The press office of the Osservatore Romano, the official organ of the Vatican, issued today an evaluation of Pope Paul’s first year in office which stressed that the Pope gave audiences to two major American Jewish organizations and emphasized his visit to Israel last January.
The events involving Jews were listed as among the Popes efforts and achievements in his first year to establish “durable links” of the Catholic Church with the modern world. One of the audiences was with a Study Mission of the United Jewish Appeal last fall and the other was with a delegation of members of the American Jewish Committee last May 30.
The evaluation described the latter meeting as “a further significant audience in the frame of the approach between Catholics and Jews.” It stressed that at the audience the Pope “dealt with the Catholic attitude toward Judaism, foremostly with regard to racial, political and religious questions.” The press office also described in detail the Pope’s visit to Israel, stating that he was greeted by the highest authorities of the state headed by President Shazar.”
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
