"A confident, friendly meeting. We have known each other for years, and trust has certainly grown over the years. Now we want to move on. There’s been no controversy or objection". This is the final balance, as told to SIR by card. Walter Kasper, president of the Papal Commission for Religious Relations with Hebraism, as to the meeting of the International Committee for Jewish-Catholic connection, that will end tomorrow with the publication of a final release. Two were the focuses of the meeting: one was the "Role of religion in a secular society"; the second was the state of relations between Catholics and Jews as to their joint commitment against rising extremisms. "We believe says the cardinal that Jews and Christians share a lot of values. So it is in their interest to speak together to this secular society and carry on with our values, the values of the family, justice in the world, the fight against poverty. After all, the Ten Commandments belong to our common heritage. There are also common challenges, and we can join forces on such problems". Another "very important" point tackled in Budapest is commitment to education "to hand down to the young generations all we have developed over these 40 years’ dialogue". (continued)” “
