The Catholic bishops of the United States call for rejecting “antisemitism and the lies and conspiracies that fuel it”

The scourge of anti-Semitism, which promoted a horrific genocide in the last century, is now resurfacing in various disguises.

The words of Pope Saint John Paul II to the Jews, our 'older brothers'
A cardinal's resounding message to those who call themselves Christians and hate Jews

One of these disguises has long been used by antisemitism: sinful conspiracy theories used to slander all Jews and incite hatred and violence against them. One of the best-known examples is the antisemitic libel "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion," created in 1903 by the Okhrana, the secret police of the Tsarist regime in Russia, and which is still used today to promote hatred against Jews.

On this issue, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) posted a message on its Twitter account today, stating: "Catholics are called to reject antisemitism and the lies and conspiracies that fuel it, and to stand clearly against hatred and violence directed toward our Jewish brothers and sisters. To defend religious freedom with integrity, we must also reject antisemitism."

In this message, the USCCB links to a video published on its YouTube channel, in which Alexander K. Sample, Archbishop of Portland, Oregon, offers a very insightful reflection on this matter:

This is the transcript of Monsignor Sample's words in this video:

"During the Easter trudum, Catholics celebrate the central events of our faith, the passion, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is himself the word made flesh. In the mystery of the Holy Eucharist instituted on Holy Thursday, we are invited to share in Christ's total gift of self so that we might join him one day in eternal life. The focus of our celebration is the pascal mystery of Christ and what God has done for all of us.

There's been a tendency at times to put the focus elsewhere. Sadly, the celebration of Easter has at times been the occasion for outbursts of hatred and even violence against Jews. The Catechism of the Council of Trent teaches that the Jews do not bear the collective guilt for the death of Jesus. The church made this teaching explicit at the second Vatican council in Nostra Aetate. Quote, "What happened in his passion cannot be charged against all the Jews without distinction then alive nor against the Jews of today. Although the church is the new people of God, the Jews should not be presented as rejected or accursed by God, as if this followed from the Holy Scriptures." Unquote.

The Catechism of Trent is particularly poignant when it notes that the guilt for the suffering of Jesus is especially know Christ deny him with our sins. Indeed, Good Friday ought to be an occasion for us to return to the Lord, not to scapegoat others. Holding the Jews collectively responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus represents a profound misunderstanding of what took place on Good Friday. It is also one of the causes of a great deal of the hatred for the Jewish people that we have seen in history and continue to see today.

As Catholics, we are called to walk in the truth and so to reject the conspiracies and lies that lead to harassment and even violence against our Jewish brothers and sisters. There is a strong connection between religious freedom and working to counter anti-semitism. As Nostra Aetate puts it, quote, "In a rejection of every persecution against any man, the Church, mindful of the patrimony she shares with the Jews, and moved not by political reasons, but by the gospel's spiritual love, decries hatred, persecutions, displays of anti-semitism directed against Jews at any time and by anyone," unquote.

The Jewish community is attacked at a far higher rate than any other religious group in the United States. If we Catholics, in truly living out the gospel, are to defend religious freedom with integrity, we must clearly speak out against anti-semitism."

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Image: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.