Cardinal says Catholics must learn about Judaism to know faith

Published: 2004-11-05

ROME (CNS) -- Catholics cannot know their faith, nor even fully understand the Mass, without learning about Judaism, the faith of Jesus and his disciples, said retired Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini of Milan. The cardinal, a biblical scholar who now lives part of the year in Jerusalem, also urged Catholics to increase their prayers for peace in the Middle East. "When there is peace in Jerusalem, there will be peace on earth," the cardinal told more than 300 people attending a Nov. 4 conference sponsored by the Cardinal Bea Center for Jewish Studies at Rome's Gregorian University. The conference on "Approaches to a Christian Theology of Judaism" also featured speeches by Archbishop Bruno Forte of Chieti-Vasto and Rabbi Giuseppe Laras, chief rabbi of Milan. In the Christian-Jewish dialogue, Cardinal Martini said, "that which is at stake touches all Christians," not only in their obligation to promote friendly relations with others, but to understand and appreciate the faith of Jesus, the disciples and the early Christian communities.

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