Disappointed with Cursory Treatment of Catholic-jewish Relations at Latin American Bishops Conferenc

Jacobo Kovadloff, director of the American Jewish Committee’s Latin American department, voiced disappointment today that the recently completed Conference of Latin American Bishops dealt so cursorily with the Catholic Church’s relations with Jews.

In an interview with the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Kovadloff said he was “disappointed” that there was no condemnation of anti-Semitism or the Nazi movement, both of which he said are growing in Latin America. The conference dealt mainly with political and social problems.

Kovadloff, who is head of the A Committee’s Spanish in Mass Media Program, attended the conference as a journalist. The only Jew officially invited to the conference, which was held in Puebla, Mexico, was Paul Warszhawski, chairman of the interreligious relations department of the Latin-American Jewish Congress, who was one of five non-Catholic observers. Also attending as a journalist was Rabbi Leon Klenicki, associate editor of “Face to Face,” an interreligious quarterly published by the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith.

Msg### Jorge Megia, head of the Vatican’s Office of Relations with Jews, presented a “wonderful” working paper on relations with Jews, according to Kovadloff. But he said the final document issued by the Conference Feb. 13 only took note that “Judaism is present in the Continent” and reminded Catholics of the favorable declarations on Jews which emerged from Vatican II and after. The Bishops recommended “mutual understanding and appreciation between the believers of the two religions.”

The Bishops were addressed by Pope John Paul II, the first time a Pope had visited Latin America. He warned the Latin American clergy against involvement in politics while at the same time he said the church must help the poor. The Pope received a delegation from the Mexican Jewish community while in Mexico City.