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News Items
May - July 2003
Vatican Archives Opened
A large section of the Vatican secret archives covering the years before and during World Was II were opened.
Interestingly, the archives made available were from the pontificate of Pope Pius XI from 1922-1939. Archives during Pope Pius XII were also made available. Pope John Paul I broke a tradition which seals papal archives for 70 years after a pope dies.
The Latest Holocaust Book
Sir Martin Gilbert’s book, The Righteous: The Unsung Heroes of the Holocaust (Henry Holt, N.Y.) was favorably reviewed by Michael Berenbaum, the director of the Sigi Ziering Institute: Exploring the Ethical and Religious Implications of the Holocaust and a professor of theology at the University of Judaism. Gilbert covers everything from the well known stories of Raoul Wallenberg and Pastor Andre Trocme of leChambon in France to hundreds of lesser known stories, such as that of Father Bruno (Henry Reynders) who saved 320 Jewish children in Belgium. Gilbert speaks of the courageous decency of the Righteous (non-Jews) who saved many Jewish people. Gilbert raises questions such as : What would we do? Would we have the courage, the integrity and the decency to behave properly?
North Miami, Florida Advances Jewish Christian Relations
A noted panel consisting of the Catholic Cardinal Dulles, the Episcopalian Bishop Griswold, Dr. Lamm of Yeshiva University and Eugene Korn of the Anti-Defamation League spoke on the Jewish-Christian Relations in the Twenty First Century. The program was the first in a series of four live broadcasts on Jewish and Christian issues.
St. Peter's Missing Hand
The hand of the Vatican statue of St. Peter enthroned holding the keys to heaven mysteriously disappeared from St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. The theft from the 13th century marble statue has baffled the Vatican police.
A Barrier Wall In Bethlehem
The Israeli government plans to divide Bethlehem with a 25 foot high security wall to protect Jews visiting Rachel’s tomb. The Bethlehem Mayor Hanna Nasser stated that the people’s opposition in principle to the construction of such a wall.
French Jews Fear New Violence
The Jewish World paper reports, Anti-Semitism is on the rise in France. Jewish youths are regularly attacked by Arab gangs in the streets and verbal harassment has become so common that nobody bothers to report it anymore. Catholic and Jewish French leaders meet regularly to find ways of combating the recent Anti-Semitism. Some Jewish people say, I don’t know if it’s a country for us now.
For Catholic and Jewish Parents
The internet is a storehouse of information on scholarships and grants for students of all ages. Start your search at www.google.com This popular search engine constantly updates its listings on scholarships, grants, paid fellowships, etc. Start with “scholarship”, Change one word at a time after your initial search. In the example above replace “scholarship” with “grant” or “graphic design” with “art”.
Anti-Catholic Report
A report on Anti-Catholicism is available. Copies sell for $10., including postage and handling. Send check to: Catholic League, 450 Seventh Ave., N.Y. 10123
Pope John Paul II Moves Into 4th Place
The Pope became the fourth longest reigning pontiff in Catholic history April 30th. The three longer pontificates were Pope Leo XIII (25 years, five months), Pope Pius IX (31 years, seven months, 21 days) and St. Peter (approximately 34 years). Pope John Paul II has named 469 saints, named 201 cardinals, and held 1,085 general audiences.
No CHristian Churches Allowed
Saudi Arabia reported that as the birthplace of Islam, their country will not allow Christian Churches to be built in the country.
Prince Sultan, the defense minister, said, “we are not against religions at all. Nevertheless, he insisted: but there are no churches here — not in the past, the present, or future.”
China For Jewish Teens
Teen China 2003 will take 13-15 boys and girls on a two week journey to the far reaches of the Orient. They will visit the root of Judaism in the Orient. Everyone believes there is a Jewish heritage in the Middle East and Europe but do not realize there are ancient Jewish roots in the Orient.
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