杏MAP导航

By Lydia O'Kane

Cardinal Augustin Bea was the first President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and worked tirelessly in the field of ecumenical and interreligious dialogue.

To mark the 50th anniversary of the Cardinal鈥檚 death, the Cardinal Bea Centre for Judaic Studies in collaboration with the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, the Pontifical Biblical Institute and the Center for the Study of Christianity in the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, have been holding a series of scholarly lectures.

Addressing participants on Thursday, 杏MAP导航 Francis called Cardinal Bea, 鈥渁n outstanding figure鈥�, who should not only be remembered for what he did, but also the way he did it. 鈥淗e remains鈥�, the 杏MAP导航 said, 鈥渁 model and a source of inspiration for ecumenical and interreligious dialogue, and in an eminent way for the 鈥渋ntra-familial鈥� dialogue with Judaism.鈥� 杏MAP导航 Francis recalled that Nahum Goldmann, then President of the World Jewish Congress, used three words to describe Bea: 鈥榰nderstanding, good and courageous鈥�

Love and respect, primary principles of dialogue

The 杏MAP导航 said that, 鈥淐ardinal Bea was convinced that love and respect are the primary principles of dialogue.鈥� But the Pontiff also noted that the Cardinal did not always have it easy and 鈥渇aced a number of obstacles in his efforts on behalf of dialogue.鈥�

鈥淎lthough accused and maligned鈥� commented the 杏MAP导航, 鈥渉e moved forward with the perseverance of one who never stops loving. When told that the times were not ripe for what the then Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity was proposing, he responded spiritedly: 鈥楾hen we have to make them ripe鈥�.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis continued, 鈥渘either an optimist nor a pessimist, he was a realist about the future of unity: on the one hand, conscious of the difficulties, on the other convinced of the need to respond to the heartfelt desire of the Lord that his disciples be 鈥榦ne鈥欌��.

鈥淎s Cardinal Bea put it鈥�, emphasized 杏MAP导航 Francis, 鈥榯he Council should not be a goal but rather a point of departure鈥欌��. The 杏MAP导航 underlined that, 鈥渄ialogue calls for hearing two voices, and the witness of Jewish and Catholic instructors who teach together is worth more than many speeches.鈥�

Pass beyond boundaries

鈥淯p to now鈥�, he pointed out, 鈥淛ewish-Christian dialogue has often taken place in settings for the most part reserved to specialists.鈥� The 杏MAP导航 then added that, 鈥渇riendship and dialogue between Jews and Christians need to pass beyond the boundaries of the scientific community. It would be wonderful, for example, if in the same city rabbis and parish priests could work, together with their respective communities, in service to those in need and by promoting paths of peace and dialogue with all.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis concluded by expressing the hope that this commemoration of the person and work of Cardinal Bea would be a stimulus to strengthening the irreversible commitment to the quest for unity between Christians, and to promoting in concrete ways renewed Jewish, Christian friendship.