Pope Francis Receives AJC Leadership Delegation at Vatican

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Feb 13, 2014, 12:30 ET

VATICAN CITY, Italy, Feb. 13, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AJC President Stanley Bergman led a leadership delegation in a private audience with Pope Francis at the Vatican today. A pioneer in advancing Catholic-Jewish relations over many decades, AJC enjoys close, cooperative relations with the Vatican, as well as with American Catholic leadership.

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"I am very grateful to you for the distinguished contribution you have made to dialogue and fraternity between Jews and Catholics," Pope Francis said to the AJC leaders.

Looking ahead to the 50th anniversary of Nostra Aetate next year, Pope Francis said, "it is important that we dedicate ourselves to new generations the heritage of our mutual knowledge, esteem and friendship which has, thanks to the commitment of associations like yours, grown over these years."

"We come here feeling deeply that you are our true friend and we feel that we are yours," said Bergman, addressing the Pope during today's audience. "We are profoundly grateful for your commitment to the Catholic-Jewish relationship."

Bergman noted that the Pontiff's upcoming visit to Israel is "eagerly anticipated and we pray that it will be an inspiration to all in the region to reject the path of violence and pursue the path of peace."

AJC has been outspoken on behalf of persecuted Christians around the world, especially regarding the future of Christian communities in the Middle East. "We take comfort in the fact that perhaps the safest place for Christians in the region today is in the Jewish state," said Bergman.

The AJC President recalled the Holy See's "categorical repudiation" of anti-Semitism, and praised Pope Francis for his life-long engagement with Argentina's Jewish community.

AJC presented to Pope Francis a copy of the Jewish Museum in New York's recent exhibit book, Chagall: Love, War and Exile, which includes one of the Pope's favorite works of art, Marc Chagall's 1938 painting, White Crucifixion. The book was enclosed in a personalized box. David Inlander, Chair of AJC's Interreligious Affairs Commission, presented the gift.

The delegation of 50 AJC leaders included Executive Director David Harris, Rabbi David Rosen, International Director of Interreligious Affairs; Lisa Palmieri-Billig, Representative in Rome and Liaison to the Holy See; and Rabbi Noam Marans, Director of Interreligious and Intergroup Relations.

SOURCE American Jewish Committee