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May - July 2003

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What Do Catholics Mean by "The Body and Blood of Christ"?
At the last Supper, Jesus took bread and wine, declared that they were His Body and Blood, and commanded His disciples to do this in memory of Him. This is mentioned in the writings of Matthew (26:26-28); Mark (14:22); Luke (22:14-20) and in Paul’s writings (I Cor.ii:23-26). Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Lutherans and most Anglicans believe that after the priest’s words of consecration, Jesus is truly present in the bread and wine. However, they differ on their terminology. Most other Christian denominations believe Jesus is present in a symbolic manner.

Can Catholics and Jews Work Together?
Recently, Pope John Paul II has told a delegation of Jewish leaders that Catholics and Jews must work together for peace.

Representatives of the World Jewish Congress (WJC) and the International Jewish Committee for Inter-religious Consultations (IJCIC) attended talks at the Vatican on 22 May. The Pope said that their visit was evidence of the good Catholic-Jewish relations arising from the reforms of the Second Vatican Council.

In the light of the “rich common heritage” of Jews and Catholics, the present should be considered an opportunity for joint endeavors of peace and justice, the Pope said. He added that the “defense of the dignity of every human being made in the image and likeness of God is a cause of which must engage all believers.”

The chairman of the WJC, Israel Singer, said they were now seeing eye to eye with the Vatican over access to the archives for the period of Pius XII’s pontificate. The Jewish leaders said they had a better appreciation of the complexities of opening the archives and did not want the dispute to block progress on interfaith dialogue.

Since February, researchers have had access to the correspondence between the Holy See’s nunciatures in Munich and Berlin, from 1922 to 1939. These documents cover Eugenio Pacelli’s work first as Apostolic Nuncio in Germany, and then as Vatican Secretary of State. He became Pope Pius XII in 1939. Archives relating to his Papacy are due to be opened in stages between 2005 and 2007.

Why is the Word 'Goy' Considered Derogatory?
The word goy (plural, goyim) is a biblical word meaning “nation” or “people”. It carried no other meaning originally. But in time, it became a popular term for “gentile” (non-Jew). Mistakenly the word was interpreted as being derogatory. It isn’t.

Why Do Jews Soetimes Remove Their Shoes Upon Entering the Synagogue?
In Biblical times, the removing of shoes was associated with holiness. Moses was commanded to remove his shoes as he approached the burning bush because it was considered a holy place. The Temple priests removed their shoes in performing the Temple duties.

On Yom Kippur and Tisha B’Av many Jews remove their shoes during synagogue services. On Yom Kippur, it is an expression of penance and remorse. On Tisha B’Av, it is a sign of mourning for the loss of the Temples.

Why Do Jews Wash Their Hands Attending A Funeral?
It is an ancient custom of purification. It is believed that demons follow the dead and hover over their graves. Therefore, the mourners have come into close contact with the unclean demons. Mourners will wash their hands at the cemetery if possible. If not, it must be done before entering the home.

TThe Hitler T.V. Movie
The movie, “Hitler: the Rise of Evil,” caused Jewish groups to rise up in arms. What Jewish groups feared most was the possibility that the movie might humanize Hitler. Rabbi Marvin Hier, who heads the Simon Wiesenthal Center, expressed his concerns. He said, “teenagers might say: He (Hitler) had a bad family life. It is not his fault. If they had taken him in Art school, he wouldn’t have been a bad guy. He just got some bad breaks.”

Many Jewish groups condemned it. Also, the Catholic League joined Jewish groups in their condemnation. The Catholic League objected sternly to any portrayal of Hitler that would make him out to be anything but wholly responsible for his evil works.