Fr. David Neuhaus, S.J., "I’m A Jesuit Among Diocesans And A Jew Among Arabs"

Father David Neuhaus, the Jesuit responsible for the pastoral care of Hebrew-speaking Catholics in the Holy

Land, said after a meeting with Pope Francis that the Pontiff has the potential to “untie knots” in diplomatic negotiations between the Holy See and the State of Israel.

“We were presented one by one to the Pope, and when I came to him I underlined the fact that I’m a Jesuit by saying, ‘Here I am, representing the Hebrew-speaking communities, I’m a Jesuit among diocesans and a Jew among Arabs,’” recounted Father Neuhaus, who is a convert from Judaism. “And he smiled and turned to the [Latin] Patriarch [of Jerusalem] and said, ‘Oh, another one who has the virus!’ And there was a clear sign of joy in the eyes of the Pope to see there is another Jesuit, out there somewhere on the margins, trying to serve the universal Church.”

“This is a Pope who also had a deep, deep relationship with Jews in Buenos Aires, so also from that point of view of interreligious dialogue he seems to be very much understanding what’s going on and what the issues are,” Father Neuhaus continued. “Relations between the Holy See and Israel are complex, the negotiations have been dragging on for a very long time … Here again I think Pope Francis’ directness, his honesty, his clear elaboration of what is going on in any particular situation might indeed help untie some of the knots in these negotiations.” 

Link (here) to Catholic Culture

Jesuit On The Forum At The Vatican

Fr. Samir: A good start in friendship at the Catholic-Muslim Forum in the Vatican Samir Khalil Samir

The Jesuit Samir Khalil, an expert on Islam and among the participants at the Forum in the Vatican, tells of the paths and hopes created by the meeting. Some difficulties on religious freedom. The common challenge of secularism. Muslims ask for Christians help to counter Islamaphobia.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) – After many years of difficulty, what took place in the Vatican between November 4th and 6th, was the first Christian-Muslim encounter on a worldwide stage. The group of Muslims hailed from the Arab world, from Africa, America: converted imams from the western world were among the participants as well as imams from the Far East (Indonesia, Malaysia, etc..).

Catholic members too were drawn from across the continents. The Council for Inter-religious Dialogue had deliberately wanted this heterogeneous mix. Both sides also had women members.

True brotherhood

The most important element that needs to be underlined in the atmosphere of serenity and friendship, respected at all times, both in public and in private one-on-one encounters. On occasion there were moments of tension, but they were truly rare. This atmosphere was the direct result of the leadership of the Mufti of Sarajevo, Mustafa Cerić, and Card. Tauran: both of whom have always insisted on talking as “friends, as brothers”.

The program also helped: each day there were 2 brief interventions, Christian and Muslim each lasting 30 minutes in a parallel. This allowed listeners to perceive the two viewpoints that are distinct, but trying to find common ground. For the remainder of the day there were other interventions and questions and answer sessions between the two delegations. This meant that for over 5 hours there was the time to exchange opinions and points of view. All involved were careful of and adherent to the rules and form of the interventions. Even during lunch we mixed freely. In short it all took place in an atmosphere of informal brotherhood and true friendship.

Another point that must be highlighted is the quality and seriousness of the participants, who were of the highest level from both a spiritual and intellectual point of view. This gave a stamp of great seriousness to our dialogue.

Even the western Imams, who had converted to Islam, had a very broad culture, both of the Islamic world and of the Christian world, with knowledge of medieval sources and of Saint Thomas Aquinas.

The address delivered by Seyyed Hossein Nasr [Iranian philosopher and professor in the USA] for example was truly superb. It greatly contributed to a fruitful and serene dialogue.

Some may claim that the final document (see Catholic-Muslim joint declaration) is too generic. But we must take into account that this is the first in a series of meetings. What is most important about this Forum is that it is a start. Points 14 and 15 of the Declaration affirm that this is the beginning of a process and that within the next two years we will have to hold another meeting in a Muslim nation yet to be decided on. This means that a slow, but continuous process has begun that may increasingly bear fruits and draw the two communities closer.

The difficulties

Dialogue was frank: we did not shy away from difficulties. We had chosen the title “Love of God and Love of Neighbour” for the encounter. Despite some pressures to remain within the theological and spiritual fields alone, there was a general consensus to confront theological questions on the first day; on the second the themes of Human Dignity and reciprocal respect. Some feared these themes, because they risk raising embarrassing problems, above all for Islam, by involving religious freedom, public witness, mission etc.

In the end we all agreed to face these themes both on a philosophical level, to ground them in faith, and on a practical level, to suggest some ways they may be applied.

This dialogue too was very fruitful. Moreover, the Muslims foremost highlighted the reticence of the Islamic world to accept concepts such as equality among all men, common dignity, freedom to practice one’s faith, etc…

Some Muslims almost envy European Christians, who’s longer and more profound historical journey has led them to the conquest of a distinction between faith and politics; between Church and State, even arriving to the point of wars for this.

“All of these battles – some Muslims observed – brought your Church to rethink the relationship between Religion and State. We have had fewer problems. But this has not allowed us to deepen the distinction. Then when Europe arrived in our countries, we were unable to absorb this lesson because Europe entered as an enemy and coloniser and this hardened positions”.

This seems to me to be a valid analysis, even if somewhat insufficient. The distinction between religion and politics is not just the result of historic struggles, but of principal: it is rooted in the Gospel where Christ refuses to behave like a political or social leader. Instead, the context of the Arab tribes in the VII century pushed Mohammad to make socio-political choices.

This led to an interesting debate on secular society, secularisation and secularism. Many Muslims distinguished between the secular nature of the State which “we Muslims could accept” and secular in the sense of atheistic secularism “which is to be fought”.

This differentiation is of benefit to all, even for our western societies that are drowning in practical atheism. Many frequently quoted from (and expressed their appreciation of) the

Pope’s position on “a secular society that is open” [to the religious dimension - see. The Regensburg Address]. It was above all underlined by the Muslim side that the problem of secularism unites both Christians and Muslims. Churches are emptying, they told us; Mosques somewhat less, but this return to the Mosque maybe just a refuge of self-identification, a need to grasp onto something.

There were theological, philosophical, sociological contributions from both parts, greatly enriching for all involved. The problem of secularisation merits a convention on its own.

From there we passed onto the problem of Freedom of conscience and of religion, a very delicate theme which was treated with discretion and which re-emerged when the moment came to accept the final document.

In the Joint Declaration, “the right of persons and communities to practice their faith in private and in public” emerged in point 5. Serious problems arose.

Some Muslims said: “if you include those words you put us in great difficulty. Freedom of religion in our countries is governed by State law. How can we distribute a document that is against State law? We risk being disqualified and marginalised by our society”.

Some Muslims suggested omitting at least the words “in private and in public”.

There was also a formula that defended the right to spread ones own faith such as “Da’wa” (mission for Islam) or Tabshir (Christian mission). But it was held to be too strong and so we eliminated it.

All of these difficulties were resolved by the grand Mufti.

Mustafa Cerić recalled that the formula on religious freedom used in the joint statement “are those found in the UN Declaration of Human Rights. Many Muslim governments signed this Declaration. Therefore they must accept it, even though perhaps they don’t practise it”.

This solved the problem and eased the path for all to adhere to the final document. Difficulties remain, but at least we have affirmed the principal of freedom. What’s more, in the Koran there are verses which lend comfort to this position.

The problem of religious freedom also raised the question of how to put the declaration to use. We all agreed to translate it into our own languages and distribute it as much as possible, sensitising our governments too, even though we do not have the power to force them to change their laws.

Another way to render this encounter beneficial is to educate younger generations to be more objective and respectful of other religions, both through scholastic text books and general publications. All agreed that “we cannot continue to transmit errors". This is why books which speak of Christians should be written by Christians and vice-versa: books which speak of Islam should be written by Muslims and adopted even in Catholic schools”. The theme of education could be the theme of a future Forum appointment.

A common challenge: modernity without God

In conclusion, the encounter was very positive but it also opened questions that require greater study, for example the question of religious freedom. Muslim tradition affirms freedom of conscience, but does not guarantee community witness because it sees in the witness of another faith the risk of scandal for the Islamic community, and therefore something to be condemned.

But secularism remains the most urgent question, one which has opened a space for a common mission.

In their interventions many Muslims described the secularisation of the world as the most worrying problem that needs to be confronted and this is why they want Catholics to react along with them.

There is a real risk of a fundamentalist vision emerging, in which we ask governments to guarantee religions, but in the end I believe that these demands are honest ones.

The underlying problem is an anti-religious modernity. Muslims want to build a modernity that is not anti-religious and that is open to God, as Benedict XVI himself continues to preach.

Muslims reaching out to Christians

I had the clear sensation that within the Muslim world there are increased efforts to reach out to Christians. A factor that pushed for the meeting in the Vatican is the feeling on the Islamic side that we have a common tradition, the so-called Abrahamic tradition.

It should be noted that the Koran recognises both Christianity and Judaism. But while relations with the Jews are in ruins, friendship with the Christians is witnessed to its last sura. There is also a political reason: today’s world is dominated by the west, which is of a Christian tradition and therefore it is worthwhile to dialogue with Christians and above all Catholics.

An interesting fact is the “confession” made by a Sunni Muslim who said he felt closer to Catholics then to Protestants “because you and we refer to tradition as a normative value and because together we represent over a third of the world”.

A final reason is their hope for help from Christians to defend themselves from Islamaphobia. Muslim leaders feel that the world views their religion as a religion of violence, terror, etc...

In the first draft of the Final Declaration there was the word “terrorism”: Muslims wanted it removed and substituted with a more generic word (“violence”).

The reason being “because people associate terrorism and Islam”. There is the real risk in today’s world that Islam is to be totally condemned. The pope in his discourse clarified that we must be against violence, even that which is carried out in the “name of God”.

Muslims feel they are being attacked by all and accused by all of terrorism. One of them said: “I am not Bin Laden. Why are you making me carry the burden of what Bin Laden does?”. They all recognize that these attacks do not come from Christians but from the secularized and atheistic world and this is why they are reaching out for the help of Christians.

There is therefore the desire to overcome barriers and quarrels to jointly face the challenge of secularism towards religions.

One Muslim said he no longer accepted the division between “House of Peace (Dar-al-Islam)” and “House of War (Dar al-Harb)”, which reflects a division of the world along political-religious lines and ferments the jihad against the west.

He prefers the definition “House of Witness”: wherever you may be, in the Islamic world or the Western world, what is important is that you witness your faith. In the end, these Muslims want Muslims and Christians to offer a common witness in the face of rising secularism.

Link (here)

The Catholic University

Writer Malcolm A. Kline is the executive director of Accuracy in Academia, he writes in campusreportonline.net a book review of The Man Who Was Ratzinger, author Michael S. Rose. Kline comments on the state Catholic Universities and their relationship with the Catholic Church.

An excerpt.

Cardinal Ratzinger did more than foreshadow his approach to Catholic education.

“In the past two decades an excessive amount of institutionalization has come about in the Church, which is alarming,” Cardinal Ratzinger wrote in A New Song for the Lord (1998); “Future reforms should therefore aim not at the creation of more institutions but at their reduction.”

This pontiff is uniquely poised to address the secular drift in Catholic higher education. MIT economist James Gruber has done an extensive study of religion and economic life and in a recent appearance at the American Enterprise Institute, he pointed out that religions grow by setting themselves in opposition to popular culture and trends in society, not by conforming to them.

Catholic universities, particularly those run by the Jesuit order of priests, too often follow the latter strategy. One example of this is that most Jesuit universities in the United States allow gay-lesbian- bisexual & transgender clubs—generally called GLBT’s— on campus but few host chapters of the Knights of Columbus, the Catholic fraternal organization.

“I felt kicked in the stomach and then I probably felt kicked out the door,” gay Catholic theologian Mark Jordon said of Cardinal Ratzinger’s elevation to the papacy. Jordon, who now teaches religion at Emory, was on the faculty at Notre Dame. Books he has written include The Invention of Sodomy in Christian Theology and The Silence of Sodom: Homosexuality in Modern Catholicism.

In his new book, The Man Who Was Ratzinger, author Michael S. Rose has done an exhaustive review of the Holy Father’s life and letters. Rose recounts how one nominally Catholic theologian, Paul Knitter, even made it into one of Cardinal Ratzinger’s speeches.

Formerly a priest, Dr. Knitter still teaches theology at Xavier University, which is also run by the Jesuit order. In that position, he regales his students with his thoughts and observations, such as his view of the Resurrection as “problematic,” not exactly an analysis that the Church has ever regarded as the wisdom of the ages.

Then there’s Father Thomas Reese, S. J., former editor of the Jesuit magazine America. When he stepped down from that post, his admirers hinted that he was forced out by Pope Benedict XVI. Certainly, Father Reese offered criticism of the new pope that got the Jesuit cleric national media attention.

Rose shows how the bishops in the United States are complicit in the secular drift of Catholic colleges and universities. In his encyclical Ex Corde Ecclesiae, Pope John Paul II chastised the CINO schools.

Read the full article (here) .

Jesuit On The Complex Problem Of Europe And The Current State Of European Catholicism

Arab Scholar: Europe's Lack of Faith Surprising

GRANADA, Spain, OCT. 1, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Europe's disassociation with its Christian roots is "shocking" to Eastern Christians who remember the continent's missionaries who evangelized the Americas, Asia and Africa, says a scholar of Arabic studies.

Jesuit Father Samir Khalil Samir, director of the research and documentation center for Arabic Christianity at the University of St. Joseph in Beirut, Lebanon, said Eastern Christians find it surprising that Europe is now "so removed from its faith."

He made this comment last week while in Granada for the 7th International Conference of Christian Arabic Studies, which was attended by some 180 participants.

The congress was held simultaneously with the 10th Symposium Syriacum. Both were hosted by the International Center for the Study of the Christian Orient.

Father Samir explained that the concept of secularity in the East is very different from the secularism of the West. He said that Western secularism "seeks to exclude the expression of the Christian faith in the public sphere, relegating it to the privacy of individuals."

In the East, he continued, there is "positive secularity," which seeks to "differentiate between politics and religion, but not separate them."

"We cannot leave religion out of political decision-making because religion represents an ethical tradition of humanity," the Jesuit priest said.

In regard to the dialogue between Christians and Muslims, Father Samir explained that "the struggle for this dialogue is internal, within Islam: between an extremist conception of Islam and a more open and tolerant conception."

"The relation between neighbors can be more or less good, according to the degree of tolerance or intolerance of the Muslim majority vis-à-vis Christians," he noted, though it is far from genuine religious liberty.

In this connection, the Jesuit appealed to the responsibility of the international community to commit itself to achieving this religious liberty for all people: "It is very important that powerful countries exert pressure on those that do not respect the rights of man, especially those that do not respect religious liberty."

Link (here)

When Imaginative Prayer, Meets Reality

From the Jesuisphere a blog called Crying Out in the Wilderness, its author is Richard J. Beebe, SJ is a Jesuit Scholastic in the Chicago Province of the Society of Jesus. He entered the Society on 20 August 2005 and professed perpetual vows on 12 August 2007. Richard is currently living at Loyola University in Chicago where he is studying philosophy and theology.

.

David vs Gelato

An excerpt.
This is the last week of my summer of international travel - I'm enjoying a few days in Rome with a friend who flew over from the States. Today we went up to Florence and did the town. Of course, there's much too much to see and do in Florence in one day, but we saw the most important things like the Academia (in which the famous statue of David lives), the (Cathedral of Florence) Duomo, the Basilica of Santa Croce, the Ponte Vecchio, had gelato and walked my way to two blisters. It was a great day. The last month has really been incredible.

It started out with two weeks in the Holy Land. During the first week several of us toured around Israel going up to Nazareth, Galilee, then over to the coast to visit Haifa, Mt Carmel, Caeserea Philippi. Back to Jerusalem, then Jericho, the Dead Sea, Qumran, and Masada.

After that, we entered into our 8-day retreat. Being in Jerusalem was a very special and moving time - every day during morning-evening prayer whenever Jerusalem, the holy city, the temple, or Mt Zion were mentioned, I could look out my bedroom window and say, that's right there in front of me. The psalms have never been so alive nor more related to my current prayer experience. So amazing to be in the city of David, and the city which had such importance for the story of Christianity.

The places where Christ brought his church into being through his suffering, death, resurrection, and appearances - where the Last Supper was held...we celebrated Mass at the site of the crucifixion and in the tomb of Jesus. The retreat itself focused on Jerusalem as a place toward which Jesus, St Paul, and St Ignatius all were drawn.

Being in this Holy place, and especially for me, Galilee which has special significance to me as the place were Jesus was at home and the place where most of his ministry took place, helped to place me more fully into the life of Jesus. I will be unpacking this experience for quite a while. Needless to say it was great.

Read the full blog post (here)

A Jesuit On Retreat In Jerusalem

Jesuit Scholastic Joe Koczera has blogged strait from the Holy Land, his post is entitled Jerusalem and Amsterdam. Read his blog City and the World.

An excerpt.

I had a fine retreat in Jerusalem, the graces of which came as much simply from walking around and experiencing life in the Old City as from formal periods of prayer.

The Christ I encountered during this retreat was less the Jesus of the Gospels than the Christ of faith who lives in the Church and in the pilgrims from around the world who still flock to Jerusalem despite the precarious political situation.

During the retreat, I spent a few hours every day at my favorite church, the Holy Sepulchre, which you can see behind me in the photo right below the title of this post. I could say a lot more about this - and perhaps will in another post - but for now I'll simply say that I'm thankful for having been able to spend much of my retreat praying and reflecting at the central shrine of Christendom.

Link (here)

Leading Rabbi In Jerusalem Requests Help From A Leading Jesuit

Leading Jewish Rabbi on a Mission to Stop Jerusalem Gay Pride Parade
Rabbi Levin believes that the key to success is for the Vatican to speak out strongly in opposition to the homosexual parade and "for all the religions to unite in defense against the attacks from the homosexual network."
By Tim Waggoner
JERUSALEM, June 18, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com)

.

An Excerpt.

Rabbi Yehuda Levin is also requesting the Vatican to "go to the President of Israel, who would be quite impressed given a request by the Vatican to do something about this parade and show how offensive it is." The rabbi explained that during his political campaign, President Shimon Peres, needing the support of a religious party, had signed a petition with the Shas religious party, pledging his opposition to the homosexual parade.

Rabbi Levin has contacted two prominent members of the Catholic Church in an attempt to have these requests met. "I am reaching out to the Vatican and, specifically, to Father Peter Gumpel, to assist in the effort to ban these Gay desecrations of the Holy City of Jerusalem." Fr. Grumpel, a Jesuit, is considered one of the Vatican's leading intellectuals.

The rabbi also contacted Archbishop Pietro Sambi, who is now the Apostolic Nuncio of the U.S., to request he honor the agreement he signed. Rabbi Levin concluded by expressing the need for all faiths to combat not only the homosexualization of Jerusalem, but of the world.

Link to the full article (here)

Photo is Fr. Peter Gumpel

More From Jesuit Arabist On His Apostalic Activities

The Jesuit Arabist Paolo dall'Oglio warns that the pope has confirmed the worst fears of the Muslim world.

His views on the subject bear careful reading. As the editors of Popoli introduce his article, Dall'Oglio is "someone who has carried out years of apostolic activity in the Muslim world, and in position to understand the sensibilities and to intuit the possible repercussions and ways in which the event might be exploited". Dall'Oglio began his article (in Italian - citations are my translation),

"We hope that we are dealing with an eclipse of the sun," that is, a one-time event, and adds: The moon of urgent concern for freedom of conscience and religion has blocked the sun of charitable discretion, of respect for Muslim feelings, and of the renunciation of proselytism ... [Magdi Allam's baptism] discouraged numerous efforts to construct harmony and friendship, in the quarters of European cities as well as in the countries, for secular and peaceful Islamic-Christian coexistence.

It neutralized attempts to defuse inter-religious violence and to show how far the Church is from the neocolonialist logic of the Western hegemonic powers, and how a great majority of Muslims are opposed to the logic of hostile confrontation ... Before the world, and on the occasion of his baptism,

Magdi Allam has declared his intent to affirm "the authentic religion of truth, of life and of freedom" against the "the root of evil is inherent in an Islam that is physiologically violent and historically conflictive". In this fashion he confirmed the Muslim impression, intentionally or not, that there is an objective strategic convergence of Christian neo-proselytism

and the blasphemous actions against the holiest realities of Islam promoted by the northern European media [ie, the satirical cartoons of Mohammed in a Danish newspaper]. In other words it is difficult to escape the impression that the sacred banner of freedom of conscience is being used by the West to introduce a Trojan Horse into Islam with the aim of causing it to disintegrate [emphasis added].

Link to the full and compelling article (here)

Hebrew Jesuit

Israel's Hebrew-Speaking Catholics
Interview With Father David Neuhaus
By Karna Swanson

JERUSALEM, JUNE 8, 2008 (Zenit.org).- For a Hebrew-speaking Catholic living in Israel, fostering Jewish-Catholic relations isn't simply a part of the faith, it's a way of life, according to an Israeli priest. Jesuit Father David Mark Neuhaus, who comes from a Jewish family, is the secretary-general of the Hebrew-speaking Catholic Vicariate in Israel, known also as the the Association of St. James, and serves as the priest in charge of the Hebrew-speaking Catholic community in Haifa. In this interview with ZENIT, Father Neuhaus comments on the history, mission and challenges facing the Hebrew-speaking Catholic community in Israel.

.

Q: You say on your Web site that being a Hebrew-speaking Catholic community within a predominantly Jewish society is a new experience in the history of the Church. What led to the establishment of the Association of St. James?

.

Father Neuhaus: The Association of St. James that became the Hebrew-speaking Catholic Vicariate was officially established as a part of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem in 1955. This was shortly after the establishment of the state of Israel. It was founded in order to serve the myriads of Catholics who had immigrated to Israel, often within mixed Jewish-Catholic families, and they came predominantly from Europe. It was also founded as a Catholic presence within Jewish society to nurture a new type of relationship between Catholics and Jews. The new reality of a Jewish state with Hebrew as the official language rendered important the existence of a Catholic milieu in which Hebrew was used and spoken.Among the founders of the Association were Jews who had become Catholics -- mostly in Europe -- and Catholics -- mostly from Europe -- who had a vocation to live in solidarity with the Jewish people in the state of Israel. Our founding fathers and mothers had a vision of a Hebrew-speaking Catholic community at home within the Jewish people in Israel and living its life of faith in profound dialogue and solidarity with the Jewish people. In 2003, Pope John Paul II made the patriarchal vicar of the Hebrew-speaking Catholics, Benedictine Father Jean-Baptiste Gourion, an auxiliary bishop to the Latin patriarch, a step that furthered recognition of this reality within the Church of the Holy Land.

.

Q: What new perspective does a Hebrew-speaking Catholic in the Holy Land have to offer?

.

Father Neuhaus: A Hebrew-speaking Catholic lives within the only Jewish society that constitutes a majority, where the rhythm of day-to-day life is established by Jewish religion, history and culture. For us, the universal Catholic reflection on the Jewish identity of Jesus and the Jewish roots of our faith is not just one element in our renewal after the Second Vatican Council. It is also part of our daily existence. Dialogue with Jews here is not with a marginal minority but with the dominant majority. As part of our attempts to inculturate, we are challenged to integrate into our Catholic identity, into our liturgy and into our thinking, this daily encounter with Judaism and the Jewish people. All of this takes place within the very land that is at the center of the biblical narrative, the land in which biblical Israel, her prophets and Our Lord Jesus walked, taught and lived.

.

Q: There are Hebrew-speaking Catholic communities in the four major cities in Israel. How large are these communities? Are they growing? What are the major obstacles they face?

Father Neuhaus: Today we have communities in the four biggest cities in Israel: Jerusalem, Tel Aviv-Jaffa, Beer Sheba and Haifa, with faithful spread in many other places too. We are a very small community made up of a few hundred people. Despite our small size and the slow rate of growth, our reality is a vibrant one and our centers are true oases of prayer and fellowship.However, there are also numerous problems to overcome. Our communities, small in size, are very diverse. We have faithful from many parts of the world -- from Russia, France, Poland, the United States, Italy, India, etc. -- in addition to Israelis.

Some are Jews and some are not. Some are Israelis, some have been here many years, some have just arrived. Some speak Hebrew, some do not. Some are Catholics by baptism at birth, some are Catholics by baptism late in life. Our priests are predominantly from Europe and it takes many years to learn the language and culture. Our faithful of Jewish origin are often single people who have made courageous decisions in their lives and come to us without families.

Some also have to deal with opposition from their families and the general society because of the choices they have made, and some choose to live in utmost discretion and even secrecy.There is very little institutional support -- schools, social and cultural services -- for Catholics who are Hebrew-speaking, and families who have immigrated to Israel in recent years -- predominantly from the ex-Soviet Union -- often choose to leave Israel if they want to raise their children as Catholics.Those families that do stay often see their children assimilate into a general Jewish secular population that practices no religion. Finally, the small size of our communities necessitates a constant vigilance in order to build community and not allow divisiveness or factionalism to enter.

Q: In addition to Hebrew-speaking Catholics, what other Catholic communities are active in Israel?

Father Neuhaus: Hebrew-speaking Catholics are only a very small part of the wider Catholic Church in Israel. Most Catholics are Arabic-speaking -- either Arab citizens of the state of Israel or Palestinian Arab Catholics in the Palestinian territories.Roman Catholics, under the jurisdiction of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem are only one part of the Catholic population.

Most Catholics in Israel are Greek Catholics, and there are Maronite, Syrian and Armenian Catholics too. Relations between Hebrew-speaking Catholics and their Arab brothers and sisters in faith are complex because of our difficult political situation, but unity of the Church is preserved by our ecclesial leadership as a Christian witness to the possibilities of reconciliation and peace.

In Beer Sheba and in Haifa, where political tensions are not as intense, there are Arab Catholics who frequent our communities.Interestingly, at the present time, the patriarchal vicar for the Hebrew-speaking communities, Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa, is also the Custodian of the Holy Land, the head of the Franciscan order in the Holy Land, who has extensive responsibilities within the Arab Catholic community too.The present Latin patriarch, His Beatitude Michel Sabbah, is the first Palestinian Arab patriarch of Jerusalem, and he also speaks fluent Hebrew. I, myself, am secretary-general of the vicariate and am also professor of Scripture at the Arabic-speaking diocesan seminary and at the Palestinian Catholic University in Bethlehem.

Q: In what ways is the Hebrew-speaking Catholic community fostering ties with the Israeli Jewish society?

Father Neuhaus: Our aim is not just to foster ties, but to live within the society. We are not an association for dialogue, but rather a pastoral service for our faithful. However, efforts are made to facilitate integration into Israeli Jewish society.First, we live our lives in Hebrew. Second, our lives follow the rhythm of Jewish Israeli society. Additionally, in our communities we keep up with what is going on in the field of Jewish-Christian dialogue and we try to make our own contribution.

There is still a rather negative attitude to Christianity in general and to the Catholic Church in particular within Jewish Israeli society, partly due to the long centuries of troubled relations between Jews and Christians in Europe.

We see as part of our task bringing to the attention of our society in Israel the enormous changes that the Church has seen in relationship to the Jewish people since the Second Vatican Council.

.

Q: Have Hebrew-speaking Catholics been able to integrate fully into Israeli society? For example, are there Catholics involved in politics, education and business?

Father Neuhaus: Some Hebrew-speaking Catholics -- those who are Jewish Israelis before they become Catholics -- are fully integrated within the society. In addition, some Hebrew-speaking Catholics who came to Israel from elsewhere have indeed made contributions to the society through their integration in daily life. First and foremost, our communities contribute to the general society by being places of life and prayer in the midst of a society at war. One of our special vocations is to pray for peace and justice. In the field of education, we have had a number of prominent members active in teaching in Israeli academic institutions. One of our founding fathers, Dominican Father Marcel Dubois, served as head of the philosophy department at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Other members teach theology, archaeology, history and other fields in the Israeli universities. Other members are active in the formation of Christians who come to Israel to study here theology and Scripture as well as Jewish studies.

One of our founding fathers, Father Yohanan Elihai, has made an important contribution to the field of linguistics with dictionaries and language manuals that facilitate communication between Hebrew and Arabic speakers. On June 4 he was awarded an honorary doctorate by Haifa University for his work in the field of linguistics. Another founding father, Dominican Father Bruno Hussar, established a community called "Newe Shalom" -- Oasis of Peace -- in which Jews and Arabs live together.

Some members are also fully engaged in the struggle for peace and justice for Israelis and Palestinians. Each individual faithful finds his or her place in the society, and so we come together as doctors, nurses, teachers, social workers, lawyers, bureaucrats, businesspeople, as well as pensioners, students and the unemployed, to make up communities that live ordinary lives that are sometimes extraordinary because of our faith.

Link (here)