“The Jewish people, who were chosen as the elected people, communicate to the whole human family knowledge of and fidelity to the one, unique and true God,” Pope Benedict XVI told a delegation from Israel’s Chief Rabbinate on Thursday in Rome.
Also present at the papal audience were representatives of the Vatican’s Commission for Religious Relations with Jews. “This was not just another meeting,” commented Haifa Chief Rabbi She’ar-Yashuv Cohen, who headed the delegation. “This was a special experience, a turning point, the end of a crisis. We could not have expected a warmer reception.” The crisis in question was the case of Holocaust-denying Bishop Richard Williamson, whose excommunication from the Catholic Church was lifted last December along with that of three other priests who, together with Williamson, had refused to accept the reforms of Vatican II and ordained other priests without permission. In a letter to the German Episcopate, released Thursday, Benedict admitted his error in the case, stating that a “mishap” had taken place due to the insufficient study of information taken from the Internet.
“I have learned the lesson that in the future, the Holy See will have to pay greater attention to that source of news,” he declared.
Apparently, His Holiness is not checking in with Media Blog often enough — otherwise, he’d be more skeptical!
In all seriousness, you have to give the pope credit for being a deft diplomat, and for having the humility to own up to an error. Although for a guy who’s pleading web-non-savviness, the pope has a pretty good website.
Comments