C
Catholic_Press
Guest
Jews sometimes caught in the crossfire of intramural Catholic tensions
Long-standing tensions over both Pope Pius XII and the conversion of Jews have once again roiled the inter-faith waters. For all the progress in Catholic-Jewish ties over the last half-century, the relationship is nonetheless stuck in a couple of ruts that just seem to get deeper over time.
http://ncronline.org/files/piusvii20081010.jpg?1245785587
Pope Benedict XVI prays at the tomb of Pope Pius XII in the grotto of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican Oct. 9, the 50th anniversary of Pope Pius’ death. (CNS photo)
Rip Van Winkle famously went to sleep for twenty years and missed the American Revolution. Had he been a modern expert in Catholic-Jewish relations, however, Van Winkle could have awoken from two decades of slumber this week and felt right at home, as long-standing tensions over both Pope Pius XII and the conversion of Jews once again roiled the inter-faith waters.
Taken together, these episodes suggest that for all the progress in Catholic-Jewish ties over the last half-century, the relationship is nonetheless stuck in a couple of ruts that just seem to get deeper over time.
Current events also illustrate another point: Sometimes matters that look like divisions between Jews and Catholics are fueled at least as much by intramural Catholic tensions, with Jews sometimes caught in the crossfire.
More…
Long-standing tensions over both Pope Pius XII and the conversion of Jews have once again roiled the inter-faith waters. For all the progress in Catholic-Jewish ties over the last half-century, the relationship is nonetheless stuck in a couple of ruts that just seem to get deeper over time.
http://ncronline.org/files/piusvii20081010.jpg?1245785587
Pope Benedict XVI prays at the tomb of Pope Pius XII in the grotto of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican Oct. 9, the 50th anniversary of Pope Pius’ death. (CNS photo)
Rip Van Winkle famously went to sleep for twenty years and missed the American Revolution. Had he been a modern expert in Catholic-Jewish relations, however, Van Winkle could have awoken from two decades of slumber this week and felt right at home, as long-standing tensions over both Pope Pius XII and the conversion of Jews once again roiled the inter-faith waters.
Taken together, these episodes suggest that for all the progress in Catholic-Jewish ties over the last half-century, the relationship is nonetheless stuck in a couple of ruts that just seem to get deeper over time.
Current events also illustrate another point: Sometimes matters that look like divisions between Jews and Catholics are fueled at least as much by intramural Catholic tensions, with Jews sometimes caught in the crossfire.
More…