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Archbishop Timothy Dolan speaks at Park East Synagogue: "Catholic-
Last night I had the privilege of visiting Park East Synagogue in New York to assist in the unveiling of a plaque honoring the historic visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Park East Synagogue during his 2008 visit to New York. It was the first time any pope had visited a synagogue in this country. My good friend, Rabbi Arthur Schneier, and I then addressed the 400 or so guests who were present at the Synagogue. I thought you might want to read my brief remarks.
We have selected an excerpt from the section titled, “Catholic-
On the occasion of the Pope’s visit to the great synagogue of Rome, three important
points emerged – no matter our missteps from time to time -
First, our visits with each other, begun under the gracious and reconciling initiative
of Pope John Paul II, are evidence of a commitment to bettering our relationship
as a religious duty to which we are mutually obliged. The good will we share has
over and again provided us with the resilience often needed to work our way through
whatever difficulties arise on the journey we share, as they have and will. Our strength
in this effort comes from God, who prompts our hearts to undertake this task and
who never fails to nurture what he inspires in us.
Secondly, we note that papal visits to various synagogues and my visit with you today are signs of friendship between our communities as hoped for in Nostra Aetate. There, we find something of a blueprint for our future: the vision of what can and must be reconciled between us, along with the friendship it promises. Our visits with each other, especially in holy places, reaffirm and recommit us to pursuing that same friendship as we embrace each other in the great peace of God, who is Creator and Ruler of all.
Finally, be assured that this tradition of invitation and visitation, of welcome and of hospitality offered and accepted, is intended to put to rest the notion that the Church’s renewal of her relationship with the Jewish people is not an authentic or irreversible part of her life. On the contrary, the decisions of Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI to visit with their Jewish brothers and sisters, most especially in Israel as a full diplomatic partner of the Holy See, is a direct affirmation of all that Nostra Aetate challenges the Church to realize in herself. This deepening friendship is not just a nice idea, a hobby, or a quirk of any one pope or rabbi, but an essential of our common faith. As a result, Christians and Jews everywhere should be able to see our own Rabbi Schneier and Pope Benedict as examples of how those who love God must work together to heal a past where before there was little but conflict and misunderstanding. May God strengthen and bring to perfection in each of us all that he has begun! To read the entire blog article, CLICK HERE.