Israel’s chief rabbinate may have severed ties with the Vatican last week in protest of the reinstatement of a Holocaust-denying bishop. But the event may be simply another opportunity for dialogue and understanding for the Catholic-Jewish Conference of Milwaukee.
The organization is a joint program of the Milwaukee Jewish Council for Community Relations and the Ecumenical/Interfaith Office of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.
Kathy Heilbronner, assistant director of the MJCCR and co-chair of the conference, told The Chronicle that she has been in touch with Judy Longdin, director of ecumenical and interfaith concerns for the Archdiocese, about the issue since the news broke, about two weeks ago.
“The most important thing we want to emphasize is the longstanding history of good relationship and dialogue in this community,” Heilbronner said. Whatever response the conference makes “will continue the good work that we have embarked upon over the years.”
On Jan. 24, Pope Benedict XVI revoked the excommunications of four bishops from a Catholic sect, the St. Pius X Society. This group opposes many of the reforms instituted by the Second Vatican Council in the mid-1960s.
One of these men, Bishop Richard Williamson, said in an interview broadcast in Sweden two weeks ago that he did not believe 6 million Jews were murdered during World War II.
Benedict made a statement on Jan. 28 during his weekly public audience denouncing Holocaust denial.
Even so, this series of events raises two important issues, according to Heilbronner.
First, “the question that will be raised by most people is whether Pope Benedict’s commitment to obtaining unity within the church takes precedence over the changes and commitments brought about by Vatican II,” she said.
These changes included a new relationship to Judaism and the Jewish community, as well as new liturgy.
Second, Heilbronner said that the decision to revoke these excommunications “is only the first step to bring this group into unity.” Following steps must include statements of public support for Vatican II.
“We need to step back and analyze how this happens and learn more about church structure and hierarchy,” she said. “That could be the topic of a program” that the conference will present in the future.
Meanwhile, Heilbronner said the Catholic-Jewish Conference likely will discuss this subject at its next meeting in March.
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