World News
New York archbishop hosts rabbis on day of pope's synagogue visit
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NEW YORK (CNS) -- As Pope Benedict XVI visited Rome's main synagogue Jan. 17, Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan of New York hosted a kosher buffet luncheon for 14 Jewish leaders at his residence. Archbishop Dolan said, "You can never exaggerate the importance of hospitality." Describing the invitation to Catholic News Service, he said, "Hospitality is a high virtue for my Jewish brothers and sisters. Hospitality is a big virtue for Christians. "Jewish Scripture tells us that Abraham entertained God without knowing it because he was so gracious to guests," the archbishop continued, "so I figured, look, the chief rabbi of Rome, Rabbi Riccardo Di Segni, is offering hospitality to the bishop of Rome, the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI, so darn it, why don't I offer hospitality to my Jewish colleagues?" Father James Massa, executive director of the U.S. bishops' Secretariat of Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, called the pope's visit to Rome's synagogue "a historic moment in Catholic-Jewish relations."
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