"Never Again"

This year on January 27, Europe marked the 75th anniversary of  the liberation of Auschwitz- Birkenau prison. At a ceremony, the Catholic bishops issued a statement condemning "anti-Semitism and the manipulation of truth for political aims."

 In 1945, at the end of World War II, the majority of  the world was horrified to learn of the Holocaust which killed six million Jews, cryiing out, "Never Again."

The political atmosphere is much different today with the rise in Holocaust denial and nationalism. The bishops called for "reconciliation and peace, for respect for each nation's right to exist and to  freedom, to independence, to maintain its own culture." They emphasized that truth must be upheld, and never twisted for political purposes.

Although Jews and Catholics  have a long history of distrust, in 1965, the Second Vatican Council offically condemned anti-Semitism in the remarkable document "Nostra Aetate." Since then relations between the two religions have become much more amiable. In a recent talk, Pope Francis strongly denounced the "barbaric resurgence of anti-Semitism" in the world today.

In the  U.S. we can see growing evidence of anti-Semitism, racism, and white supremacy groups.  Attacks on Jewish synagogues and Muslim mosques are becoming more common; the Southern Poverty Law Center reports a 30 percent increase in hate groups over the past four years.

 All religious denominations need to be united in condemning hate groups and promoting good will toward Jews and Muslims. Religious leaders need to enlighten people on the historical events of our past. Parents and teachers ought to be teaching the truth about the Holocaust and the horrors of the Nazi Terror so that future generations can say with conviction, "Never Again."