. I don't want anyone but Catholic leaders to define Church policy. That doesn't mean that they can't listen to the opinions of others.
"Some things should not be gotten over."
You'll understand, then, when Catholics, after hearing the same complaints over and over and over and over, simply move on and apply the criteria it has always used for sainthood.
If that is the final decision, fine. I just ask that they way the evidence before making he woman a saint.
The Jews are not going to influence the canonization of Isabella anymore than they are going to influence the canonization of Pius IX.
There si a fundamental difference betweent eh two cases.
Pius IX is under assault by the revisionist left. Some leftist Jews are joining them. The problem is that most of the allegations are false. Pius IX condemned the Holocaust and helped save thousands of Jews and other victims of Nazi terror.
Isabella I stole property and had Jews expelled.
One is the victim of the left and the other a victimizer.
That was Pius XII.
Pius IX, the longest reigning Pope in history, absconded with and "adopted" a young Jewish boy, forcing him into Catholic conversion.
He is also being considered seriously for sainthood.
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