By Paddy Monaghan..
Giulio Meotti launched his book The Vatican Against Israel – J’accuse- in November 2013. My initial response to the many untrue and exaggerated statements in it was that people will see through it and ignore it as it deserves. However an Anglican Minister friend strongly encouraged me, as a Catholic Lay Leader, to research and respond to it. Unfortunately I needed to buy it first and then review. The book makes many unsubstantiated and unfair claims against the Catholic Church. I agree with Meotti on some things such as his highlighting of blatant anti-Semitism emanating from some Middle East Catholic Leaders which needs to be exposed.
Overall it is a poorly written book that can hurt Catholic/Jewish and Christian/Jewish relationships and hinder God’s purpose for reconciliation in the Body of Christ between Israel and the Gentiles.
Meotti seems to have a jaundiced view of the Roman Catholic Church (RC) and approached this book from that perspective. He seems totally unaware of what the Holy Spirit has done in causing RC to repent of it’s former wrong attitudes to the Jews.
There are so many generalisations in this book which, in my opinion, are untrue. Let me take 5 of them:
1. Nostra Aetate -1965
- Because Nostra Aetate didn’t include a line that the Jews were not “a deicidal race” Meotti alleges that “the Vatican reiterated its position against Jews by stating: “Although the Church is the new people of God, the Jews should not be presented as repudiated or cursed by God.” How can this sentence be considered as reiterating the RC position against the Jews? It was a pretty radical statement for the 1960’s – I wish it had gone further as Pope Benedict did in his Apostolic Exhortation of the 30th Sept 2010 “the Church of the Gentiles is like a wild olive shoot, grafted onto the good olive tree that is the people of the Covenant (cf. Rom 11:17-24). In other words, we draw our nourishment from the same spiritual roots.” (Note 1)
Nostra Aetate goes on to decry “hatred, persecutions and displays of anti-Semitism, directed against Jews at any time and by anyone.” It stated categorically that responsibility for the death of Jesus “cannot be charged against all the Jews, without distinction, then alive, nor against the Jews of today.” (Note 2) Nostra Aetate represented a sea change in RC attitudes to the Jews and not a reiteration of a position against them.
- Later in the Book Meotti grudgingly acknowledges that Nostra Aetate was a step forward but writes that it “remains the only theological step forward toward Jews since the Gospels” which is untrue.
There have been many theological steps forward since this 1965 document. This is well presented by the former Chief Rabbi of Ireland – David Rosen – at his address to a Catholic/Jewish Conference in Rome in 2005. He stated that Nostra Aetate led to many other significant developments in RC/Jewish relationships and paved the way for RC to recognise the State of Israel. (Note 3)
One example of the many forward steps since 1965 is that there have now been 22 meetings of The International Catholic-Jewish Liaison Committee (ILC). The ILC is the official forum for ongoing dialogue between the Vatican and a representative International Jewish Committee. The 22nd meeting of the ILC took place in Madrid, Spain, from 13-16 October, 2013. It condemned the current rise of anti-Semitism and the growing phenomenon of the persecution of Christians. (Note 4)
2. Anti- Semitism
Meotti alleges:“Today all the largest Catholic forums, most of the high ranking bishops and all of ARAB Christianity, are immersed in a radical anti Israel rhetoric that resembles that of the 1930’s” “Theological anti Zionism which represents a majority current in the Catholic Church, pursues a long term eliminationist policy” “Despite the formal (diplomatic) agreement between Israel and the Vatican (Dec. 1993), the Vatican is still “at war” with the State of Israel when it deals with … global anti Semitism…..retrograde Catholic anti Zionist theology”
These charges are patently untrue. Vatican has made immense strides in combating anti Semitism. As for RC adopting anti Zionist theology this does not stand up eg. The agreed statement from the 18th International Catholic — Jewish Liaison Committee Meeting(Buenos Aires, July 2004) affirmed the total rejection of “anti-Semitism in all its forms,including anti-Zionism as a more recent manifestation of anti-Semitism” (Note 5)
If Meotti is correct how could Pope John Paul 2 have repented of anti Semitism in his famous Prayer of Repentance that he placed in the Western Wall in Jerusalem (Note 6)
Meotti had no basis for saying most of the high ranking bishops in RC are immersed in radical anti Israel rhetoric. In fact a very positivestatement on Judaism is in theofficial Catholic Catechism: “The Jewish faith, unlike other non-Christian religions, is already a response to God’s revelation in the Old Covenant.”(Note 7)
In addition awareness of the Catholic roots of anti-Semitism is being raised in Catholic circles in many countries. Eg in Ireland the main Catholic Publishing House – Veritas – published Healing the Past – Catholic Anti-Semitism: Roots and Redemption. Bishop Donal Murray wrote in the Forward “I hope that this book will help to raise awareness of the evil of prejudice and in particular the evil of anti-Semitism.” (Note 8)
3. The Protocols of the Elders of Zion
Meotti wrote “The Christian clergy is fuelling anti-Jew hatred again using the Protocols of the Elders of Zion.” He then quotes Fr. Musalam, the head of the Catholic Church in Gaza as using “the Protocols to incite hatred against the Jews.” While this is appalling from a Palestinian “Christian” leader surely Meotti should also have stated that the Vatican has condemned the Protocols.
Cardinal Walter Kasper, Head of the Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews in his Paper on Anti-Semitism: A Wound To Be Healed in 2003 (on Vatican website) highlighted how the Protocols were an “anti Jewish libel” and contributed to amindset of “contempt and hatred for the Jews” that led to the Holocaust.
Many other Catholics have condemned the Protocols eg. In Ireland Mar 21, 2008 in the Catholic Herald newspaper a Catholic Writer wrote the “Christian faith and The Protocols of the Elders of Zion are incompatible. Any Christian that promotes them is not only breaking the 10 Commandments, but also makes a mockery of Jesus Christ and all that He stands for. The Ten Commandments clearly state in Deuteronomy 5:20 “Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour.”
4. State of Israel
Meotti writes “Within the Church there are growing numbers of leaders who dislike Israel because they believe that Jews are not entitled to any part of the Holy Land” “The problem is that the temporariness of the state of Israel is an idea shared by the largest part of the Catholic Church. And it is this idea that influences Vatican policy on the Middle East.” Where is his basis for these allegations? On the contrary there is much evidence of affirmation of the God’s eternal Covenant with the Jewish people from many senior Catholic sources:
- Rabbi David Rosen wrote “I believe that the Catholic Church, especially under Pope John Paul II, came to asignificant understanding of this centrality of the State of Israel for Jewry” (Note 3).
- Pope John Paul 11 in his last Encyclical affirmed that the Jewish people “are called by God to a covenant which remains irrevocable (cf. Rom 11:29)” (Note 9)
- Fr Raniero Cantalamessa, a highly-respected preacher and teacher, and currently the Preacher to Papal Household affirmed the everlasting covenant with the Jewish people writing “We share with the Jews the Biblical certainty that God gave them the country of Canaan forever (Genesis 17:8, Isaiah 43:5, Jeremiah 32:22, Ezekiel 36:24, Amos 9:14). We know that the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable (Romans 11:29).” (Note 10)
- Prominent Catholic Cardinal from Austria – Cardinal Schoenborn – stated that“Christians should rejoice in Jews’ return to Israel as a fulfilment of biblical prophecy”. He also said Pope John Paul II had himself declared the biblical commandment for Jews to live in Israel an everlasting covenant that remained valid today. (Note 11)
- Pope Francis in his first Encyclical in Nov 2013 affirmed the everlasting covenant with the Jews: “We hold the Jewish people in special regard because their covenant with God has never been revoked, for “the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable” (Rom 11:29).”(Note 12)
5. Replacement Theology
Meotti rightly highlights the appalling comments of Melkite Catholic Archbishop Elias Chacour of Haifa who stated:”we do not believe anymore that the Jews are the Chosen People” and was vice president of Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Centre, which has embraced Replacement Theology. Thankfully Chacour resigned as Archbishop in Jan 2014. Meotti also rightly highlights how some Arab Catholic bishops have signed the Kairos document, which Sabeel had a big input into. Meotti then goes on to strongly imply that RC has reverted to embracing Replacement Theology. This is totally incorrect.
Like Meotti I too was shocked at the statement by Archbishop Cyril Boutros denying the continuing covenant status of the Jewish people at a press conference in the Vatican after the Middle Eastern bishops Synod. However the Synod itself did not deny the election of the Jewish people. Spokespersons for the Vatican disowned the Boutros statement, insisting that it was merely a “personal opinion”. Boutros was actually denying the official teaching of the Catholic Church [that he is committed by his office to uphold] clearly expressed in the Declaration Nostra Aetate, in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and in numerous declarations by John Paul II and Benedict XVI.
The official RC position on Replacement Theology is very clear. Senior Vatican Cardinal Walter Kasper set it out in 2003 in a major paper on “Anti-Semitism: A wound to be healed” that:
- the Church does not replace Israel, but is grafted onto it
- a complete break between the Church and the Synagogue is in contradiction to Sacred Scripture”
- God did not abandon his Covenant with the Jews (Note 13)
It is worth noting that the Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews in 1982 issued Guidelines on the correct way to present the Jews and Judaism in preaching and catechesis in the Roman Catholic Church. It stated that “The history of Israel did not end in 70 A.D. It continued, especially in a numerous Diaspora which allowed Israel to carry to the whole world a witness – often heroic – of its fidelity to the one God … while preserving the memory of the land of their forefathers at the hearts of their hope (Passover Seder)… The permanence of Israel (while so many ancient peoples have disappeared without trace) is a historic fact and a sign to be interpreted within God’s design. We must in any case rid ourselves of the traditional idea of a people punished, preserved as a living argument for Christian apologetic. It remains a chosen people, “the pure olive on which were grafted the branches of the wild olive which are the gentiles”
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/relations-jews-docs/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_19820306_jews-judaism_en.html Surely this is again one of many wonderful steps forward in Catholic Christian/Jewish relationships
Prominent Catholic Theologians have rebuked Replacement Theology.eg. Dermot Lane of Ireland (Note 14) wrote: “God’s Covenant with the Jews has never been revoked. This has profound theological significance …for Christian self-understanding…God’s covenant with Israel remains in place and therefore theories of supercessionism, substitution and replacement, which have been in existence since the second or third century, must now be put aside.”
Finally it is worth highlighting that many Catholics risked their lives to save Jewish people during World War 2. To date 6,266 Poles have been awarded the title of Righteous among the Nations by the State of Israel – more than any other nation. I understand that these are nearly all Catholic Christians, including hundreds of Polish priests and nuns.
I do agree with Meotti that many Palestinian Christians today feel they “have to speak out against the Israeli occupation, because if they don’t, their silence will be perceived as pro Israeli by the Muslims.” However it is so encouraging that there are Palestinian Christian leaders like Fr. Gabriel Nadaf and Naim Khoury courageously standing with Israel in spite of strong Muslim opposition. There are also a significant number of Muslims in Israel and the West Bank who have become Christians in the last 7 years and pay a big price for coming out of Islam – we need to keep them in prayer.
As I have demonstrated Meotti does a major injustice to the Catholic Church re its relationships with the Jewish people and Israel. It seems like he approached this book from a position of bias against RC – he admits in the book – “I don’t really believe that Catholicism has changed its spots and put 1700 years of anti Semitism behind it.” Well I praise the Lord that RC has changed its spots and has and continues to repent for the sins of the past. As Pope Francis has repeatedly said, “a Christian cannot be an anti-Semite.”
Paddy Monaghan, Catholic Lay Leader, Ireland Feb. 2014
@ the phoenix:
Your right on the money! Don’t trust a word that comes from the Vatican.
@ AbbaGuutuu:
Ok. Sorry. I meant it as an umbrella term. (Kind of ‘they all look / act alike’ if you catch my drift…
Not really….
Well, I agree, but that is FAR from being the case… Isn’t it?
Abbu’yah, PLEASE listen….
If someone WANTS to do what is right… That someone WILL do just that. He does not need any outside encouragement for it would be something that comes from within.
When you have to ENCOURAGE someone to do what is right… all it means is that whatever he will do, right that it might be, it has NO VALUE for it did not come from the heart.
For the ENORMITY of the crimes that have been committed, the very first thing that should be done AFTER the long speech detailing all,the crimes committed, (and again, for the sake of simplicity I refer to the pope and the rc church as an umbrella term to mean CHRISTIANS), should be to arrive to the state of Israel together with his cardinals and crawl on his hands and knees to yad vashem asking forgiveness for ALL the calamities that befell the Jewish nation on behalf of the religion that he represents.
If he were to be sincere, he should stick his papal neck out and not expect any immediate response, let alone forgiveness. Let the words sink in….
Let the whole world digest the enormity of the crimes …
As your friend dweller aptly put it (when he described me) “he should grovel”
Hope that helped… 🙂
yamit82 Said:
Your comment shows others could do what you have done even if they have not read the book.
yamit82 Said:
From your comments, it seems to me (I could be wrong) some Christians might have personally hurt you very much. The christians I have known from my childhood up until now love Israel and rejoice seeing its progress from time to time. Do you like if others do to you what you want to do to them?
There are genuine Christians all over the world who help victims of earthquakes; famine; wars etc. Some built hospitals, schools in the poorest countries of the world and also take care of orphanages and widows. Some of them lost their lives in the process and for the sake of helping others. Even if you hate some extreme elements, it is good to do what is right to be a best role model to those who look up to you.
the phoenix Said:
What makes you to think that RC is my church? I know you don’t have a proof. From the article I read on this website, I saw positive efforts (though not sufficient). Have you not been able to see anything positive done by RC? Whatever RC has done by no means compensate for the crimes committed against the Jews. Since what RC did cannot be undone (they cannot get the dead back), the best they can do in going forward is to be a staunch supporter of Israel. With this in mind, I wanted them to be encouraged to do what is right now and in the future.
@ AbbaGuutuu:
Zionism for Christians
David P. Goldman (writing as David Shushon
What does the sheer existence of the modern state of Israel mean for theology ”particularly for christian theology? And what does that theology mean for the continuing existence of Israel? Not all christians agree with the mainstream Jewish view that modern Jewish life requires the existence of a Jewish state.
Catholics do not have to live under a Catholic state in order to sustain their life as a People of God. At the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church renounced the exercise of secular power. Why should Jewish religious life require the existence of a Jewish state when Christian life does not? Many practical concerns, including the safety of Middle Eastern Christians, the interest of the Church in the holy places of Jerusalem, and the issue of war and peace in the region, have colored the Catholic attitude toward the State of Israel, but the theological concern ultimately overrides the temporal issues.
The State of Israel was founded with at least some theocratic elements”at exactly a point in history when the Catholic Church was renouncing theocracy and withdrawing from secular governance. Catholics, along with many Protestant and Orthodox Christians, view with disquiet the revival of a religiously defined political state just when religiously defined states were disappearing as a factor in Christian life. Although the theocratic elements in Israeli law are ad hoc rather than systemic, they are nonetheless integral to Israel’s character (the Right of Return for Jews, for example).
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
If I had the power to decide, there would be NO christian catholic or otherwise in the Land of Israel and that goes double for all churches and christian religious monuments and sites.
Only strict monotheists and noahides can be allowed and then with severe restrictions.
The official RC position on Replacement Theology is very clear. Senior Vatican Cardinal Walter Kasper set it out in 2003 in a major paper on “Anti-Semitism: A wound to be healed” that:
Here lies the problem: If the church was grafted it was done by brutal force and without our (Jewish) agreement and approval.
We don’t need or want you christians grafted or otherwise. If there was a Jewish connection between the early sectarians and Judaism it’s long since been eradicated by thought,word and deed. The church and all of christianity is so pagan in thought and belief there can never be a real ecumenical relationship between Jews and any believing christion belonging to any of their over 40,000 cult denominations.
What scripture unless it refers to christians as the inheritors of the Jewish covenant.
Big deal!! It’s kinda difficult to maintain that dogma with us Jews sitting in the Land of Israel and controlling most of Jerusalem. On the other hand they preach doctrinally that our return to the Land is temporary and mostly below the radar do everything they can to reverse the fact we have returned.
@ AbbaGuutuu:
Then you haven’t read the book!!! Yet you draw conclusions based on WHAT? I didn’t comment directly to the book because I haven’t read it but I can support his published conclusions from a myriad of other sources.
What these wonderful people did is what wonderful people do. In fact, if one takes into account RC doctrine, what they did they did in spite of being Roman Catholics.
The fact that Middle East RC leaders are still using amazingly stupid words like “deicide” with impunity, and with the encouragement of non-Middle Eastern RC leaders, as illustrated in Meotti’s book, shows that original RC doctrine is still alive and well, despite the (half-hearted) efforts of some Popes. Original RC doctrine goes back to the foundations of the RC church by Constantine, and is not likely to disappear easily, if at all.
These original Jew-hating doctrines were formed on the basis of lies passed down for several generations (approximately 11) and will ultimately cause the Catholic Church to disintegrate. One cannot form a foundation of Truth based on foundational lies.
The Catholic Church is, and always has been, the problem, despite the acts of fundamentally good people within its ranks; mostly outside of the higher levels of the church hierarchy.
When the Roman Catholic Church becomes full of anger at what it has done to the Jews over the centuries as a so-called “religious organization,” and is prepared, from the top down, to initiate penance (try confession for a start), we Jews will understand that what Mr. Monaghan has written has some roots. I would urge Mr. Monaghan to read James Carroll’s book “Constantine’s Sword” for an in-depth look at the lies propagated and the opportunities missed with respect to the Jews and the Church.
Oh – and by the way, Mr. Monaghan, the fact that you said this:
indicates exactly how your mind works; if you damn something without reading it, it’s kind of obvious that no amount of rational argument will shake you out of your mindset, a mindset which as I indicated above with respect to the Church, is badly in need of re-setting.
The book, on the other hand, is fine.
@ AbbaGuutuu:
Well, this is exactly the part, my dear abba, that I have a bit of a problem with…..
It seems like I have to repeat my initial question.
W.H.A.T. W.E.R.E. T.H.E. P.O.S.I.T.I.V.E. S.T.E.P.S. taken by this rc church of yours?
Let me make it easier for you.
Ask ANYONE jewish and most certainly, on this forum, what positive contributions were made by the Jews to the world.
In no time flat even the dimmest Jew, will be able to list the countless wonder outs gifts that the Jews and Judaism has bestowed on the world, AS NONDESERVING AS IT MAY BE.
(Hint: there is an ongoing thread named “good news Israel” here on ip)
Now.
You sort of speak on behalf of your church…
SO!!!!!
What was it exactly that you guys did, that it should be acknowledged????
The road to recovery begins with admitting that one has a problem (“hi, my name is John smith and I am an alcoholic”….. “Hi John!”)
Let’s cut the bullshit and get to the heart of the matter.
When the chief honcho living in michelangelo’s masterpiece, would come to the balcony and start a LOOOOOOONG. ‘Meah culpa’ speech where he will start to BEG for forgiveness for heinous crimes committed against the Jewish nation,( start chronologically… We are talking about crimes committed over the course of a 2,000 year period!!!)
Start with THAT,
and let’s talk after.
the phoenix Said:
What is wrong in encouraging RC, which has taken some positive steps to do more as what have been done are not sufficient?
AbbaGuutuu Said:
The Catholic Church can not make apologies for their barbarity and what they inflicted on the Jewish people since even before Constantine. Hitler pales by comparrison.
Don’t want their stinking apologies. They can only be directed and accepted by their victims not the living Jews today. What they can do is to support in every way the State of Israel which they haven’t done and will never do. Our existence and return to Israel and Jerusalem with sovereignty is a refutation of Catholic and most christian theological dogma. If we are right by definition they are wrong and they will never admit to that truth and will fight it and try to reverse this reality wilth all their might and resources.
They use the Pauline doctrine to fool stupid Jews:
Dishonest Paul the treacherous Liar
Would you buy a used car from Paul??? Caveat emptor!!!!
The issue between the Church and Israel is the Catholic belief that Christianity has “superseded” Judaism in Gd’s redemptive plan. Proof of supersession is that the Jews were expelled from Judaea, punishment for rejecting Jesus, and according to supersessionary theology, never to return until they accept him.
Israel’s establishment as a Jewish state demonstrates that the “never to return” piece of that is wrong. If Israel’s existence disproves supersessionism, then any faith that remains committed to it has called itself into question.
That is the challenge facing the Church today. Can it retain supersessionism in the face of a Jewish state of Israel? John Paul’s concept of an older-brother–younger-brother formula allows Catholics to accept the existence of a Jewish state of Israel without being forced to conclude that Catholic theology is false, and is the only formula to date that doesn’t require Catholics to endorse a second Holocaust, and by implication the first one.
The Church’s policy on Palestinians is less connected to doctrine and thus more flexible. If they ever have to recognize that the Palestinians are committed to a second Holocaust, they will have a difficult decision to make: either revert to supersessionism with a vengeance and endorse killing Jews or abandoning the Palestinian cause. It is this decision that gives the fate of supersessionism its significance.
Despite Progress, Work Remains for Next Pope on Israel-Vatican Ties
The more indebted Christianity and Islam are to Judaism, the more they turn against their Jewish sources.
Last year Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, the Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with Foreign States (i.e. Foreign minister), has called for a “Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction.” A nuclear free Middle East is not a new idea, Arab nations have pushed for this before with a little encouragement from the Vatican I’m sure. But now the Vatican has put a new push on the idea. The notion of a “Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons” sounds full of love and peace, really who would not want that? Well… stand back and ask who has nuclear weapons in the Middle East? There is not a long list really, just one, Israel and that is not confirmed nor denied by the Israeli government.
However while you are standing back and looking at the situation just recall to mind the history of the Jewish people and it becomes very obvious why they might want to carry a big stick. This is a people that fought a war of survival every decade for the first forty year of its existence and prior to statehood endured almost 2000 years of dispersion and persecution. There is no other nation with the national experience that Israel has.
Much of the distain that the Roman Catholic Church has against Israel stems from the belief that the Jews killed jezus and therefore are cut off as a people and have been replaced by the church.
From the earliest roots of Zionism the Vatican has been deeply opposed to it. In examining the relationship between the Vatican and Israel there is a most valuable book entitled “The Vatican and Zionism” by Sergio Minerbi, the information contained in that book is amazing.
Minerbi writes of Theodore Herzl (Considered the father of political Zionism) that “he harbored no illusions about the Vatican but correctly identified the Catholic Church as the chief opponent of his vision…”
In conversation with Pope Pius X in 1904 Herzl was told the following:
“We cannot encourage this movement. We cannot prevent the Jews from going to Jerusalem – but we could never sanction it. The ground of Jerusalem, even if it were not always sacred, has been sanctified by the life Jesus Christ. As the head of the Church I cannot tell you otherwise. The Jews have not recognized our Lord, therefore we cannot recognize the Jewish people.”
Herzl was also asked by the pope whether any thought was being given to the re building of the temple in Jerusalem, as issue that worried the pope. Minerbi states that “politically, Zionism posed a greater threat to the Holy Places in Jerusalem then did the Islamic regime there. In fact the pope stated to Herzl that “it is not pleasant to see the Turks in possession of our Holy Places. We simply have to put up with that. But to support the Jews in the acquisition of the Holy Places, that we cannot do.” I think that this statement sums up the Vatican’s position today, they would much prefer to have a Palestinian state than the Jewish state. This feeling is only going to become even stronger as Jewish groups in Israel talk of and prepare for the building of a third temple in Jerusalem.
AbbaGuutuu Said:
1. kindly enlighten us,as to WHAT EFFORTS exactly you are talking about…
2. have you read the book?
let’s start with that…
Giulio Meotti was rightly criticized for the book he wrote regarding RC’s attitude to Israel based on prejudice and falsehood. His book contains some elements of truth but overall it weakens a relationship between RC and Jews. The private prayers made by Pope Paul II did not address specifically the crimes committed by catholics. Had he (Pope Paul II) officially apologized in public about RC’s misdeeds/crimes, his followers everywhere (in Arab countries as well) could have received the message loud and clear in order to totally abandon anti-semitism. The efforts repeatedly made by RC to improve its relations with Israel/Jews should be appreciated and encouraged. In order to have a better relations with Israel/Jews, Pope Francis should be encouraged to publicly apologize on behalf of RC.