Posted on 10/26/2005 4:55:40 PM PDT by NYer
NEW YORK, OCT. 26, 2005 (Zenit.org).- A Jewish leader considers the Second Vatican Council's declaration "Nostra Aetate" of 40 years ago a landmark that completely redefined relations between Catholics and Jews.
Baruch Tenembaum, president and founder of the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation, recalled the importance, in this connection, of the election of Cardinal Angelo Roncalli to the papacy in 1958.
"With the advent of the Good Pope on the throne of Peter an extraordinary revolution began within the Catholic Church, promoted from the word and action of the Second Vatican Council, a historic landmark that completely redefined the relationship between the Church and Judaism," the Argentina-born Tenembaum told ZENIT.
Pope John XXIII convoked the council that on Oct. 28, 1965, would publish that declaration on the relations of the Church with non-Christian religions.
"This point of change in the history of Judeo-Catholic relations was not a chance result or political opportunism," Tenembaum said. "It was the testimony that confirmed a new attitude toward the Jewish people, a real transformation originating in the sentiments and profound sense of reconciliation of John XXIII."
As a result, in 2000 Tenembaum established the Angelo Roncalli Committee for recognition of the humanitarian action shown by the papal nuncio Archbishop Roncalli in favor of people persecuted by the Nazi regime.
Roncalli's risks
He said that, according to research reports carried out by this committee, "Angelo Roncalli risked his position and security by providing thousands of Turkish visas, 'temporary' baptismal certificates, and immigration certificates, authorizing the entry to Palestine of Hungarian Jews persecuted by the Nazis."
"According to testimonies given at the Nuremberg trials, his interventions helped to save tens of thousands of people," Tenembaum continued. "Catholic sources point out that about 80,000 certificates were issued. Roncalli was also involved in the fate of Jews of France, Slovakia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania and Italy.
"Monsignor Roncalli not only acted directly to save thousands of men, women and children condemned to extermination, but he was also a tireless person who, during the war, denounced before the Vatican and Allied nations the genocide carried out by the Nazis.
"The tenacity and determined commitment of Monsignor Roncalli with those who were suffering, his broad judgment and prophetic vision, explain the coherence of his life and work. Humanity still has much to learn from his wonderful apostolate."
With the presence of Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Vatican secretary of state, the Roncalli Committee paid homage to the memory of John XXIII on Sept. 7, 2000, in the Holy See's mission to the United Nations. The launching of the Angelo Roncalli International Committee was announced on that occasion.
In 2001, the Wallenberg Foundation published research documenting the works carried out by Archbishop Roncalli, as apostolic delegate in Istanbul, for those persecuted during the Holocaust.
To read tomorrow.
Warning! This is a high-volume ping list.
Thanks for the post. I agree that this was the single most important thing to come out of Vatican II, but I'm Jewish. I've heard many Catholics say Vatican II was the downturn of the church, i.e. end of the latin mass, changes in the liturgy. Can anyone shed light on this for me? I'd like to understand better than I do.
My concern is when philo-Semitism and philo-Judaism are associated with liberal chr*stian theology. This is unnecessary considering that Orthodox Judaism holds that the first eleven chapters of Genesis are literal history and were dictated to Moses by HaShem. But for some reason such Bibilcal issues are never part of the Jewish/chr*stian dialogue.
Honor to whom honor, but John XXIII was a very liberal Pope in other areas, including (presumably) such issues as historical criticism of the Torah. I'm more comfortable with conservative theologies that are pro-Jewish.
Most catholics who complain about the changes that followed VCII, have never read the actual documents. It has taken me 40 years to grasp, but, in a nutshell, here's what happened.
Second Vatican Council opened the liturgy to the vernacular and 'sought' to restore the liturgy to its ancient origins. The more liberal clerics abused those documents, 'interpreting' them to suit their own agendas. Altars were turned around, communion once distributed only by the priest and on the tongue, was now distributed by lay people and in the hand. The organ was replaced with guitars, electronic keyboards and other instruments. In some of the more extremist dioceses, reverence was replaced with novelty.
The Eastern Catholic Churches, however, did benefit from VCII which recommended that they restore their ancient liturgies. Many Catholics are not aware that the Church is both Western and Eastern. There are 22 different Catholic Rites, including Byzantine, Armenian, Coptic, Chaldean, Melkite, Maronite, Ukrainian, and Ruthenian. As most of us realize, the Church began in the East. Our Lord lived and died and resurrected in the Holy Land. The Church spread from Jerusalem throughout the known world. As the Church spread, it encountered different cultures and adapted, retaining from each culture what was consistent with the Gospel. In the city of Alexandria, the Church became very Egyptian; in Antioch it remained very Jewish; in Rome it took on an Italian appearance and in Constantinople it took on the trappings of the Roman imperial court. All the churches which developed this way were Eastern, except Rome. Most Catholics in the United States have their roots in Western Europe where the Roman rite predominated. It has been said that the Eastern Catholic Churches are "the best kept secret in the Catholic Church."
The Vatican II Council declared that "all should realize it is of supreme importance to understand, venerate, preserve, and foster the exceedingly rich liturgical and spiritual heritage of the Eastern churches, in order faithfully to preserve the fullness of Christian tradition" (Unitatis Redintegrato, 15).
I am Roman Catholic but attend a Maronite Catholic Church. The Consecration is in Aramaic, using the words and language of our Lord at the Last Supper. The early Maronites were the direct descendants of the people who received their faith from the Apostle Peter. To this day, the Maronite Church retains its Jewish roots more than any other Catholic rite, as evidenced by its use of Aramaic/Syriac and by the prayers which remain faithful to Semantic and Old Testament forms.
Pope Benedict XVI is well aware of the abuses that have taken place in the Latin Church and is formulating plans to eliminate the novelties and restore reverence. This will take time. He is also very focused on reuniting the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. This may not happen in his lifetime but the commitment begun by his predecessors in being actively pursued by B-16.
I hope this sheds some light on the situation. Should you have any other questions, do not hesitate to freepmail me.
His conduct during the war was exemplary. He was a great man.
Ping!
Some say the same about Pope Pius XII, but because he was theologically conservative he is lambasted. Pope John XXIII was very liberal theologically and politically.
It's always liberals who are lauded as friends of the Jewish people even when the teachings of Judaism are irreconcilable with other posititions they hold.
PS: I'm online now but my computer still wants to go off and not boot up. I don't know if I need a new surge protector or if it's the electrical outlet or something else. My online activity will probably be spotty for a while. Please be patient.
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