This fall, I was part of a conference of Catholics and Jews speaking out against antisemitism. It had been scheduled before the October 7 attack, for just a week or two later, and that detail — and the discussions and encounters — seemed providential. While we were there, our host, the Franciscan University of America, offered that any Jewish student who didn’t feel safe on their campus would be able to transfer to Franciscan as easily as possible. I never thought a Columbia University student would want to go to Steubenville, Ohio, where Franciscan is located, but it’s unfortunately looking more attractive daily.
Jew-hating did not start at Columbia with the October 7 attacks and will not end there, needless to say. Nor is it limited to New York. People might previously have thought that antisemitism was a thing of the past, but clearly it’s not. And it’s not merely a political issue. It’s evil.
We closed the conference with a statement from a new Coalition of Catholics against Antisemitism, committing ourselves to
combating resurgent hatred of the Jewish people today—in our country and around the world.
We condemn antisemitism in humility, mindful of the sins of Catholics and other Christians against the Jewish people throughout history, and aware that these wounds remain real for many Jews today.
We denounce antisemitism in a spirit of compassion, aware that education about the evils of this hatred is a moral responsibility for Christians.
Antisemitism in our community, even when it is not the action of Catholics or other Christians, demands condemnation.
We reject hatred, bigotry, and racism in all their forms. As Catholics and Christians, we believe that antisemitism is a spiritual evil.
We remember the words of Pope Pius XI, who denounced antisemitism as “a movement in which we Christians can have no part. . . . Through Christ and in Christ we are the spiritual descendants of Abraham. No, it is not possible for Christians to take part in antisemitism.”
We recall the words of Pope Saint John Paul II, who condemned antisemitism as “a sin against God and man,” and who referred to the last century as “the century of the Shoah.”
We call to mind the words of Pope Benedict XVI: “To be antisemitic also signifies being anti-Christian. Once again I feel the duty to pay heartfelt recognition to those who have died unjustly and to those that have dedicated themselves to assure that the names of these victims may always be remembered. God does not forget!”
We think of the words of Pope Francis: “A Christian cannot be an antisemite; we share the same roots. It would be a contradiction of faith and life. Rather, we are called to commit ourselves to ensure antisemitism is banned from the human community.”
We know that solidarity without action is insufficient. Therefore, we urge Catholic ecclesial and lay leaders, parents and teachers, professors, and public servants, to fearlessly confront antisemitism, and to take steps to combat all forms of hatred against the Jewish people.
We urge Catholic parents and educators to teach the history of Catholic/Christian-Jewish relations, beginning with Christianity’s historical roots in the Near East and its spiritual roots in Hebrew scripture – including the history of those Catholics and other Christians who fell into antisemitism, as well as the Catholic and other Christian heroes who opposed antisemitism and protected Jews over the centuries.
We encourage Catholic scholars and academics to confront antisemitism on campus and in popular ideological movements that seek to use anti-Zionism as a pretext for hatred of the Jewish people; to condemn political, cultural, and ideological critiques that are used to justify hatred of the Jewish people; to develop Catholic-Jewish studies programs and institutes; and to form deeper ties with Jewish scholars on these subjects.
We affirm the right of the Jewish people to live safely and securely in their ancestral homeland, and recognize that modern Israel is essential to that security. These rights should not jeopardize the right of Palestinians to also live in safety and security.
We encourage Catholic statesmen at the local, state, and national levels—in America and around the world—to take steps to protect Jewish persons and property, and Jewish places of worship and community; to uphold the equal citizenship of Jews; to prosecute crimes against Jews; and to recognize and respond to the particular threats faced by the Jewish community.
We encourage Catholic bishops, priests, religious and lay faithful to pray and sacrifice for conversion from the sin of antisemitism, and encourage their congregations to do the same; and we urge those who have fallen into this sin to return to an authentic Christianity that understands that Jews are our spiritual brothers and sisters.
Mary Eberstadt wrote something at the time worth reading right now, if you haven’t.
In the midst of the madness and evil in the city of New York, may all Christians pray for our elder brothers and sisters in faith this Passover. Pray for those who have been kidnapped, and remember those whose lives were taken by Hamas. Pray for Jewish students at Columbia and on campuses across the country. There are too many Jews who are rattled and scared and have been taking new efforts to protect their families — simply because they are hated because they are Jewish. That’s evil. We cannot say it enough, but more than saying it, we must insist something be done about it.
A professor gets his campus entry card deactivated because the university won’t take efforts to ensure his protection? In the city of New York in 2024? That’s unacceptable.