My dearest Brethren,
This is a very fascinating, very old discussion, though, with a few notable exceptions, it may be generating more heat than light in this particular thread. I will not voice an opinion aside from the views of Holy Mother Church’s all-time foremost theologians (since they’ve spoken to this matter better than I, your poor servant, ever could), but I will place some brief, timely and prominent Catholic quotes here that may help explain and exonerate Saint Padre Pio (assuming, for the moment, that the quote is authentic) for those who do not know what to make of his (or, again, Saint Paul of Tarsus’ in Romans 11:28) words.
Firstly, I think it’s safe to say that Jews, Israelites, Judeans, Hebrews, all refer to the same Chosen People (or, as some see it, once-Chosen People, not defining my position on this quarrel).
Not yet mentioned are the words of the “Good Friday Prayer for the Jews” found in the pre-Second Vatican Council Roman Missal which reads: “Let us pray for the perfidious Jews: that the Lord our God may take away the veil from their hearts, that they may acknowledge Jesus Christ Our Lord.” What can I say? Amen. I see nothing here other than charity. Other people may see other things because - I’m guessing here - they view it politically rather than in the context of what God has revealed time after time.
Those who say this (alleged) quote of Saint Padre Pio wants context speak well since his words, spoken I contest in charity, would resonate (as well as directly quoting Scripture!) with perennial Church teaching and, for all the strong opinions expressed above, it doesn’t sound like many - to the shame of today’s Catholics - have done their homework with the notable exception of jphilapy. This is for me an only too common experience. People do not read, less do they research, and then when you quote them something that kills their good vibe they emote, challenge and label, defending almost to the death their pleasant buzz. We are a culture that demands the right to feel the way we want to feel, and we turn into wolves any time anyone challenges our feeling viewing them as demons even as they are only trying to offer us facts.
So it comes as no overwhelming surprise when some Catholics today don’t understand what the Church’s Doctors (literally our all-time greatest theologians, Saints Augustine of Hippo, John Chrysostom and Thomas Aquinas, not to mention Saint Paul) meant about the Jews. I have nothing further to say on the matter. Too many Catholics are deceived by a feel-good version of Catholicism that really doesn’t demand any serious commitment to the whole recipe for concocting Truth, no observable loyalty to Sacred Tradition. I am quite sure they believe themselves happy as I am quite sure they are secretly miserable. As for myself, I love the Truth, or at least I try to love it adequately with the Good Lord’s help, and there is no room in this quest for unstudied opinions or rejecting this ingredient or that. Such would be, I’ll just say it, hubris. Let those who speak Truth remain humble and those who attack it repent. Amen. For I contest that if we pray for the grace God will show us how to be both civil and truthful in every situation. Let us pray and humble ourselves before God at all times, whatever our mind on this issue at present. He is our Helper always.
Grace and peace to all.
