Posted on 08/19/2005 12:50:35 PM PDT by ElCapusto
COLOGNE, Germany - German-born Pope Benedict XVI on Friday became the second pope to visit a synagogue, entering to the haunting tones of a ram's horn, praying before a Holocaust memorial and lamenting a rise in anti-Semitism.
"We need to show respect for one another and to love one another," Benedict said, pressing a theme of interfaith understanding that has marked his first foreign trip as pope.
The hourlong stop, for which Cologne's Jews stood and applauded, was filled with significance for the 78-year-old Benedict, who grew up in Nazi Germany. He called those times "the darkest period of German and European history."
He made no mention of his own trials, when he was enrolled in the Hitler Youth as a teenager and later deserted from the German army near the end of the war.
But his spokesman, Joaquin Navarro-Valls, called the stop at the blue-domed Roonstrasse Synagogue "an event of historic significance - a German pope, who was on his first official trip, himself took the initiative for the visit."
Rabbi Netanel Teitlebaum held up his right hand, extending it as the "hand of Jewish friendship," and the pope warmly grasped it.
Speaking in a synagogue rebuilt after being destroyed by the Nazis, Benedict said that "today, sadly, we are witnessing the rise of new signs of anti-Semitism and various forms of a general hostility toward foreigners."
He did not elaborate, but Europe especially has witnessed increasing hate crimes in recent years.
Benedict began the visit by standing quietly with his hands clasped during a Hebrew prayer before a memorial to the 6 million Jews killed by Nazi Germany during World War II - 11,000 of them from Cologne.
Then he strode into the main hall as the choir sang, "shalom alechem," or "peace be with you." A shofar, or ram's horn, sounded as the pope sat down at the front. He listened intently as the cantor sang.
The pope underlined his commitment to the interfaith goals of his predecessor, John Paul II, who made the first papal visit to a synagogue in Rome in 1986, worked to improve relations between Catholics and Jews and established diplomatic ties with Israel.
"Today I, too, wish to reaffirm that I intend to continue on the path toward improved relations and friendship with the Jewish people, following the decisive lead given by John Paul II," said Benedict, who did much of the theological groundwork for John Paul's outreach while serving as a Vatican official in charge of doctrine.
Outreach to Jews and Muslims is one of the themes of Benedict's first foreign trip as pope in conjunction with World Youth Day, a Roman Catholic festival that has drawn more than 400,000 young people from 197 countries to Cologne. He planned to meet with Muslim leaders Saturday.
He met with Protestant leaders Friday evening, repeating his commitment in the land where the Reformation began to make Christian unity a priority of his pontificate.
But Benedict added that there are differences in ethical positions that undermine expectations for a common response from Christians. He did not go into any details.
Repeating a point from his synagague visit, the pope said that "there can be no dialogue at the expense of truth." He said efforts for closer relations must be pursued "in fidelity to the dictates of one's conscience."
Progress has been made between peoples, but "much more remains to be done," Benedict said at the synagogue. "We must come to know one another much more and much better."
The visit did bring out some of the troubled history between Catholics and Jews.
In welcoming the pope, synagogue president Abraham Lehrer urged Benedict to fully open the Vatican's World War II archives - a period during which some Jews claim Pope Pius XII did not do enough to stave off the Holocaust. The Vatican denies that and has begun releasing some documents.
But Benedict's visit also appeared to have helped smooth over a dispute between the Vatican and Israel that arose after the Israeli government faulted Benedict for not mentioning attacks on Israelis in a recent condemnation of terrorism. The Vatican responded with a terse statement asking the Israelis not to tell the pope what to say.
Abraham Lehrer, a member of the synagogue board, said the controversy "did not cast any shadow over the synagogue visit."
He noted the presence in the front row of Israel's ambassador to Germany, Shimon Stein, calling that "a sign that the controversy has been overcome." Stein was introduced to the pope.
Benedict's remarks focused on the horror of the Holocaust, the common heritage of Christians and Jews, and the need for better relations to prevent such atrocities from ever happening again.
"In the 20th Century, in the darkest period of German and European history, an insane racist ideology, born of neo-paganism, gave rise to the attempt, planned and systematically carried out by the regime, to exterminate European Jewry," he said. "The result has passed into history as the Shoah," he said, using the Hebrew term for the Holocaust.
The more "reaching out" to muslims that goes on, the less things change!
They are the sworn enemies of the Judeo-Christian peoples and, unfortunately, this fact is wasted on the new pope.
I wonder if the next "reaching out" will be towards the voodooists as Benedicts predecesor found to be necessary?
This was already posted. But good article, Ill say it again. ;) And I think the Pope is well aware of the anti-Christianity and is fighting against it.
More liberalism and ecumenism
When he takes the Papal Oath, which requires him to defend Catholicism and her Traditions, that is when we know we have a real Pope
He was scared to denounce the bombings in London for fear of offending Muslims, Ecumenism and all this hogwash just confuses the Catholic laity.
If the church now teaches that anyone can be saved, even someone who denies Christ, then how can you expect that little 15 yr old to make his or her way to church? Vatican II must be repealed and be made known to all that it was a pastoral council and not binding
Bingo.
What's this then? Pope Condemns "Barbaric Attacks" in London
Benedict XVI relayed a message of spiritual solidarity to the victims of the transit bombings in London.
In a telegram sent to Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, archbishop of Westminster, the Pope condemned "these barbaric acts against humanity." Preliminary reports said the blasts killed 40 and injured 700.
Wow what a condemnation! He can give a speech to all of the rabbis for what 2 hours but only a few sentences about the murder of christians at the hands of the Moslems, those glorious Moslems who in Vatican II "honor Mary"?
And if you read up on that so called press release, the Pope was pressured to say something and he finally came out a few days later with that lame condemnation. Lets all read this lame condemnation one time again, and determine if this is the best we can expect from a so called Pope and leader of Christians, If this was something against Jews, he would be on the TV for hours, but the other way around, nothing. He is not a Pope, but a figurehead and no defender of Catholics, as Vatican II has done away with that.
Deeply saddened by the news of the terrorist attacks in central London, the Holy Father offers fervent prayers for the victims and for all those who mourn," read the telegram sent by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Vatican secretary of state.
"While he deplores these barbaric acts against humanity, he asks you to convey to the families of the injured his spiritual closeness at this time of grief," the text stated.
The papal message concluded by invoking upon the people of Great Britain "the consolation that only God can give in such circumstances."
BTTT! Thanks for posting this!
I wouldn't expect the pope to spend time talking about anti-Christianity while he's visiting (read: a guest of) a German synagogue. Chances are there is other religious intolerance higher on the priority list of his audience.
Jesus entered the house of a tax collector, and was willing to visit the house of a Roman, the unclean and the 'enemy' of the day. I don't have a problem with the pope visiting a mosque.
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Then again, what would I know? I'm just a Protestant.
send him a private emai
Have you ever heard of the Samaritan woman? Or even the Canaanite woman?
Pope Benedict has made some very strong statements about the growing intolerance, including legal intolerance, of the expression of Christian beliefs in Europe.
You are simply trying to find and spin everything about the Pope, who by the way is the successor of Peter and the supreme governor of the Church (magisterial teaching of Vatican I -- do you thumb your nose at that ecumenical council as well?), in the most negative and the worst possible light, and not even remotely in a fair and objective way. You are not making helpful criticism but simply blindly attacking and trying to bring down the Catholic Church and the Pope. For shame, sir!
The pope knows the score.
This pope is far more wise than anyone can possibly imagine. He mentions the ethical differences and that dialogue cannot exist at the expense of truth. He is correct. If he gently brings truth to others, what is the problem?
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