Pope Leo XIV has reiterated Catholicism's commitment to the rejection of antisemitism, telling the American Jewish Committee (AJC) that “the Church fights against it, on the basis of the Gospel itself”.
The pontiff was addressing a delegation from the AJC, a US-based worldwide Jewish advocacy organisation, at the Vatican last week, where he spoke about the “friendship between Jews and Catholics”.
He said: “Rooted in our shared spiritual heritage, this friendship... calls us to defend human dignity, to serve the poor, to protect religious freedom and to promote justice and peace.
“Essential to this commitment is the rejection of all forms of religious and ethnic hatred and discrimination. In this regard…..I affirmed that, ‘the Church does not tolerate antisemitism and fights against it, on the basis of the Gospel itself’.
“Differences of opinion, however profound, must never give rise to prejudice and hostility, which undermine the moral foundations of our society.”
The pope repeated a comment he made last May, stating that: “The witness of our fraternity, which I hope we will be able to show with effective gestures, will certainly contribute to building a more peaceful world, something that all men and women of good will desire in their hearts.”
The pope’s remarks were welcomed by Rabbi Noam Marans, the director of interreligious affairs for AJC, who said: “It’s impossible to overstate [Catholicism’s] power … to make a significant contribution in confronting antisemitism,” as reported by Jewish Insider.
“Antisemitism is not a Jewish problem; it is a societal problem. The Catholic Church... has a particular responsibility.”
The European Jewish Association (EJA) also welcomed the pontiff’s comments and said: “This commitment must translate into education, local partnerships with Jewish communities and a shared defence of religious freedom."
To get more news, click here to sign up for our free daily newsletter.