Mission to Jews

Commentary posted on the Tradition in Action website here.

On May 16, Cardinal Koch delivered a major speech in Rome on Jewish-Catholic "dialogue" since the Council (see link below). In it he made two rather astonishing observations: First, he said: "In his detailed examination of the question of the so–called mission to the Jews, Cardinal Karl Lehmann rightly discerned that on closer investigation one finds 'as good as no institutional mission to the Jews in Catholic mission history.'”

Why, then, is St. Paul called the Apostle to the Gentiles? Because the first 12 Apostles of the Holy Roman Catholic Church were Apostles sent primarily to the Jews! The mission to the Jews is the Church's seminal mission, one that has never been "revoked."

Matthew 10:5 - "These twelve Jesus sent: commanding them, saying: Go ye not into the way of the Gentiles, and into the city of the Samaritans enter ye not. [6] But go ye rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

Secondly, from the Koch speech on May 16: "The in–principle rejection of an institutional mission to the Jews does not, on the other hand, exclude that Christians bear witness to their faith in Jesus Christ also to Jews, but they should do so in an unassuming and humble manner, particularly in view of the great tragedy of the Shoah."

Does that describe the "unassuming" way St. Peter spoke to the Jews gathered in Jeruselam on the day of Pentecost? No, here is what the first Pope said:

"Therefore let all the house of Israel know most certainly, that God hath made both Lord and Christ, this same Jesus, whom you have crucified. Now when they had heard these things, they had compunction in their heart, and said to Peter, and to the rest of the apostles: What shall we do, men and brethren? But Peter said to them: Do penance, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins: and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (Acts Of Apostles 2:36-38)

Speeches such as the one given by Cardinal Koch make one seriously wonder whither goes the "Ecumenical Catholic Church" of Vatican II. The true Catholic Church does not turn its back on her historical mission to boldly preach the Lord Jesus "to the Jew first, and to the Greek," as St. Paul says: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel. For it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth, to the Jew first, and to the Greek." (Romans 1:16)

Koch's declarations are available here

Peace,

Frank Rega

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