Coordinating Committee for Christian-Jewish Cooperation of Austria
Do Not Deviate From The Direction Nostra Aetate Has Shown
Dear Cardinal Kasper,
In our capacity as an ecumenical initiative always engaged in the effective effort to create s bridge between Christians and Jews, between the Churches and the Jewish communities, we have followed with concern the discussion regarding the general permission to re-introduce the Tridentine Mass ritual in the Roman- Catholic Church.
Too little attention appears to have been paid to the extent to which such general permission to celebrate this ritual contradicts the engagement of the Roman-Catholic Church in the Christian-Jewish dialogue. This genuine commitment of the Church for adequate acknowledgement of Judaism is incompatible with the words relating to the “blindness” of the Jewish People inherent in the Tridentine ritual. Appreciation of the validity of the Old Testament contained in numerous declarations and documents of the Roman-Catholic Church and pronouncements at Council level of liturgical renewal simply cannot be brought into accord with the denigration of the Old Testament of the Tridentine ritual.
The path from the Declaration of the Second Vatican Council to John Paul II’s plea in the year 2000 for forgiveness has marked the future of the relationship. It makes us wonder whether the contradiction between that binding legacy and the permission to celebrate the Tridentine ritual has been fully recognized. There can be little doubt that this would hamper the Christian-Jewish dialogue. But realizing the extent to which the Church in its need for renewal is dependent on the impulses emanating from dialogue with Judaism it would also damage the Church’s commitment and possibilities.
We would urge you in your capacity as President of the Pontifical Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews, to introduce into the current discussion to the best of your ability our serious concern which we share with many other Christian-Jewish dialogue initiatives.
Pastor Prof. Helmut Nausner (President) (Professor and Evangelical Methodist Pastor)
Univ.Prof. Dr. Martin Jäggle (Vice President) (Catholic Professor)
Dr. Willy Weisz (Vice President) (Jewish Hospital Chaplain)
Translation: Ruth Weyl
Dear Cardinal Kasper,
In our capacity as an ecumenical initiative always engaged in the effective effort to create s bridge between Christians and Jews, between the Churches and the Jewish communities, we have followed with concern the discussion regarding the general permission to re-introduce the Tridentine Mass ritual in the Roman- Catholic Church.
Too little attention appears to have been paid to the extent to which such general permission to celebrate this ritual contradicts the engagement of the Roman-Catholic Church in the Christian-Jewish dialogue. This genuine commitment of the Church for adequate acknowledgement of Judaism is incompatible with the words relating to the “blindness” of the Jewish People inherent in the Tridentine ritual. Appreciation of the validity of the Old Testament contained in numerous declarations and documents of the Roman-Catholic Church and pronouncements at Council level of liturgical renewal simply cannot be brought into accord with the denigration of the Old Testament of the Tridentine ritual.
The path from the Declaration of the Second Vatican Council to John Paul II’s plea in the year 2000 for forgiveness has marked the future of the relationship. It makes us wonder whether the contradiction between that binding legacy and the permission to celebrate the Tridentine ritual has been fully recognized. There can be little doubt that this would hamper the Christian-Jewish dialogue. But realizing the extent to which the Church in its need for renewal is dependent on the impulses emanating from dialogue with Judaism it would also damage the Church’s commitment and possibilities.
We would urge you in your capacity as President of the Pontifical Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews, to introduce into the current discussion to the best of your ability our serious concern which we share with many other Christian-Jewish dialogue initiatives.
Pastor Prof. Helmut Nausner (President) (Professor and Evangelical Methodist Pastor)
Univ.Prof. Dr. Martin Jäggle (Vice President) (Catholic Professor)
Dr. Willy Weisz (Vice President) (Jewish Hospital Chaplain)
Translation: Ruth Weyl
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