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Questions from Catholic & Jewish Youths

Catholic Grammar School kids talk about their Jewish friends

1. My Jewish friend and I are close because we like the same stuff and are neighbors. We play video games a lot and we both like basketball. We are also close because we are the same age.
2. My Jewish friend and I are friends because we both like the same video games. We both like the Yankees and we both have yu-gi-oh cards.
3. My Jewish friend and I are friends because we have the same interests. We both like dogs, going shopping, and hanging out with friends. We also play basketball in each other’s backyard.
4. My grandpa is Jewish. We like to teach each other about each other’s religion. I like to learn about his religion and he like to learn about mine. One time which I was about 8, he took me to his temple I thought it was OK. Then on Sunday when I went to Church with my family I took my grandpa. He said he liked it.
5. My Jewish friend celebrates his holyday and I celebrate mine. We go to the same school and share the same sports. I don’t look at him any different than my Catholic friends.

Questions Asked

Q. My Catholic friend says, that only Catholics will be saved. Is that true?
A. No. Fr. McBrien said it best: “God is available to all peoples whether they be different by social, economic, language, geography or religion. God’s revelation is received by all in different ways.” And so, the Catholic Church says that non-Catholics can be saved even if they don’t believe in Jesus Christ. The reason: Good people want what God wants and so it makes sense that they will be saved because they are doing the will of God.

Q. Why can’t my girl friend who is Jewish be a Godparent for my brother (Catholic)?
A. Non-Catholics can not be a Godparent for a Catholic infant or adult. It may sound cruel but there is a simple and logical answer.

First, Godparents are expended to raise the baby in the Catholic Faith if its parents die. How can a non-Catholic Godparent do it without being educated in the Catholic Faith?

Second, during the baptism ceremony, the Godparent is asked to recite the Catholic Profession of Faith.

Third, the baptism of the infant required the Godparent to make Catholic promises for the baby.
Obviously, the non-Catholic person can not do these things in all fairness.

Finally, the Catholic Church like any organization whether it be a sports team, a store, or a hotel chain has the right to make its own rules for the good of its organization. I’m sure your Jewish friend has the same rules for her/his Jewish Faith.

Q. My Jewish friend says she is forgiven her sins on her holyday, Yom Kippur. What does that mean?
A. Yom Kippur is a Sacred Jewish day usually in September. It is commonly called, the Day of Atonement. It is a day of Prayer and meditation for Jews. It is a day to look into one’s life. They ask what sins they have committed and ask God, the neighbors and community for forgiveness. For Jewish people, sin means going astray, not following through or losing focus. There are three ways for sinning: to sin against God’s laws, to sin against another person, and to sin against oneself.

Yom Kippur is the chance to change, repent, and to atone before God’s judgment.

As a Catholic, you know we have the confession idea. Catholics go to their priest, confess their sins and ask for forgiveness from the priest who represents God.

Q. My Jewish friend tells me that Jesus had brothers and sisters. My religion teacher tells me that He didn’t. What’s the story?
A. Well here is the story. It has to do with language and translations. A little complicated but just follow it.

Various pages of the New Testament scriptures refer to the brothers and sisters of Jesus. Passages such as John’s gospel (2:12; 7:3-5); Matthew’s gospel (12:46-50); Luke’s gospel (8:19-21) refer to the brothers and sisters.

However, the New Testament was written in the Greek language. The Greek words ADELPHOS is used primarily to mean a physical brother, and ADELPHE, for a physical sister. Yet these Greek words have also been used to mean a close relation, a companion, a friends and even a fellow official in Greek literature. Therefore, which meaning did the New Testament writers intend? The argument has to be settled in favor Jesus not have any physical brother or sister. Why? Because of the early tradition of the Christian tradition. These early Christians speak of the virginity of Mary and the only child of Mary. Secondly, the New Testament writings themselves do not offer any substantial evidence that Mary had other children besides Jesus. After all Jesus was famous. If He had physical brothers and sisters, they would have made themselves known.

Personally, I believe it would be better not to translate these Greek words as the physical brother and sister, since there are meanings. In English a brother and sister are generally taken to mean a physical brother and sister. The real lack of evidence of a physical brother and sister of Jesus in other writings of early Christianity supports the notion that Jesus had no brother or sister.

Q. I’m Jewish. Can you settle an argument among my friends? Who votes for a Pope?
A. Popes are elected by the cardinals meeting in a secret conclave when the Pope dies. Any cardinal who is 80 years of age may not vote for a new Pope. The cardinal to be elected Pope must carry two thirds plus one vote for election. Once he is elected, he will choose the name he wishes to be known by. Sometimes, the voting takes several days. Each day, there are two votes – one in the morning, one in the afternoon.