Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś and Chief Rabbi Michael Schudrich urged action against hatred and silence during the 29th Day of Judaism celebration in Płock, Poland. Rabbi Schudrich emphasized the necessity of combating antisemitism and racism, referencing the Holocaust and the silence of bystanders. Cardinal Ryś called for Catholics and Jews to actively listen to each other's perspectives to foster understanding. The event, held in Płock where most of the prewar Jewish population was killed, focused on remembering the lost community. Cardinal Ryś noted that Church documents since Vatican II affirm the connection between Christianity and living Judaism.
about 2 months ago
The 29th Day of Judaism in the Catholic Church in Poland was marked on January 15, 2026, in Płock, central Poland.1
The event highlighted remembrance of the city's prewar Jewish community of 9,000, most of whom were murdered or deported during the Nazi occupation.1
Chief Rabbi of Poland Michael Schudrich prayed for peace amid "too much pain, too much tragedy, too much death."1
He referenced Holocaust survivor Marian Turski's words that "Auschwitz did not fall from the sky," stressing the dangers of silence against antisemitism, racism, and hatred.1
Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś, Archbishop of Kraków and chairman of the Polish Bishops’ Conference’s Council for Religious Dialogue, urged Catholics and Jews to “listen to each other” for mutual enrichment.1
He noted the loss of Płock’s Jewish community profoundly impacts the shared citizenry.1
The day's theme, drawn from Ruth 1:16—"Your people will be my people and your God my God"—underscored unity.1
Ryś highlighted that all Church documents since the Second Vatican Council affirm connections between Christianity and “living Judaism.”1
He observed that salvation history involves God gathering people while evil scatters them, warning against solitary happiness.1
Events spanned Płock Cathedral, the Benedictine Abbey, and the Museum of Mazovian Jews in a former synagogue.1
Activities included joint prayers, a commemorative walk through Jewish history sites, and exhibitions like “Some Were Neighbors: Choice, Human Behavior, and the Holocaust” from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.1
Attendees featured Israel’s Ambassador to Poland Yaakov Finkelstein, local Bishop Szymon Stułkowski, Płock Mayor Andrzej Nowakowski, and Sister Katarzyna Kowalska, co-chair of the Polish Council of Christians and Jews.1
Kowalska emphasized the Church's call to “sit down at one table” to discuss memory, hope, and shared promises to the chosen people.1
The Day of Judaism aligns with January 17 in Poland’s liturgical calendar, eve of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.1
Similar Catholic-Jewish remembrance days occur in other European countries.1
Catholics and Jews must listen to each other to counter antisemitism
The Catholic Church has consistently taught that genuine dialogue and mutual listening between Catholics and Jews are essential not only for fostering understanding but also for decisively countering antisemitism, which it unequivocally condemns as a sin against God and humanity. Rooted in the Second Vatican Council's Nostra Aetate, this approach emphasizes the shared spiritual patrimony between Christians and Jews, rooted in Abraham, while rejecting all forms of hatred, persecution, or discrimination. Papal addresses reinforce this by calling for reciprocal respect, education against prejudice, and collaborative efforts in religious and social spheres, ensuring that such listening leads to deeper fidelity to God's ways.
The Church's magisterium has repeatedly and solemnly repudiated antisemitism, framing it as incompatible with the Gospel. Nostra Aetate (no. 4) declares that "what happened in His passion cannot be charged against all the Jews, without distinction, then alive, nor against the Jews of today," and explicitly "decries hatred, persecutions, displays of anti-Semitism, directed against Jews at any time and by anyone." This builds on the recognition of God's enduring love for the Jewish people "for the sake of their Fathers," affirming that they are not "rejected or accursed by God." Similarly, Nostra Aetate (no. 5) reproves "any discrimination against men or harassment of them because of their race, color, condition of life, or religion," underscoring the indivisible link between love of God and love of neighbor.
Pope Paul VI echoed this in 1975, reaffirming the Church's "solemn reaffirmation of rejection by the Catholic Church of every form of antisemitism" and inviting Catholics to learn "by what essential traits the Jews define themselves in the light of their own religious experience." Pope John Paul II went further in 1991, insisting that "we must teach consciences to consider antisemitism, and all forms of racism, as sins against God and humanity," especially amid "disquieting signs" of its resurgence. He highlighted the horrors of the past, like the Shoah, as a call to vigilance. In 1988, John Paul II noted the Church's efforts to "rid herself of every vestige of antisemitism" while acknowledging her "religious debt to Judaism." These teachings form a unified front: antisemitism is not merely a social ill but a profound spiritual failing that dialogue must eradicate.
Central to countering antisemitism is the call for Catholics and Jews to "listen" to each other through fraternal dialogue, biblical study, and shared reflection. Nostra Aetate (no. 4) urges "mutual understanding and respect which is the fruit, above all, of biblical and theological studies as well as of fraternal dialogues," given the "spiritual patrimony common to Christians and Jews." The Church professes that her faith originates "among the Patriarchs, Moses and the prophets," drawing "sustenance from the root of that well-cultivated olive tree" of Israel. This listening is reciprocal: Pope Paul VI hoped it would help all "know one another better and... know better the Almighty," conducted "with great mutual respect."
John Paul II, addressing Jewish leaders in 1979, praised Nostra Aetate as the "starting point for this new and promising phase," establishing "fraternal dialogue and fruitful collaboration" based on the "spiritual bond linking the people of the New Covenant with Abraham’s stock." In 1991, he advocated "common commitment for Christians and Jews to get to know one another better, to engage in dialogue, to cooperate intensely in the sphere of human rights, religious education, and the fight against antisemitism," proposing even "joint local committees." The Guide for Catechists (1993) frames inter-religious dialogue—including with Judaism—as part of evangelization, requiring "accurate knowledge of the religions practiced," respect for "seeds of the Word" within them, and a spirit of listening to the Holy Spirit.
This dialogue avoids supersessionism's pitfalls, balancing continuity and fulfillment in Christ without denying God's "irrevocable gifts" to Israel (Rom 11:28). As the Pontifical Biblical Commission notes, fulfillment in Christ is not "literal" or "reductionist" but involves "transcendence." Recent reflections, like the 2015 document The Gifts and the Calling of God Are Irrevocable, nuance evangelization: while rejecting "specific institutional mission work directed towards Jews," it calls Christians to "bear witness to their faith in Jesus Christ also to Jews... in a humble and sensitive manner, acknowledging that Jews are bearers of God's Word." Listening thus purifies prejudices and enriches both communities.
In practice, this mutual listening manifests in education, joint initiatives, and conscience formation. Popes have established structures like the Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews (1974), fostering local and international dialogues. Catechists are trained to engage respectfully, recognizing Judaism's truths while proclaiming Christ. Amid rising antisemitism, as John Paul II warned, such efforts prevent "bitter memory of wrongs" from hindering progress, urging all to "cooperate with the Creator in building a brighter future."
Catholic teaching affirms that Catholics and Jews must indeed listen to each other to counter antisemitism effectively, as this dialogue honors their shared heritage, rejects hatred, and draws both closer to God. From Nostra Aetate's foundational principles to papal exhortations for reciprocal education and collaboration, the Church provides a roadmap: condemn prejudice unequivocally, study Scripture together, and witness humbly. This path not only combats antisemitism but fulfills the Gospel's call to unity and peace.