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The Talk — Youth Asks
Questions from Catholic & Jewish Youths
Q. Why are Catholics ashed?
A. I presume you mean why do Catholics receive ashes on their forehead on Ash Wednesday the beginning of the Catholic penance time (Lent)?
On Ash Wednesday the priest places ashes in the form of a cross on the foreheads of Catholics while the priest says, “Remember, man that you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Gen 3:19).
The ashes used are made from the blessed palms of the previous Palm Sunday. The ashes are blessed and then distributed on Ash Wednesday.
Ashes are a sign of penance and sorrow for sins. The Church took this custom from Jewish tradition. It is interesting to know that the imposition of ashes originally applied only to public sinners. By the 11th century, it became the general custom for everyone to receive ashes.
Q. My Jewish friend says I’m a gentile. What does that mean?
A. Gentile is a term used by some Jewish people to mean a non-Jewish person. Sometimes, it is resented by non-Jewish people. But, one should not feel that way. It is not meant to demean a non-Jewish person.
Q. Do Jewish people fast like Catholics do?
A. Yes. The main time for Jews to fast is their holy and sacred day—Yom Kippur. On that day, Jews keep a complete fast, no food or drink from sunset to sunset. All Jews from approximately 13 years old, fast unless there is a health threatening reason.
Q. Can you tell me more about the Pope? I need the information for my Jewish friends.
A. Pope John Paul II’s name is Karol Wojtyla who was born on May 18, 1920 in the town, Wadowice, near Krakow. Born into a low middle class family he attended the usual schools. World War II broke out in 1939 and he had to leave the university. For a time he worked in chemical and quarry factories. Then he studied secretely for the priesthood under the Nazi occupation. Ordained a priest on November 1, 1946, he was sent to Rome for further studies. He was ordained a bishop in 1958, an archbishop in 1964, and a cardinal in 1967. On October 16, 1978, he was elected Pope.
Q. I went with my Jewish friend to his father’s grave. Why did he put stones on the grave site?
A. It is customary to place small stones on the grave. The origin of this practice is uncertain. Some Jews believe that this custom may go back to Biblical days when people were buried under piles of stones. Today, it is a reminder that people were there to visit and remember.
Q. What are deacons?
A. Deacons are ordained men who help do things for the Church. They may be married or single. They help priests at Mass. They can marry and baptize people. They can preach and teach religion classes.
Q. My mother’s friend is a Rabbi. What are Rabbis?
A. A Rabbi is not a priest neither in the Jewish sense nor in the Catholic sense. In Catholicism a priest is a person ordained with special authority to perform certain religious rituals. A rabbi has no authority to perform religious rituals. A rabbi is a teacher, a person educated in Jewish Law and tradition to instruct the Jewish community and to answer questions and resolve disputes regarding the Jewish Law. He can also lead the community in religious services.
Q. Is a Rebbe different for a Rabbi?
A. Yes. Rebbe is the term for the spiritual master and guide of a Chasidic community. The term is sometimes translated as “Grand Rabbi”, but literally means “my rabbi”. The position of Rebbe is usually hereditary. A Rebbe has the final word over every decision in a chasid’s life. Outside of the Chasidic community, the term “rebbe” is sometimes used simply to refer to ones own personal rabbi or any rabbi that a person has a close relationship with. Chasidim community is the Ultra-Orthodox Jews.
Q. When did priests get the name priest?
A. Historically, by the end of the 3rd century, the term priest was used for the ordained man who said Mass.
Q. I’m confused. Is Jesus Jewish or Christian?
A. Very simple answer. Historically, Jesus was born a Jewish person. He established a religion similar to Judaism but different. His followers were called Christians because they followed Jesus who is the Messiah. In Greek, Messiah means The Christ, therefore, Christians.
Q. My friend and I argue about the Arab and Jewish problem. Can you help us?
A. I’m not sure exactly what you want me to do. So I’ll try to explain briefly the Arab-Jewish problem.
In 1922 the British separated part of Palestine east of the Jordan River. They created the Arab state of Tranjordan. Then, the British restricted the number of Jews outside of Palestine from coming into Palestine.
By 1947 conflicts between Jews and Arabs grew. The United Nations voted to partition the territory into a Jewish section and an Arab section. In May 1948, when the British withdrew, the Jews declared their territory-the Jewish section, an independent state naming it Israel. By 1949, an armistice was reached after the Jews and Arabs went to war with one another. In 1967, Egypt, Syria, and Jordan joined together in an attempt to destroy Israel. It failed. In 1973, once again Israel was attacked by Egypt and Syria. Again, Israel won. Since that time, only Egypt has signed a peace treaty with Israel.
Today, we see new out-breaks between Arabs and Jew. |
