AMERICA/ARGENTINA - “Justice and charity. Facing Future Challenges: Jewish-Catholic relations in the 21st century”: International Catholic-Jewish Liaison Committee meeting in Buenos Aires:

Wednesday, 7 July 2004

Buenos Aires (Fides Service) - The International Catholic-Jewish Liaison Committee started its 18th meeting on July 5 in Buenos Aires, on the theme “Tzedek and Tzedaká (Justice and Charity). Facing Future Challenges: Jewish-Catholic relations in the 21st century". The meeting is organised by the Holy See Commission for Religious Relations with Judaism and the International Jewish Committee for Interreligious Consultation IJCIC, presided respectively by Cardinal Walter Kasper, President of the Pontifical Council for Promotion of Unity among Christians and Rabbi Israel Singer, President of the Governing Board, World Jewish Congress (USA).
The fifty Catholic and Jewish experts attending the meeting which will close on 8 July, are involved in ecumenical and interreligious activities and the come from Europe, Israel, United States and Latin America. Besides Cardinal Walter Kasper and Rabbi Israel Singer, there is also Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Archbishop of Buenos Aires and Primate of Argentina; Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue; and Bishops Vescovi Giostro O. Laguna, João Oneres Marchiori and Luis del Castillo, Presidents respectively of the Commissions for Ecumenism and for Interreligious Dialogue of the Bishops’ Conferences of Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay.
The programme includes conferences, debates and visits to main religious centres in Buenos Aires, with the objective of enriching Jewish Christian relations. In the opening speech Cardinal Kasper said that although theological discussion is important it is necessary to go further: “We must look to the past with wisdom and to the future in a new way. We are gathered not as politicians, or military leaders or businessmen but as communities of faith to find ways of common action in the world today”. On the same line, Rabbi Israel Singer stressed the need for joint commitment of Jews and Catholics: “Today we are making progress to work together because we have come to find common causes starting from common sources”. Cardinal Jorge M. Bergoglio said he hoped the participants would “continue on their path with the commitment to be ‘irreproachable’ and to let the thirst to meet each other come forth from every heart”. (R.Z.) (Agenzia Fides 7/7/2004; righe 27 parole 344)


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