The Nation - News from July 25, 1985

U.S. Jewish and Catholic groups issued a newly optimistic statement about relations between the two religions, hoping to heal Jewish feelings that might have been hurt by a recent Vatican document. Jewish groups voiced concern after a Vatican statement in June highlighted differences on such issues as the Holocaust and the state of Israel. The new statement points to previous comments by Pope John Paul II that have been more to Jews’ liking than last month’s document, and calls for “deepening dialogue” rather than ill will concerning issues on which Jews and Catholics cannot entirely agree. The statement, approved by the groups after a recent meeting in New York, was signed by an official of the U.S. Catholic Conference, which is an agency of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, and representatives of the American Jewish Committee.