Pope Hedges on Holocaust Apology, but Addresses Issue of Anti-Semitism
Greenbelt Interfaith News

It appears that the Catholic Church will not be apologizing any time soon for its role in the Holocaust, Jewish Telegraphic Agency reports. When asked by reporters on October 2 whether the church would issue such an apology, Pope John Paul II said that the Vatican's "position on the Holocaust is a clear thing,'' adding, "But we must not forget that there have been other holocausts in the world. Let's not forget these others.''

The pope's remarks came three days after the Catholic Church in France issued a public apology to the Jewish community for its "conformism, caution and abstention" during the Nazi era. The French bishops went so far as to acknowledge the historical role of Christian anti-Semitism in the tragedy. According to Catholic World News, the Vatican announced on October 23 that a symposium on anti-Semitism among Christians would take place in Rome from October 30 to November 1.

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