The Jewish community and Archbishop Burke
Over the weekend, I have been reflecting on the news of Archbishop Burke’s transfer to Rome. As an active participant in interfaith activities in St. Louis, I have encountered Archbishop Burke in a number of community settings. The first time was at a small dinner of welcome arranged by the Jewish Federation of St. Louis and the Jewish Community Relations Council. He carried himself as a warm and somewhat shy person, but comfortable in the midst of the Jewish community. He reflected on his interactions with the Jewish community of La Cross, Wisconsin his former diocese, and looked forward to working with the St. Louis Jewish community on matters of mutual concern.
For the media in St. Louis, Archbishop Burke was a blessing. His denial of communion to supporters of “choice” in the national debate on abortion, made the national news. It was an election year. As a rabbi, I was more focused on his interaction with the local interfaith community. During that first year, he eagerly joined a panel of the Interfaith Partnership discussing the proper role of religion in the public square. This would be a respectful audience for the Archbishop to make his case. In that discussion he forthrightly stated the official Catholic Church positions and then attempted to make a case for those positions being the only logical ones that one could hold, if one understood the concept of the Natural Law. He implied that even Judaism accepted the concept of Natural Law. It was a very revealing insight into how Archbishop Burke would deal with ethical and moral dilemmas. There would be very little room for shades of gray. It also demonstrated a willingness to overlook the reality of Jewish life. There is more than one thoughtful Jewish approach to most ethical and moral problems. Many of these approaches conflict with one another and there is no supreme pontiff to declare which is the official teaching of Judaism. Natural Law arguments were not going to impress many in the interfaith community.
Last December Archbishop Burke suddenly, and without prior warning, removed Father Vincent Heier from his post as the Chief Ecumenical and Interfaith Officer of the St. Louis Archdiocese. Father Heier requested some time off to deal with some personal issues. Burke used the request as an opportunity to replace Father Heier altogether. Heier had become a nationally recognized player in the interfaith arena. He and our own beloved Rabbi Robert P. Jacobs, (may his memory be for a blessing) co-hosted a national interfaith meeting here in St. Louis, during the time of Archbishop John May (may his memory be for a blessing). The Jewish community was stunned at the shabby treatment of our dear friend. The interfaith community could not make any sense of this action, in light of the fact that Father Heier had served with distinction under two previous Archbishops.
In recent weeks, Archbishop Burke’s personal support for the newly created religious community to be headquartered here in St. Louis, known as the Daughters of Mary, Mother of Israel’s Hope, gave me reason to wonder at the Archbishop’s current intentions with regard to the Jewish community. The new religious community was founded by Rosalind Moss, a host on the Eternal Word Television Network. Moss was born and raised in a Jewish home and for a time was an Evangelical Protestant, before her conversion to Catholicism. Her husband brother, David Moss is also a convert to Catholicism from a Jewish home. The new community appears to be a proseltyzing effort directed especially towards Jews. I view this, at best, as a misguided effort at saving the Jews from damnation and at worst, as yet another attempt to water down or disregard altogether the last forty years of dialogue and cooperation between The Catholic Church and the Jews, under the Vatican II document known as Nostra Aetate. Simply put, Jews understand the Church’s need to gain converts, but find programs which target Jews as Jews, to be offensive and contrary to recent Church statements. Now, this will be an item on the agenda for the next Archbishop.
Mark Shook, 62, of Creve Coeur, is the Senior Rabbi of Congregation Temple Israel of Creve Coeur. In addition, he teaches Jewish Philosophy/Theology at St. Louis University and offers a once monthly commentary on radio station KWMU. Mark is married and has two children and three grandsons. He plays golf only on days ending in "Y." 
The Jewish community was split over the use of CRC for the ordination of the female priests. Many, myself inlcluded, felt it was inappropriate for a rabbi to insert herself or her congregation into the issue. This is an issue for catholics and the catholic church to deal with internally and I was upset that this rabbi put me and others into such an awkward position.
RNC, is the Catholic religeon the only one not allowed to allow both Orthodox and reformed practices?
RNC, is the Catholic religion the only one not allowed both Orthodox and reformed practices?
How does trying to reconnect with members of one’s own church correlate with meeting “sales figures”: my observation of the position of CNN and Rabbi Shook that you apparently agree with?
The Catholic Church has been lectured on the “correct” interpretation of its own scriptures by other faiths, so it is comes as no surprise that there should be critiques over personnel decisions or, here, variances in ritual.
Is it OK we still use Sunday?
GFame7, if the Church is in fact trying to reconnect with people who have been gone since V-II through Tridentine Mass (and, as I said, it’s pretty clear that that’s what they’re doing), we’re talking about folks who have been lapsed Catholics for 40+ years. I’m not sure there’s really a difference between those people and those who never were Catholic. If I smoked marijuana 40 years ago, is it less wrong for a drug dealer to try to sell me marijuana than for him to try to sell it to someone who has never smoked marijuana? It’s the same question.
All churches need numbers because all churches need money for the good work they do. It’s arguably not an ideal situation but it’s a fact of life. Denying that basic fact is, in my opinion, intellectually dishonest.
Perhaps I can throw some light on this discussion by addressing a few of the points Rabbi Shook made.
1. My name is David Moss and I am the BROTHER of Rosalind.
2. The new religious community which is being formed by my sister is the fruit of many years of her prayers, discussions, and study. Believing that she was led by God to start this community, and after consultations with her spiritual director in California and a multitude of others, Rosalind approached Archbishop Burke as the ordinary of this archdiocese regarding her desire to relocate here.
3. Regarding the purpose of the new community, let me quote a few words from the new community’s “Spiritual Directory” at its current stage of development.
” ‘Daughters of Mary, Mother of Israel’s Hope’ is to be a contemplative-active evangelistic and teaching community of religious sisters, under perpetual vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, given to a life of prayer and outreach to individuals and families of every race and creed. …
“Our greatest desire is to be signs of God’s mercy, love, presence, and truth in the world where people live, work, and play, regardless of age, race, religion or status.”
4. So you might ask, Why include in the name of the community the expression “Israel’s Hope”? Rosalind is the best one to answer that question. I know she has been thinking about the name of the group for a number of years. But let me suggest what I think might be one reason.
Israel’s hope has often focused on the Messiah and His coming. That was the case 2,000 years ago; it is the case among many Jewish people today. Jews in the Church believe that Israel’s hope has in fact been realized in Jesus, the Jewish Messiah who came 2,000 years ago, who is present today, and who will come again. That is the faith and witness of the Catholic Church. Mary is the mother of Jesus. Therefore, she is also the mother of Israel’s Hope. And because Catholics have a very special love for the mother of the Messiah, it is fitting to honor her in the names of various Church organizations and communities.
5. The statement that the Church has a “need to gain converts” mischaracterizes the mission of the Church. Rather, as the statement from the Spiritual Directory above indicates, it is the Church’s mission to bring “God’s mercy, love, presence, and truth” to a world that is lost and hurting.
6. Finally, I endorse the teaching of ‘Nostrae Aetate.’ I also believe that dialogue is essential in the relationship between the Synagogue and the Church. Thus, I can affirm, along with Archbishop Burke and many others in the Church, that there is nothing in the formation and mission of this new community which violates the letter or spirit of ‘Nostra Aetate.’
I hope my comments are of some help.
David Moss
President, Association of Hebrew Catholics
I’m a secular Jew with strong ties to my tribe but I’m not relgious. As it happens I met Rabbi Shook for the first time almost 50 years ago when we were in the Boy Scouts and went on a trip to Israel together in 1961. Gentile readers should consider the following:
1. There is no such thing as “The Jews”. We are a tribe which is like an eight lane highway with many different ideas about our heritage and religion. We have no pope. Its often said that the only thing two Jews can agree upon is what the other shold give to the Jewish Federation (the community wide Jewish Charity).
2. There was a wide disagreement in our community about the “ordination” of the women priests. I think its fair to say that many people including myself thought the Catholic Church’s policy (although it didn’t seem logicial) was not a matter for our community. Furthermore it seemed to me personally that a generic member of the Christian community who did not like the authority of the Catholic church was a Prostestant. I’ll add that while I understand the feelings of the St. Stanislaw members it seems to me that its none of my business-they are a franchise and the franchisor wanted them to toe the line-when they didn’t they couldn’t use the trademark anymore.
3. The issue of prosetlyzing our community and our children goes beyond minding our own business-and is a major concern for each of our eight lanes. While I undertand the Church’s interpretation of scripture which requires it to spread the gospel this activity is in essence the Church not minding its own business. The historic practice of the two major Abrahamic relgious (Muslim and Chritianity) leaves a very bad taste for many of us whether it wasthe Dominican Inquisition or the Muslim forced conversions over the centuries doesn’t sit well.
4. The Latin mass and the version which refers to “perfidious Jews” doesn’t give us a warm and cozy feeling.
For those who asked, Rabbi Shook is the leader of the largest reform synagoge in STL. (I’m not a member)and is well regarded by most of the community. He is not afraid to deal with difficult issues like this one. I remember many years ago as assistant Rabbi he came out against the “Right to Work” Amendment not by opposing it directly but by saying its name was false advertising. I assume that that sermon caused him to be banished from Temple Israelwhhich later realized that he was a good rabbi and they then brought him back.
In short people should be respectful of the others relgion and feelings but that doesn’t mean not expressing thoughts that the other’s actiiities are offensive. Christians have every right to try to convert me and my children but they should know why this is offensive.
***”Her husband, David Moss is also a convert to Catholicism from a Jewish home. The new community appears to be a proseltyzing effort directed especially towards Jews.”***
The two sentences above from Rabbi Shook are unfortunately blatant errors that bely a real lack of familiarity with the Mosses and with the religious order in question. First, David Moss and Rosalind Moss are *siblings*–certainly not married!
Second, the name Rosalind chose for her religious order was meant to *honor* her Jewish roots and the Jewish roots of Catholicism–the order is by no means going to “target” Jewish people for “proselytizing”! Members of her order are to wear the full “habits” associated with Catholic *nuns*–how on earth will this “target” Jewish people?
So, how can it possibly harm Jewish-Catholic relations when individuals who *freely* choose to become Catholic pay homage to the rich and ancient cultural heritage of Judaism, from which sprung the Christian faith?
JimR
Isn’t it remarkable how critics of the Church can come up with “statistics” to justify their position where no such figures actually exist? For example, RNC, have you actually attended a Latin mass? Have you conducted exit polling to determine that those in attendance are “lapsed” Catholics who haven’t been to mass in forty years? Or, are you privy to some secret polling conducted by the spies for the Roman Catholic Church? (Everyone knows that we have a top secret intelligence agency that spies on us to make sure we’re toeing the RCC line.)
The more likely answer is that a large number of Catholics are coming from other parishes either out of nostalgia for the old rite or out of curiosity.
Here’s another fact for you and the rabbi: the Church and Archbishop Burke do have an agenda, to save as many souls as possible.
The Archdiocese of St. Louis does not engage in the proselytism of Jews or any other group of people. It does not sponsor or support groups or organizations that do. The Archdiocese does not seek to impose the Gospel and the Catholic Faith on anyone. In the words of Pope John Paul II: “The Church proposes; she imposes nothing. She respects individuals and cultures, and she honors the sanctuary of conscience.” (Redemptoris misso, 39).
Rabbi Shook questions Archbishop Burke s intentions toward the Jewish community during his time as Archbishop in St. Louis. I can say that Archbishop Burke expressed to me repeatedly that he had no intention of sponsoring or supporting efforts by anyone to proselytize members of the Jewish community. The Archbishop also stated to me that the new order Daughters of Mary Mother of Israel Hope does not exist for the purpose of proselytizing Jews or anyone else.
Lawrence J. Welch, Ph.D.
Director, Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs
Archdiocese of St. Louis
Mike, I sort of like the Tridentine Mass but on the whole I’m ambivalent toward it. I think it’s a really beautiful service but its use is extremely divisive, which (in my opinion, anyway) isn’t what the Church needs right now. Celebrating the Tridentine Mass essentially sends the message that the celebrant repudiates Vatican II. The Church is confused enough already. I see no reason to add more confusion.
To your other question, my (purely anecdotal) sense of those attending Tridentine Mass is that you have two groups: the long-lapsed Catholics (those that the Church is seemingly targeting) and those who, like me, are more curious (this group tends to be, though is not exclusively, younger, say under 30 and also, perhaps not coincidentally, is includes a lot of Catholics who are unhappy with the Church and are prone to trying new denominations that may allay some of their concerns with organized religion in general or the Church in particular). The enormous increase in collections likely comes from the former group. The Church apparently resurrected Tridentine Mass in an effort to reach out to those who are disillusioned with the vernacular mass. The price of that is the contemporaneous resurrection of theological debates that should have been dead for 40 years.