John Paul II in the Synagogue of Rome with Rabbi Elio Toaff – 1986

Christians: Brothers and Sisters, and Christians may walk confidently many of us have behaved shamefully. together on the shining path that We have not replaced the Jewish leads us to God, our common people with our new covenant. Our Father. On June 6, 2005, speaking “elder brothers and sisters” continue to a delegation of the International to own a special bond, a covenant Jewish Committee for Interreligious with the Lord. The have Consultations, Pope Benedict XVI returned to Israel, their ancestral confirmed his predecessors’ course: home. We have sinned by persecuting “In the years following the Council, them throughout the centuries.” my predecessors Pope Paul VI and, These profound words constitute in a particular way, Pope John Paul one of the principal legacies of this II, took significant steps towards great soul who was Karol Wojtyla, improving relations with the Jewish beloved Pope John Paul II. people. It is my intention to continue on this path.” On countless occasions he con- demned anti-Semitism and at a May John Paul II rest in glory! meeting with the Bishops of Latin The following books are recom- America he called on them to mended: combat with vigor any vestige of The Hidden Pope, Darcy O’Brien anti-Semitism. “Anti-Semitism is a A Letter to a Jewish Friend, Gian sin; it’s anti-Christian.” Franco Svidercoshi Thanks to him two great spiritual families have reconciled and Jews

The NCCJ of Miami gratefully acknowledges the following benefactors for their help in defraying the printing expense of the present brochure: The Havenick Family Flagler Dog Track Mr. Ron Book For additional copies please contact [email protected] Pope John Paul II praying at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, Israel – 2000 and; Pope John Paul II greeting Rabbi Elio Toaff at the entrance to the Synagogue of Rome – 1986

23003 English9_7.indd 1 9/8/06 9:29:11 AM JOHN PAUL II If we take these facts into consciences” of Christians that built beautiful bridges between consideration, we should ask all too many failed to act as Christians and their spiritual and the jews ourselves: Why has there been they should when their Jewish ancestors, the Jewish people. such a long and bloody history neighbors were being rounded John Paul was the first Pope since The Gospel of St. Matthew begins of confrontations between up by the Nazis to be sent to St. Peter – who was of course Jewish with the following words: “The Christians and Jews? Why is it the concentration camps during – to visit a synagogue during a book of the generation of Jesus that so many Christians, driven World War II. religious service. During his visit, Christ, son of David, son of by a series of complex motivations, John Paul treated the Chief Rabbi Karol Wojtyla, later elected to Abraham.” Further along, in the all too often have persecuted and of Rome as an equal. John Paul become Pope John Paul II, knew same text, the evangelist informs us massacred a people to whom they established diplomatic relations that entire bloody and sorrowful that Jesus was a descendant of King owe not only their Holy Scriptures between the Holy See and the State story personally because he had David, the foremost King of the but their very Savior, and despite of Israel, which he personally been born and raised in the city Jews. Strange as it may seem, probably the fact that official Church Law visited as a pilgrim. During that of Wadowice, Poland, a country millions of Christians around the gave protection to the Jews? moving visit, the Pope visited Yad that had the world’s largest Jewish world are unaware of the extremely Vashem, the monument to the six The same year that Columbus population until World War II. close and intimate link between the million Jewish martyrs of World discovered America, 1492, the King His closest childhood friend was a Holy Family and the people chosen War II, and prayed at the Western and Queen of Spain banished many Jewish boy, a neighbor of the young by God to receive His revelations Wall - the last remains of the thousands of Jews who had lived Karol, with whom the future Pope through the Bible. Temple of Solomon - a sacred place peacefully in Spain for centuries played soccer in the cobbled streets for both Jews and Christians. The Jesus’ Hebrew name was “Yeshua,” before Spain adopted the Christian of his hometown. Pope humbly asked for forgiveness Mary’s was “Miriam,” and Joseph’s was faith. A considerable number of The future Pope was an eyewitness for the horrors which Christians “Yosef.” The birth place, Bethlehem, Jews – men, women and children – to the horrors of the war, of the had inflicted on those he called is called “Bet Lehem” (the house of were mistreated or died as a result persecutions and massacres. His “our elder brothers in the faith.” bread) in Hebrew, and Nazareth, of the Spanish Inquisition. The Christian soul was deeply moved where Jesus lived most of His life, ancient Christian “teaching of He also held a concert at the and shaken by the horrors he is in Galilee, which is part of the contempt” against Jews and Judaism, Vatican in memory of the six lived. He was among the Bishops modern Jewish state of Israel. John Paul II said, “so lulled the million Jews who were victims of of the world who voted in favor the Holocaust, and visited the Holocaust Memorial Concert at the Vatican in memory of the 6 million Jews exterminated by the Nazis – 1994 of Nostra Aetate, the historic concentration camp at Auschwitz, declaration on the Jews from the Poland. Second Vatican Council, Nostra Aetate. The death of John Paul In his prayer, John Paul said: II was a great loss, not only for “God of our fathers, You chose Abraham Christianity but for all humanity. and his descendants to bring the name of John Paul was an exceptional God to all the nations. We are profoundly man: an actor, writer, athlete, saddened by the behavior of those who, in philosopher, politician, moralist, the course of history, have caused suffering ecumenical, and much more. Every to these, your children, and for this we human being, regardless of religion, ask Your forgiveness; we wish to commit who had the privilege of encount- ourselves to a genuine brotherhood ering John Paul, was aware that with the people of the Covenant (the he or she was in the presence of a Jewish people).” man of God. The impact of these words, One of the Pope’s titles is “Supreme the bridge they build between Pontiff.” Pontiff means “He who Christians and Jews, is immense. builds bridges,” and John Paul This message is addressed to all

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