September 23, 2006 - Cardinal O'Malley's letter to the Jewish Community on the occasion of Rosh HaShanah, 2006
My
dear friends in the Jewish Community,
Allow
me to take this opportunity to wish you a happy new year. L’Shana
Tova! May the Year 5767 be filled with God’s blessings,
especially with the gift of peace.
The
past year has been the occasion on many important events, including
the 40th anniversary of Vatican II’s “Declaration
on the Church’s Relation to Non-Christian Religions,”
also known by its Latin name, Nostra Aetate. This document
marked a significant advance in Catholic-Jewish relations and we were
blessed by the attendance of members of the Jewish community at our
Archdiocesan observance of the anniversary. Throughout the Church,
and especially in the Archdiocese of Boston, we are mindful of and
profoundly grateful for the dialogue and relationship we have built
together on the principles of Nostra Aetate.
It
is good to know that our communities continue to work closely
together in mutual cooperation and trust. The opportunities we have
had to meet through our Massachusetts Interreligious Leaders Group
have been most helpful. Our gathering on September 11 was a model
of Christian, Jewish, and Muslim leaders exchanging candid and
heartfelt views on significant issues affecting the fabric of
society. The statement that emerged from that meeting, “People
of faith share these values,” gives witness of our mutual
commitment to the principles of authentic interreligious cooperation.
A
particular highlight for me during this past year was your warm
welcome when I had the privilege to address many of you at the
Leventhal-Sidman Jewish Community Center in Newton. In the course
of my remarks that evening, I stated that “I have always loved
the Jewish concept of Tikkun
Olam,
Repairing the World. As Catholics, we speak of repairing the world in
terms of the social gospel, of building a civilization of love. I
hope that we can do this together. Working together we can address
the social problems of our community and the world. Illiteracy,
hunger, war, must be eliminated. Such goals can be achieved only if
we are working together to repair the world.” Please know that
I remain committed to these principles and am most grateful for the
opportunity to join with you in striving for a better world, based in
peace and justice.
Sincerely,
Cardinal
Sean O’Malley
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