EDITH STEIN - THE PATRON SAINT OF EUROPE
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Edith Stein was bom into a large, affluent Jewish family deeply attached to its religion and history in Wroclaw (then Breslau, Germany) on October 12, 1891. She enrolled at the university there to study psychology. German, and history. In 1913, she went to Góttingen to study psychology under the German phenomenologist, Edward Husserl. In 1917, she defended her Ph.D. thesis, titled On the Problem of Empathy. In her student years, she became friends with Roman Ingarden, Hans Lipps, Hedwig Conrad- -Martius, and Piotr Wust.
She distanced herself early from Judaism and called herself, until the age of thirty, an atheist. Max Scheler and Adolf Reinach brought her into contact with Catholicism. She was baptized on January 1, 1922, taking the name Teresa. She never cut her links with the Jewish people. From 1923 to 1931, she taught German and history in a secondary school and teacher training college in Spir. She lectured in psychology and education at the Pedagogical Academy in Munster in 1932 and 1933. She entered a Carmelite convent in Cologne on October 14, 1933. When she took her vows on April 15, 1934, she took the name Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. In 1938, her mother superior decided to transfer Teresa Benedicta to the Carmelite convent at Echt in the Netherlands. Arrested by the Gestapo on August 2, 1942, she was taken to the Westerbork transit camp and deported to Auschwitz on August 7. Edith Stein died in the gas chamber on probably August 8 or 9, 1942.
Pope John Paul II beatified Edith Stein on May 1. 1987, and proclaimed her a saint on October 11, 1998.
A recollection was held at the Center for Dialogue in Oświęcim on the sixtieth anniversary of Edith Stein's death, August 6-9, 2002. The three-day program was prepared and conducted by Father Manfred Deselaers. a lecturer at the Papal Theological Academy in Cracow, and Father Romuald Jakub Weksler- Waszkinel, a lecturer at the Catholic University of Lublin. It included visits to the site of the Auschwitz camp, prayer, and lectures. The texts below are abridged versions of lectures delivered during the recol- lection.
The Editors
R O M U A L D J A K U B W E K S L E R - W A S Z K I N E L
W H Y IS EDITH STEIN T H E PATRON SAINT OF EUROPE?
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends ( J o h n 15. 13).
T h e d e a t h b y m a r t y r d o m o f t h e first C h r i s t i a n s w a s t h e s e e d f r o m w h i c h y o u n g C h r i s t i a n i t y g r e w (sanguis martyrum, semen christianorum). It is no a c c i d e n t t h a t , in t h e C h r i s t i m a s liturgy, it is p r e - c i s e l y w i t h t h e m a r t y r s t h a t the R o m a n C a t h o l i c
c h u r c h " d e c o r a t e s " t h e B e t h l e h e m s t a b l e in w h i c h t h e n e w b o r n E m m a n u e l ( t h e k i n g o f t h e J e w s ) rests. A l l o f t h e m , t o g e t h e r w i t h the m a r t y r s o f t h e e a r l y C h u r c h , c o n s t i t u t e a n i d e n t i f y i n g m a r k o f t h e C h u r c h all o v e r t h e w o r l d , a n d will d o s o until the e n d o f t i m e .
B u t not o n l y in a n c i e n t Christianity w a s the b l o o d o f t h e h o l y m a r t y r s significant. It w a s a l s o signifi- c a n t to the C h u r c h in the m i d d l e a g e s , in the m o d - e m era. a n d in c o n t e m p o r a r y t i m e s . It is particular n o t o n l y t o the C h u r c h o f J e r u s a l e m a n d not o n l y to t h e E u r o p e a n C h u r c h . T h e C h u r c h a l w a y s g r o w s f r o m the s e e d of the b l o o d o f t h e m a r t y r s , a l w a y s a n d e v e r y w h e r e - o n all c o n t i n e n t s . S o it is t o d a y in India, S u d a n , a n d I n d o n e s i a .
A m o n g the s a i n t e d m a r t y r s of the last c e n t u r y a n d t h e l a s t m i l l e n n i u m , a n d i n d e e d a m o n g the m a r t y r s o f t h e t w o t h o u s a n d y e a r s o f Christianity, Edith S t e i n - S i s t e r T e r e s a B e n e d i c t a o f the C r o s s - h o l d s a s p e c i a l p l a c e . In a motu proprio apostolic letter o f O c t o b e r 1, 1 9 9 9 , J o h n P a u l II p r o c l a i m e d E d i t h S t e i n p a t r o n of E u r o p e . S h e is o n e o f six c a n - o n i z e d p e r s o n s w h o m the C h u r c h r e c o g n i z e s a s p a t r o n s o f E u r o p e , but o n l y s h e is a m a r t y r .
E d i t h S t e i n lived a n d d i e d in y e a r s of h o r r e n - d o u s c o n t e m p t for m a n a n d o f the u n p r e c e d e n t e d t r a m p l i n g of h u m a n dignity. E d i t h S t e i n ' s y o u t h fell
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in t h e first half o f the t w e n t i e t h c e n t u r y . A s a n e d u - c a t e d a n d fully m a t u r e p e r s o n , s h e a c c e p t e d b a p - t i s m within t h e C a t h o l i c C h u r c h o n J a n u a r y 1 . 1 9 2 2 . O n April 1 5 . 1 9 3 4 , s h e took the habit o f the D i s c a - c e d C a r m e l i t e s a n d the n a m e in r e l i g i o n of T e r e s a B e n e d i c t a o f the C r o s s . O n A u g u s t 8 o r 9 , 1 9 4 2 , as a J e w . a n d t o g e t h e r w i t h o t h e r J e w s , s h e w a s m u r - d e r e d in t h e g a s c h a m b e r a n d b u r n e d in the cre- m a t o r i u m of the A u s c h w i t z - B i r k e n a u c a m p .
W h a t p r o m p t e d t h e C h u r c h t o p i c k E d i t h Stein a s p a t r o n o f E u r o p e ?
It is o f t e n n o t e d t h a t the uC h r i s t i a n - J e w i s h dis- pute" is visible in all the b o o k s o f the N e w Testa- m e n t . T h i s is not a n e r r o n e o u s definition, but neither d o e s it tell the w h o l e truth a b o u t the disputing par- ties. b e c a u s e w h a t w e find in the p a g e s of all the b o o k s of the N e w T e s t a m e n t is, de facto, a n internal J e w i s h dispute. J e s u s is a J e w . r e c o g n i z a b l e in the faith of Israel: in J u d a i s m . H o w e v e r , faith in J e s u s d i v i d e d t h e J e w s a n d c a u s e d a s c h i s m . N e v e r t h e - less. a t least o n the part of J e s u s ' s pupils (on the part o f the C h u r c h in J e r u s a l e m ) , t h e r e w a s n o hos- tility t o w a r d s t h o s e w h o did n o t believe in J e s u s .
T h e C h r i s t i a n f a i t h s h a p e d the c u l t u r e o f the c o n t i n e n t a n d w o v e itself i n s e p a r a b l y i n t o its his- tory, t o t h e d e g r e e that t h e r e is n o w a y t o u n d e r - s t a n d t h a t h i s t o r y w i t h o u t r e f e r r i n g t o t h e t h i n g s that h a p p e n e d first in t h e g r e a t e r a o f e v a n g e l i z a - tion, a n d later in t h e s u c c e s s i v e c e n t u r i e s w h e n , d e s p i t e the p a i n f u l d i v i s i o n b e t w e e n the E a s t a n d the W e s t , C h r i s t i a n i t y a t t a i n e d its p e r m a n e n t p c - sition a s the r e l i g i o n o f the E u r o p e a n s . I n short:
E u r o p e in t e r m s o f c u l t u r e i s - e s s e n t i a l l y - the f a i t h o f t h e Bible, a r t i c u l a t e d in the l a n g u a g e o f G r e e k p h i l o s o p h y a n d o r d e r i n g s o c i e t y t h r o u g h the n o r m s o f R o m a n law. O b v i o u s l y , t h i s is a n e x - t r e m e l y a b b r e v i a t e d f o r m u l a t i o n . A s for t h e p a t r o n s a i n t s o f E u r o p e , w e c a n s a y that t h e y a r e t h o s e w h o fulfilled in a n a l m o s t p e r f e c t w a y the first a n d m o s t i m p o r t a n t of the c o m m a n d m e n t s : the l o v e of G o d a n d o f o n e ' s n e i g h b o r .
B y h o l d i n g u p t h r e e w o m e n a s p a t r o n s a i n t s in the third m i l l e n n i u m , the C h u r c h w a n t s , m o r e t h a n it d i d in t h e p a s t , t o a c k n o w l e d g e t h e d i g n i t y of w o m e n a n d t o h i g h l i g h t the n a t u r e o f their gifts. In
t h e p a s t , y i e l d i n g t o c u l t u r a l i n f l u e n c e s , it d i d not a l w a y s p a y s u i t a b l e a t t e n t i o n t o this. T h r e e w o m e n . Bridget o f S w e d e n , a saint o f t h e f o u r t e e n t h c e n - tury, directs o u r a t t e n t i o n t o w a r d s the n o r t h o f E u - r o p e . t o w a r d s S c a n d i n a v i a . S a i n t C a t h e r i n e , living in the f o u r t e e n t h c e n t u r y , e a r n e d the title o f D o c t o r o f t h e C h u r c h w h i l e p a r t i c i p a t i n g in a n d h e l p i n g t o write the h i s t o r y o f C h r i s t i a n E u r o p e . S h e w e n t to t h e r u l e r s o f E u r o p e t o c o n v i n c e t h e m t h a t , in a s o c i e t y g u i d e d b y the v a l u e s o f t h e G o s p e l , n o d i s p u t e is s o i m p o r t a n t a s t o p e r m i t the rights o f p o w e r t o h o l d the a s c e n d a n c y o v e r the t r u t h s o f r e a s o n . S h e a d m o n i s h e d k i n g s a n d clergy.
Finally. E d i t h Stein, Saint T e r e s a B e n e d i c t a o f the C r o s s . In h i s motu proprio a p o s t o l i c letter. J o h n P a u l II w r o t e : " T e r e s a B e n e d i c t a o f t h e C r o s s . . . a s t h i n k e r , m y s t i c a n d m a r t y r , built a k i n d o f b r i d g e b e t w e e n h e r J e w i s h roots a n d h e r c o m m i t m e n t to C h r i s t , t a k i n g p a r t in t h e d i a l o g u e w i t h c o n t e m p o - rary p h i l o s o p h i c a l t h o u g h t w i t h s o u n d intuition, a n d in the e n d f o r c e f u l l y p r o c l a i m i n g b y her m a r t y r d o m t h e w a y s of G o d a n d m a n in t h e h o r r e n d o u s atroc- ity of t h e S h o a h . S h e h a s t h u s b e c o m e t h e s y m b o l o f a h u m a n , c u l t u r a l a n d religious p i l g r i m a g e w h i c h e m b o d i e s the d e e p e s t t r a g e d y a n d t h e d e e p e s t h o p e s o f E u r o p e . "
T h e f a i t h in J e s u s C h r i s t w a s n o l o n g e r the faith o f t h e S y n a g o g u e , but n e i t h e r St. P e t e r , nor P a u l , nor a n y o f the A p o s t l e s , n o r a n y o n e a m o n g the J e w s w h o b e l i e v e d in J e s u s h a d t o t h r o w a n y k i n d o f " b r i d g e " b e t w e e n their J e w i s h b a c k g r o u n d a n d f a i t h in C h r i s t . T h i s is h o w it w a s at the v e r y b e g i n - n i n g s o f C h r i s t i a n i t y ! B y t h e f o u r t h c e n t u r y a f t e r C h r i s t , h o w e v e r , the e x i s t e n c e o f a c h a s m b e t w e e n J u d a i s m a n d C h r i s t i a n i t y w a s a l r e a d y a fact. A n d in o r d e r t o r e a l i z e h o w d e e p t h a t c h a s m w a s in t h e t i m e s of E d i t h S t e i n , it is e n o u g h t o g l a n c e a t t h e R o m a n r i t u a l t h e n in u s e . A t t h e b a p t i s m o f a n a d u l t J e w . t h e priest g i v i n g the s a c r a m e n t r e p e a t e d t h e f o l l o w i n g e x h o r t a t i o n : "Horresce Judaicam perfidiam, respue Hebraicam superstitionem.' T h i s e x h o r t a t i o n - " A b h o r J e w i s h p e r f i d y a n d s p i t o u t J e w i s h s u p e r s t i t i o n s " - h a d n o t h i n g t o d o w i t h the e x h o r t a t i o n t o l o v e , the p r i n c i p a l m i s s i o n a n d m e s - s a g e of t h e G o s p e l , n o t h i n g a t all! I h a v e q u o t e d it b e c a u s e it c a n m a k e u s a w a r e of h o w n e c e s s a r y , h o w d o w n r i g h t u r g e n t w a s the n e e d for a c h a n g e
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in the C h u r c h ' s a t t i t u d e t o w a r d s J e w s a n d J u d a - i s m ! T h e e x t e r m i n a t i o n o f t h e J e w s in " C h r i s t i a n "
E u r o p e , t h e S h o a h . w a s a s h a m e f u l a b o m i n a t i o n . F o r t u n a t e l y , it a l s o p r o f o u n d l y s h o c k e d m a n y s e n - sitive h e a r t s , a n d o p e n e d p e o p l e ' s e y e s .
T h e S e c o n d V a t i c a n C o u n c i l b r o u g h t c h a n g e , a n d t h e f o u r t h c h a p t e r o f t h e d e c l a r a t i o n Nostra aetata j o i n e d in t h e c u r r e n t o f t h i n k i n g a n d a c t i n g that h a d b e e n d e e p l y m a r k e d b y the m e m o r y o f the p e r s e c u t i o n a n d s l a u g h t e r of the J e w s in E u - r o p e j u s t b e f o r e a n d d u r i n g the S e c o n d W o r l d W a r . D e s p i t e t h e f a c t t h a t C h r i s t i a n i t y w a s b o r n o f J u d a i s m a n d r e c e i v e d f r o m it s o m e o f the principal e l e m e n t s of its faith a n d its cult, the c h a s m b e t w e e n the t w o f a i t h s h a d d e e p e n e d until it r e a c h e d a l m o s t a point o f m u t u a l unfamiliarity.
Saint T e r e s a B e n e d i c t a o f the C r o s s , Edith S t e i n ,
"built a k i n d o f b r i d g e b e t w e e n h e r J e w i s h r o o t s a n d her c o m m i t m e n t t o C h r i s t " w i t h her life's w o r k and, ultimately, h e r m a r t y r ' s d e a t h - a n d p r e c i s e l y h e r e lies h e r e x t r a o r d i n a r y g r e a t n e s s ; in this s h e r e m a i n s a t e a c h e r for C h r i s t i a n E u r o p e . T h e t i m e s in w h i c h s h e lived w e r e n o t e a s y . It is highly p r o b - able that, w h e n s h e a c c e p t e d b a p t i s m , s h e h e a r d the w o r d s w r i t t e n in the ritual. T h o s e w o r d s c o u l d not but hurt; t h e y o f f e n d e d a n d w e r e a n insult t o J e w s a n d J u d a i s m .
A f t e r Hitler c a m e t o p o w e r a n d the officially o r - ganized N a z i a t t a c k s o n t h e J e w s b e g a n . Dr. E d i t h Stein, e l e v e n y e a r s a C h r i s t i a n , a lecturer at t h e P e d a g o g i c a l Institute in M u n s t e r , W e s t p h a l i a , h a d n o d o u b t s t h a t the fate o f the J e w s w a s h e r f a t e . She d e c i d e d t o t r a v e l t o R o m e a n d ask the p o p e at a private a u d i e n c e for a n e n c y c l i c a l c o n d e m n i n g anti-Semitism. In the e n d , s h e p u t her r e q u e s t i n t o a private letter t o P i u s X I . S h e s t a t e s in her a u t o b i - ography: "I k n o w that m y letter w a s d e l i v e r e d s e a l e d to the H o l y F a t h e r ; s h o r t l y a f t e r w a r d s , I r e c e i v e d his b l e s s i n g f o r m y s e l f a n d m y f a m i l y . N o t h i n g more." It i s difficult n o t t o r e a d b i t t e r n e s s in t h a t
"Nothing m o r e . "
She h a d a l r e a d y b e e n d i s m i s s e d f r o m h e r j o b in 1933 b e c a u s e of h e r o r i g i n s . "I t o o k s o m e c o n - siderable c o m f o r t . " s h e n o t e d , "that t h e universal fate of the J e w s h a d b e e n visited o n m e , a s well."
On O c t o b e r 14, s h e e n t e r e d the D i s c a l c e d C a r m e - lite c o n v e n t in C o l o g n e .
W h e n the N u r e m b e r g L a w of S e p t e m b e r 15, 1 9 3 5 s e n t e n c e d J e w s t o a s u b h u m a n e x i s t e n c e , in this p e r i o d w h e n N a z i s m w a s r u n n i n g m a d , s h e w r o t e her a u t o b i o g r a p h y , Life in a Jewish Family, w h i c h d e p i c t s h e r J e w i s h family w i t h p r i d e a n d love.
S h e s h o w e d t o the c o n t e m p o r a r y G e r m a n C h u r c h - h o w , e v e n a f t e r r e c e i v i n g b a p t i s m ( J a n u a r y 1, 1 9 2 2 ) , s h e w e n t t o the s y n a g o g u e a n d p r a y e d with h e r m o t h e r t h e r e .
W h e n t h e t i m e finally c a m e t o b e a r w i t n e s s , s h e w a s r e a d y t o d i e t o g e t h e r w i t h t h o s e t o w h o m , as it t u r n e d o u t , s h e m o s t b e l o n g e d . O f c o u r s e . E d i t h S t e i n ' s g r e a t n e s s is m o r e t h a n the solidarity s h e s h o w e d in d y i n g w i t h h e r b r o t h e r s a n d s i s t e r s ; it is.
a b o v e all, d y i n g in the m o s t p r o f o u n d u n i o n with J e s u s C h r i s t : C r u c i f i x i o n a n d R e s u r r e c t i o n .
A y e a r b e f o r e h e r d e a t h , a: the C a r m e l in Hol- l a n d , E d i t h S t e i n w r o t e : " N o h u m a n heart h a s g o n e t h r o u g h s u c h d a r k n i g h t s a s t h e S o n o f G o d in G e t h s e m a n e a n d o n G o l g o t h a . N o h u m a n m i n d c a n f a t h o m the i n c o n c e i v a b l e m y s t e r y o f the a b a n d o n - m e n t o f the S o n of M a n in h s d e a t h a g o n y . Yet J e s u s s o m e t i m e s p e r m i t s h i s c h o s e n t o t a s t e this internal b i t t e r n e s s . It is s o m e t h i n g g i v e n t o h i s m o s t faithful f r i e n d s , t h e final trial o f their l o v e . If t h e y d o n o t w i t h d r a w in fear, but a l l o w t h e m s e l v e s to b e led i n t o that d a r k night."
" T h e i m a g e o f h e r h o l i n e s s " J o h n P a u l II w r o t e o f E d i t h S t e i n , " r e m a i n s for e v e r l i n k e d t o the trag- e d y o f her violent d e a t h , a l o n g s i d e all t h o s e w h o w i t h h e r s u f f e r e d the s a m e fate. A n d it r e m a i n s a s a p r o c l a m a t i o n of t h e G o s p e l o f t h e C r o s s , w i t h w h i c h s h e identified h e r s e l f by t h e v e r y c h o i c e o f her n a m e in religion."
In v i e w o f the terrible c h a s m b e t w e e n J u d a i s m a n d Christianity - a n d the s h a m e of the S h o a h w a s a n a c h i n g proof that this c h a s m e x i s t e d - the C h u r c h at the S e c o n d Vatican C o u n c i l "built a kind o f bridge"
b e t w e e n its o w n identity a n d its roots, o r Biblical J u d a i s m . T e r e s a B e n e d i c t a o f the C r o s s , t h e s a i n t e d m a r t y r , is the t e a c h e r of the n e w e v a n g e l i z a t i o n .
" N e w " m e a n s that it a p p e a l s to the B o o k s o f the N e w C o v e n a n t , w h i l e f i n d i n g its r o o t s in the Old.
Christianity is n o t J u d a i s m . But w h e n it p r o c l a i m s a n t i - J u d a i s m , it b e c o m e s anti-Christianity. I believe that, in h o l d i n g u p T e r e s a B e n e d i c t a o f the C r o s s ( E d i t h S t e i n ) a s p a t r o n o f C h r i s t i a n E u r o p e , t h e
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C h u r c h is first a n d f o r e m o s t a p p e a l i n g t o C h r i s t i a n s t o c h a n g e t h e i r a t t i t u d e s t o w a r d s J e w s a n d J u d a i s m .
M e a n w h i l e , e s p e c i a l l y o n t h e o c c a s i o n of t h e b e a t i f i c a t i o n o f E d i t h S t e i n , s o m e J e w i s h g r o u p s g a v e v o i c e to their d i s s a t i s f a c t i o n . In s o m e J e w i s h circles, n e i t h e r t h e c a n o n i z a t i o n nor the p r o c l a m a - tion o f o u r s a i n t a s the p a t r o n o f E u r o p e give rise t o e n t h u s i a s m . T h e r e a r e a c c u s a t i o n s that, in beatify- ing a n d c a n o n i z i n g E d i t h S t e i n , the C h u r c h i s a t - t e m p t i n g t o t a k e p o s s e s s i o n o f the H o l o c a u s t , o r e v e n t o divert a t t e n t i o n f r o m t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f C h r i s t i a n i t y f o r w h a t h a p p e n e d . O r e v e n that, in h o l d i n g u p E d i t h S t e i n as a n e x e m p l a r y C h r i s t i a n (Catholic), the C h u r c h is raising the s p e c t e r of p r o s - elytizing a m o n g the J e w s .
A t a v e r y superficial g l a n c e a n d o n l y f r o m t h e o u t s i d e , w i t h o u t n o t i c i n g t h e c h a n g e s t h a t h a v e t a k e n p l a c e in the p o s t - C o n c i l i a r C h u r c h - the a c - c u s a t i o n , a s f o r m u l a t e d , m a y i n d e e d s e e m justifi- able. But let us look d e e p e r . B e a r i n g in m i n d the t e a c h i n g o f the S e c o n d V a t i c a n C o u n c i l , let u s a t - t e m p t t o p e n e t r a t e t h e C h u r c h ' s i n t e n t i o n s . T h e c a s e o f E d i t h S t e i n is i n d e e d a s p e c i a l o n e , a n d t h e r e i n lies all t h e g r e a t n e s s . It is a fact t h a t , w h i l e r e m a i n i n g faithful t o C h r i s t , s h e w a s m u r d e r e d b e - c a u s e o f h e r J e w i s h origins. T h e N a z i s took o n l y E d i t h S t e i n a n d her s i s t e r R o s e f r o m the C a r m e l in E c h t t o t h e c a m p in W e s t e r b o r k , a n d t h e n t o A u s c h w i t z - B i r k e n a u - because they were Jews!
N o t h i n g m o r e ! S u c h a r e the f a c t s . It i s a l s o a fact t h a t Edith Stein never concealed her Jewish roots, and was never ashamed of them. M o s t i m p o r t a n t o f all, s h e n e v e r h a d a n y d o u b t that s h e w a s g o i n g t o her d e a t h b e c a u s e s h e w a s a J e w . A t the m o - m e n t o f her arrest, s h e told her sister R o s e . " C o m e , w e ' r e g o i n g with our p e o p l e . "
In t h e W e s t e r b o r k c a m p s h e w r o t e : "I d i d not k n o w that p e o p l e c a n b e like this a n d that m y b r o t h - e r s a n d sisters m u s t s u f f e r this w a y . I really d i d n o t k n o w it." K n o w l e d g e a b o u t relations t o J e w s , s e e n f r o m t h e v e r y b o t t o m of the c h a s m , w a s k n o w l e d g e a b o u t C h r i s t i a n E u r o p e !
T h e d i r e c t r e a s o n for h e r arrest a n d d e p o r t a t i o n w a s a N a z i c a m p a i g n in reprisal for a d e c l a r a t i o n in w h i c h the C h r i s t i a n c h u r c h e s o f the N e t h e r l a n d s
c o n d e m n e d t h e d e p o r t a t i o n o f J e w s t o the death c a m p s . O n t h e r e c o m m e n d a t i o n of the C a t h o l i c b i s h o p s , this d e c l a r a t i o n w a s r e a d in all c h u r c h e s o n J u l y 2 6 , 1 9 4 2 . T h e a r r e s t a n d d e p o r t a t i o n of all J e w i s h C a t h o l i c s r e s i d i n g in H o l l a n d w a s a direct c o n s e q u e n c e .
It t h e r e f o r e s e e m s t h a t the C a t h o l i c C h u r c h h a s the right t o r a i s e her t o the altar a s a m a r t y r f o r her faith in J e s u s - J e s u s , w h o , a s w e s h o u l d n e v e r forget, is a J e w ! In t h e f a c e o f t h e d i s g r a c e that is the S h o a h , t h e C h u r c h h a s n o t h i n g l e s s t h a n a n obligation for C h r i s t i a n E u r o p e t o s a y v e r y loudly that c o n t e m p t for J u d a i s m is c o n t e m p t for all t h a t is m o s t holy in Christianity. " W h o e v e r e n c o u n t e r s J e - s u s Christ," J o h n P a u l r e m i n d e d u s d u r i n g his a p - ostolic p i l g r i m a g e t o G e r m a n y , " e n c o u n t e r s J u d a - ism." T h e m o t h e r of J e s u s , a d o r e d in m a n y s a n c - tuaries in E u r o p e a n d a r o u n d the w o r l d , is a J e w ; all t h e A p o s t l e s a r e J e w s ; t h e first c o m m u n i t y in J e r u s a l e m w a s m a d e u p e x c l u s i v e l y o f J e w s . T h e C h u r c h is forcefully r e m i n d i n g C h r i s t i a n E u r o p e o f all this w h e n it r a i s e s E d i t h S t e i n t o the altar a n d d e s i g n a t e s h e r p a t r o n o f E u r o p e .
In the f a c e of the s h a m e t h a t w a s t h e S h o a h , the C a t h o l i c C h u r c h is t h e r e f o r e not a t t e m p t i n g t o lay c l a i m to the H o l o c a u s t , but r a t h e r calling C h r i s - tians t o a n a c t of p e n a n c e . It is e x p r e s s i n g r e g r e t t o the J e w s , its e l d e r b r o t h e r s in faith: "the C h u r c h . . . d e c r i e s h a t r e d , p e r s e c u t i o n s , d i s p l a y s o f a n t i - S e m i t i s m . d i r e c t e d a g a i n s t J e w s at a n y t i m e a n d b y a n y o n e " (N o s t r a aetate, 4 ) . N o r c a n t h e r e be a n y talk o f a rising t i d e of p r o s e l y t i z i n g in relation to the J e w s . T h e r e is s i m p l y n o p l a c e for it in t h e " n e w e v a n g e l i z a t i o n " t h a t , in t h e v e r s i o n p r o c l a i m e d by J o h n P a u l II, r e c o g n i z e s t h a t "the N e w C o v e n a n t finds its r o o t s in the O l d . T h e d e g r e e t o w h i c h the O l d m a y find its fulfillment in the N e w is. o f c o u r s e , a m a t t e r for the H o l y Spirit. W e p e o p l e c a n o n l y try n o t to h a m p e r this."
H i s t o r y s h o w s t h a t faith in J e s u s b e c a m e the c a u s e o f d i s s e n s i o n w i t h i n t h e b o s o m of J u d a i s m ; belief in J e s u s a l s o d i v i d e d t h e C h r i s t i a n s t h e m - s e l v e s . B u t J e s u s is not to b l a m e f o r t h e d i v i s i o n s that w e h a v e c r e a t e d . H e w a n t e d , a n d a s k e d His F a t h e r for, t h e unity of all w h o b e l i e v e in H i m : " S o t h a t all c o u l d b e as o n e . "
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