Rabbi Skorka recalls writing book with Cardinal Bergoglio
(Vatican Radio) Argentinian Rabbi Abraham Skorka, co-author of a book with former
Cardinal Bergoglio, was among those present at the Wednesday general audience this
week as part of a delegation of Jewish and Catholic participants in an interfaith
seminar organized by the Focolare movement. The four day meeting at Castelgandolfo
is part of a series of encounters started over 15 years ago to deepen the Catholic-Jewish
dialogue in countries around the world. Philippa Hitchen takes a closer look:
Listen:
Participants
in the Focolare Jewish-Catholic encounter said it was important for them to meet with
Pope Francis, who made ecumenical and interfaith dialogue the key points of his pastoral
ministry as former archbishop of Buenos Aires. Among the Jewish participants was
Rabbi Tsvi Blanchard from Fordham University’s Institute on Religion and Law in New
York. At a press briefing following the papal audience, he explained how this interfaith
group has worked in a similar way to move the dialogue beyond polite exchanges on
different topics to a deeper sense of mutual understanding and support: "There
is a big difference between dialogue which seeks to respect others but is not open
to being touched or changed by it....." Also taking part in the Focolare meeting
was Argentinian Rabbi Abraham Skorka, who together with the former Archbishop Bergoglio
of Buenos Aires held a series of interfaith discussions that were published in a book
entitled ‘Between Heaven and Earth’. Rabbi Skorka stressed that dialogue means
above all, learning how to step into the other person’s shoes, to increasingly open
our hearts and share the thoughts of the other person, even if we are unable to find
agreement. Talking of his experience of working with former Cardinal Bergoglio
in Argentina, Rabbi Skorka said this spirit of dialogue is key to understanding their
joint book. There are no political or religious issues, he said, however difficult,
that we couldn’t talk about together. During the year they were working on the
book alongside an Argentinian journalist, all three men lost close family members
and were able to share these personal experiences of suffering and bereavement. Cardinal
Bergoglio, the Rabbi said, also taught me how to understand better the meaning of
death, how to live the pain of the other and how to feel complete empathy with another
person.