03/13/2013
Looks Forward To Continued Friendship Between Catholics and Jews
B’nai B’rith International welcomes Pope Francis I, who was elected at the Vatican on March 13 by the 115 Catholic cardinals eligible to vote.
The new pope, the former Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, is the first pope from Latin America. He will lead a Catholic church with 1.2 billion followers.
In November, then-Cardinal Bergoglio was the keynote speaker at B’nai B’rith’s Krystallnacht commemoration in Buenos Aires, where he helped light the menorah.
“We welcome Pope Francis I to his new role as leader of the Catholic Church,” B’nai B’rith International President Allan J. Jacobs said. “Catholic-Jewish relations had remained a focus of Pope Benedict XVI and we look forward to continuing the solid foundation that already exists for interfaith dialogue.”
Pope Benedict resigned last month. Pope Francis I is the 266th pope.
“We have been encouraged by the historic progress in Catholic-Jewish relations,” said B’nai B’rith Executive Vice President Daniel S. Mariaschin. “Interfaith dialogue, stressing tolerance and mutual respect, is increasingly important in today’s world.”
B’nai B’rith leaders met with Pope Benedict, as with a line of his predecessors, on multiple occasions and looks forward to establishing a similar relationship with Pope Francis I.
On Monday, November 12, 2012, the Cathedral of Buenos Aires hosted hundreds of people who attended the B'nai B'rith Argentina commemoration of Krystallnacht. Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, now Pope Francis I, lead the event, and is pictured here lighting the menorah with Rabbi Alejandro Avruj.
On Monday, November 12, 2012, the Cathedral of Buenos Aires hosted hundreds of people who attended the B'nai B'rith Argentina commemoration of Krystallnacht. Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, now Pope Francis I, lead the event, which was attended by high representatives of the Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian and Catholic Churches.
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