Following the appointment of a new pope, the following statement was released by the Chief Rabbinate of Israel.

“Over the past twelve years there has been a rich and fruitful dialogue between the Holy See and the Chief Rabbinate of Israel on primary issues such as banning terrorism in God’s Name, the sanctity of life, the sanctity of the family unit, etc.

This dialogue has led to significant achievements over the years, such as Holy See’s decision to heed the Chief Rabbinate’s request and suspend Holocaust-denier Bishop Richard Williamson, and the modification of sections of the Good Friday liturgy that were harsh and insulting towards the Jewish People.

Especially memorable are the statements of Pope Francis’s two predecessors, Pope John Paul II, that the Almighty has never broken his covenant with the Jewish People. It has been stated by the Holy See that Jews are the elder brothers, and even the parents, of Christian believers. Statements by the two previous Pontiffs have played a significant role in the fight against anti-Semitism in Europe and beyond.

The dialogue between the Holy See and the Chief Rabbinate of Israel was welcomed and nurtured with personal involvement by the two previous Pontiffs. The Chief Rabbinate of Israel is confident that Pope Francis, whose good relations with the Jewish People are well known, will keep the same spirit, and strengthen and develop the Roman Catholic Church’s connections with the State of Israel and the Jewish People.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)