Better Late Than Never

++It has been fifty years since the Papal encyclical Nostra Aetate, which spoke of Christian relations with other religions. 

++In part this encyclical was a response to the wide criticism of the Catholic Church for its role in "allowing","supporting" the persecution of the Jews during WWII. 

++This subject has come up again during the attempts to beatify Pope Pius. A counter history is being manufactured to show he made attempts to save some Jews. Certainly not those who lived beneath his windows at the Vatican but that's a different story.

++Pope Francis has taken it upon himself to speak often and frequently about the persecution of Christians in the Middle East. 

++But today (or yesterday with time changes), Pope Francis welcomed the chief Rabbis of Europe to the Vatican--for the FIRST TIME EVER. That's like over a thousand years.

++The rabbis were led by Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt and the delegation contained Rabbi Haim Korsia from France.

++Now for "security reasons" the Rabbis issued a press release after they had left. The subject was the rise of anti-semiticism in Europe.

++Rabbi Goldschmidt talked about the need for greater Inter-Faith programs to combat anti-semiticism and anti-Christian activities. Rabbi Haim Korsia pointed out that the attacks on Jewish sites in France corresponded to the increase attacks on Christians in the Middle East, particularly those areas under the control of ISIS. 

++Abe Foxman had an op-ed in the Times of Israel that raised the issue of combating anti-semticism in the 21st century. He reviewed response to the Holocaust but said the international community has grown either tired or numb on the genocides committed around the world. He cited former Yugoslavia, Rwanda and Darfur as an example. He lamented no one has taken Iran to task for its repeated call for the annihilation of Israel. 

++But Abe then turned to Israelis and reminded them that the United States is perhaps the most active country against anti-semiticism in the world. He cites the State Department reports on anti-semiticism around the world and the work of the American diplomats at the OSCE, which has been vigilant against outbreaks of anti-semiticism in Europe.

++But Rabbis at the Vatican--that's a switch!