Is My Phylactery Showing?

CWN is carrying this story on Blessed Pavol Gojdic, a Byzantine bishop who served in Slovakia during the period of the Holocaust. I was at Yad Vashem just last Friday. The story notes that some Jewish people believe Catholics in Solvaka assisted in their persecution. I can't speak to that, but I did note that the museum had two separate stations on the Catholic Church, both of which seemed to provide a less than positive commentary on the Church's relationship with Judaism, before and during the Holocaust.

The first reference mentioned the "ambivalent" attitude of the Church toward Jews, whom some believed were responsible for murdering their savior. This station had a quote from St.

I'm back as of yesterday, still not fully recovered from the change in time zones, and probably a little worse for the wear because of whatever bugs my neighbors on the airliner were coughing into the recirculated air.

That notwithstanding, the trip was not only successful, but enjoyable and educational. I had two separate tours through the Old City, both of which gave interesting perspectives on the history there. I had a chance to wave at the birthplace of St.

Bruce Springsteen had a point in his 1987 microanalysis of human progress[1], and it was a point evident in the stories of the Genesis patriarchs: for every step forward we make on our own power, we invariably take two steps back. The story of Joseph, son of Jacob, exemplifies the limits of human effort in effecting redemption. While Joseph acts out the role of redeemer and savior for his family, the Egyptians, and the surrounding nations, the salvation he offers is mitigated.