Lay Catholic-Jewish conference intended to intensify community relations

Washington D.C., Apr 16, 2007 / 07:32 am

Lay Catholics and Jews will meet at the Vatican for a five-day conference aimed at intensifying relations between the two faith groups and developing increased local activities on humanitarian issues. The conference will run from Oct. 21 to 25. Representatives from 20 or more U.S. cities are expected to participate.

The meeting is being organized by the Interreligious Information Center in cooperation with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the National Council of Synagogues and the Religious Action Center of the Union for Reform Judaism.

Cardinal William Keeler of Baltimore is working with Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews to facilitate the meeting.

Cardinal Keeler is the episcopal moderator of Catholic-Jewish Relations for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

It is hoped that this meeting will be expanded in 2008 to include Muslim representatives and held in the United States.

Those interested in participating should click on: www.iicreligion.com