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Pope to visit German synagogue
Jerusalem Post ^ | May 15, 2005

Posted on 05/15/2005 10:33:10 AM PDT by Alouette

Pope Benedict XVI has told the Israeli ambassador to the Vatican he intends to visit the main synagogue in Cologne, Germany, in August, becoming the second pontiff in history to visit a Jewish place of worship.

Ambassador Oded Ben-Hur said the pope told him of his intention following an audience with diplomats assigned to the Vatican on Thursday.

Benedict's predecessor, John Paul II, made a groundbreaking visit to Rome's synagogue in 1986. The new pope has said he intends to continue John Paul's work toward improving relations between Roman Catholics and Jews.

"We're very happy, and this is a gesture that goes in line with the latest declarations" from the pope, Ben-Hur told The Associated Press by telephone Friday.

He said the intended visit showed Benedict's "desire to enhance and widen the dialogue with the Jewish people." One of Benedict's first acts in office was to invite Rome's chief rabbi to his April 24 installation Mass. During his homily that day, the pope made specific mention of "a great shared spiritual heritage" with Jews.

On Sunday, he sent a letter of birthday greetings to the former chief rabbi of Rome who received John Paul during his 1986 visit, saying Catholics and Jews can continue dialogue and look with "confidence" toward the future.

The pope is planning to make the synagogue visit during a planned trip to Cologne for World Youth Day, Ben-Hur said. The August 16-21 event is expected to draw tens of thousands of young people to the city.

Ben-Hur said he didn't know at what stage plans were for the visit.

Jews widely admired John Paul for his unstinting efforts to promote Jewish-Catholic reconciliation, including his 1986 synagogue visit and his 2000 visit to Israel. On the 2000 trip, John Paul won many Israeli hearts by apologizing for Roman Catholic wrongdoing over the centuries.

The path toward improved Catholic-Jewish ties was set before John Paul was elected – in the 1965 declaration Nostra Aetate, or "In our Age," from the Second Vatican Council. The document rejected the notion that Jews were collectively responsible for the death of Christ. It promoted dialogue between the faiths and rejected anti-Semitism.

"All in all there is a series of declarations that brings us to believe that the pope will follow in the footsteps of the position that was set by the church in the last few years and ever since the Second Vatican Council, and especially during the papacy of Pope John Paul," Ben-Hur said Friday.

Benedict's effort to reach out to Jews carries an added dimension because of his membership in the Hitler Youth and later as a conscript in the German army during World War II. He said he was forced into both roles.

"Everything that the new pope has said and done since achieving the papacy demonstrates his intention to continue in the path set by his predecessor and forge even closer relations between Israel and the Vatican, between the Jewish people and the Catholic Church," Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Mark Regev said Friday, commenting on Ben-Hur's conversation with the pope.

Rome's current chief rabbi, Riccardo Di Segni, was unable to attend Benedict's installation Mass as the ceremony fell on the first day of Passover, but Jewish officials said they were surprised and pleased by Benedict's gesture in inviting him.


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KEYWORDS: benedictxvi; cologne; pope; synagogue
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To: Americanexpat; vigilo; Salem
Last I heard Jesus was born a Jew, and was a jew until the day he died. Did I miss something?

Nope, but I think "vigilo" is missing something.

21 posted on 05/15/2005 4:02:15 PM PDT by Alouette (The truth is not hard to kill, but a lie told well is immortal. -- Mark Twain)
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To: NYer
You had asked about this:

Rome's current chief rabbi, Riccardo Di Segni, was unable to attend Benedict's installation Mass as the ceremony fell on the first day of Passover, but Jewish officials said they were surprised and pleased by Benedict's gesture in inviting him.

22 posted on 05/15/2005 4:02:40 PM PDT by maryz
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To: Bella_Bru
"Wait, wait. We are pagans? The people that worship ONE G-d? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Yes, and such projection comes from more once-Protestant Christians each year. ...one of the several things that prompted much study and drove me completely away from them:

Hail Mary (Protestants start taking Jesus' mother more seriously)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1362179/posts
TIME ^ | Mar 14 05 | TIME
http://www.time.com/time/subscriber/covers/1101050321/story2.html
23 posted on 05/15/2005 4:12:43 PM PDT by familyop ("Let us try" sounds better, don't you think? "Essayons" is so...Latin.)
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To: american colleen; Lady In Blue; Salvation; narses; SMEDLEYBUTLER; redhead; Notwithstanding; ...
Catholic Ping
Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list


24 posted on 05/15/2005 4:13:12 PM PDT by NYer ("Love without truth is blind; Truth without love is empty." - Pope Benedict XVI)
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To: vigilo
"Outside of that, what fellowship does light have with the darkness?"

Some of us have even chosen to leave "inner light" religion and other mysticism behind.
25 posted on 05/15/2005 4:14:27 PM PDT by familyop ("Let us try" sounds better, don't you think? "Essayons" is so...Latin.)
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To: vigilo

Gee, and I didn't even know there were still Marcionists around.


26 posted on 05/15/2005 4:19:38 PM PDT by maryz
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To: vigilo
Judaism, rightly understood, and Christianity, rightly understood are PROFOUNDLY at odds, not just a little bit.

Please explain "rightly understood". Otherwise, this is truly an ignorant response. Were it not for the Jews, there would be no Jesus and hence, no christianity. Jesus was a Jew.

27 posted on 05/15/2005 4:19:46 PM PDT by NYer ("Love without truth is blind; Truth without love is empty." - Pope Benedict XVI)
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To: Alouette

I think it's wonderful that Benedict XVI is paying his respects to our Jewish brothers and sisters by visiting a synagogue. :-)


28 posted on 05/15/2005 4:28:59 PM PDT by padfoot_lover
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To: Alouette; vigilo; Luddite Patent Counsel; SJackson; yonif; Happy2BMe; Simcha7; ...
"I agree. The dialogue the Pope should have with Jews should be this, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved." Outside of that, what fellowship does light have with the darkness? Judaism, rightly understood, and Christianity, rightly understood are PROFOUNDLY at odds, not just a little bit."

Geeeeez, why not just endorse a new Inquisition.

As a Christian, I PROFOUNDLY disagree.

BLOOD BROTHERS










If you'd like to be on or off this
Christian Supporters of Israel ping list,
please FR mail me. ~
  -  -
MikeFromFR ~
There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had
spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass. (Joshua 21:45)

Letter To The President In Support Of Israel ~
'Final Solution,' Phase 2 ~
Warnings ~
29 posted on 05/15/2005 4:32:36 PM PDT by Salem (FREE REPUBLIC - Fighting to win within the Arena of the War of Ideas! So get in the fight!)
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To: Salem

I'm with you, Salem.


30 posted on 05/15/2005 4:43:57 PM PDT by backhoe (-30-)
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To: Salem
Christians For ISRAEL!

31 posted on 05/15/2005 4:45:09 PM PDT by Salem (FREE REPUBLIC - Fighting to win within the Arena of the War of Ideas! So get in the fight!)
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To: Luddite Patent Counsel

Please don't make the Catholics look bad in front of our Jewish friends.
Mary was a Jew and she is our mother.
The Jews are the chosen people and that Anti-semetic stuff went out with Vatican II.

Although I am a traditional, conservative Catholic who would love nothing more than to see more Latin and Greek in our Holy Masses, I feel that the appreciation of the Jewish people is the best thing to come out of Vatican II and continued with JPII.


32 posted on 05/15/2005 4:46:49 PM PDT by netmilsmom (Pope B16-Smacking down Heresy since 1981!-Benedict Gott Geschickt)
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To: NYer
Fortunately most of us can differentiate between Pope Benedict XVI and an Internet poster.
33 posted on 05/15/2005 4:46:54 PM PDT by SJackson (The first duty of a leader is to make himself be loved without courting love, Andre Malraux)
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To: Alouette

Not even underground churches?


34 posted on 05/15/2005 4:58:46 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Bella_Bru; SJackson

I'm profoundly embarassed by some of my "Christian" brethren. Please forgive their retarded comments. God's covenant with Israel is eternal and those who are faithful are assured of a special place in His kingdom.


35 posted on 05/15/2005 5:01:42 PM PDT by Larry Lucido
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To: Bella_Bru; Salem

St. Thomas Aquinas (II-II:11:1) defines heresy: "a species of infidelity in men who, having professed the faith of Christ, corrupt its dogmas". "The right Christian faith consists in giving one's voluntary assent to Christ in all that truly belongs to His teaching. There are,therefore,two ways of deviating from Christianity: the one by refusing to believe in Christ Himself, which is the way of infidelity, common to Pagans and Jews; the other by restricting belief to certain points of Christ's doctrine selected and fashioned at pleasure, which is the way of heretics."

So, according to the Angelic Doctor, I would have been more inclusively accurate to say "infidels, heretics, and pagans", just to cover all the bases. It certainly wasn't my intent to blur the distinction between the three. Sorry if I caused you any confusion. BTW, the "voluntary assent" thing would pretty much preclude another Inquisition, but nice try.


36 posted on 05/15/2005 5:15:09 PM PDT by Luddite Patent Counsel ("Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others." - Groucho Marx)
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To: vigilo
The dialogue the Pope should have with Jews should be this, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved."

Gosh, I wonder why no one has ever suggested that before?

Thanks, but no thanks.

Outside of that, what fellowship does light have with the darkness?

A good suggestion. So when will you be leaving?

37 posted on 05/15/2005 5:16:46 PM PDT by malakhi
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Comment #38 Removed by Moderator

To: SJackson

I'm not sure what has you so upset. The Traditional Catholic teaching on salvation is based in part on the words of Christ, as related in the Gospel of John: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father, but by me." I suppose you would think Him to be a "racist" and call him an obscene name as well.


39 posted on 05/15/2005 5:37:43 PM PDT by Luddite Patent Counsel ("Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others." - Groucho Marx)
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To: Luddite Patent Counsel
I'm amazed that the opinion of a heretic, infidel or a pagan is worth responding too.

Why, in the context of Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the Synagogue in Cologne, should a heretic, infidel, pagan like me accept your view as representative of anything, much less the Catholic Church?

40 posted on 05/15/2005 5:41:14 PM PDT by SJackson (The first duty of a leader is to make himself be loved without courting love, Andre Malraux)
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