Catholics and Jews standing together in changing world
On Thursday Pope Benedict received a delegation from B’nai B’rith International
one of the oldest Jewish service organisations in the world. In his greeting to delegates
the Holy Father stressed the organisations unique role in promoting dialogue between
Catholic and Jewish communities worldwide. The Pope also pointed to the challenges
facing both communities in a rapidly changing world.
Below we publish
the full text of Pope Benedict XVI’s address:
Dear Friends, I am
pleased to greet this delegation of B’nai B’rith International. I recall with
pleasure my earlier meeting with a delegation of your organization some five years
ago. On this occasion I wish to express my appreciation of your involvement in
Catholic-Jewish dialogue and particularly your active participation in the meeting
of the International Catholic-Jewish Liaison Committee, held in Paris at the end of
February. That meeting marked the fortieth anniversary of the dialogue, which was
jointly organized by the Holy See's Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews
and the International Jewish Committee on Interreligious Consultations. What has
happened in these forty years must be seen as a great gift from the Lord and a reason
for heartfelt gratitude towards the One who guides our steps with his infinite and
eternal wisdom. The Paris meeting affirmed the desire of Catholics and Jews to
stand together in meeting the immense challenges facing our communities in a rapidly
changing world and, significantly, our shared religious duty to combat poverty, injustice,
discrimination and the denial of universal human rights. There are many ways in which
Jews and Christians can cooperate for the betterment of the world in accordance with
the will of the Almighty for the good of mankind. Our thoughts turn immediately to
practical works of charity and service to the poor and those in need; yet one of the
most important things that we can do together is bear common witness to our deeply-held
belief that every man and woman is created in the divine image (cf. Gen 1:26-27) and
thus possessed of inviolable dignity. This conviction remains the most secure basis
for every effort to defend and promote the inalienable rights of each human being. In
a recent conversation between delegations of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and the
Holy See’s Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews, held in Jerusalem at
the end of March, stress was laid on the need to promote a sound understanding of
the role of religion in the life of our present-day societies as a corrective to a
purely horizontal, and consequently truncated, vision of the human person and social
coexistence. The life and work of all believers should bear constant witness to the
transcendent, point to the invisible realities which lie beyond us, and embody the
conviction that a loving, compassionate Providence guides the final outcome of history,
no matter how difficult and threatening the journey along the way may sometimes appear.
Through the prophet we have this assurance: “For I know the plans I have for you,
says the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope”
(Jer 29:11). With these sentiments I invoke upon you and your families the divine
blessings of wisdom, mercy and peace. Listen: