Pope reaches out to chief rabbi in Rome
One of Pope Francis’ first acts as head of the Roman
Catholic church was to send a personal message to Rome’s chief rabbi, Riccardo
Di Segni, underscoring his desire to foster Catholic-Jewish relations.
"Trusting in the protection of the Most High,”
Francis wrote, “I very much hope to be able to contribute to the progress that
relations between Jews and Catholics have experienced since the Second Vatican
Council, in a spirit of renewed collaboration and at the service of a world
that can be ever more harmonious with the will of the Creator."
The Catholic news agency Zenit said the message was dated
Wednesday, the day that Francis, the former Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario
Bergoglio, was elected pope.
Francis also invited Di Segni, as well as the presidents
of the Rome Jewish Community and the Union of Italian Jewish Communities, to
the papal inauguration ceremony to be held in St. Peter’s Basilica on March 19.
Di Segni responded to the pope with a letter saying that Francis’ election
“gives us the hope that the path of friendship, respect and productive
collaboration will continue.”
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