Then, quoting another passage from the council declaration "Nostra Aetate" (this year it is its 40th anniversary), Benedict XVI said that the Catholic Church "loathes, as opposed to the will of Christ, any discrimination between men" and is "aware" of its duty to hand this doctrine down to the future generations. "It is an extremely important duty continued the Pope since unfortunately signs of anti-Semitism are springing up over and over again today, and different forms of general hostility towards foreigners are appearing. How could one help seeing this as a reason for concern and alertness? The Catholic Church is committed I repeat it again to tolerance, respect, friendship and peace among all peoples, cultures and religions". While much has been done in the forty years of "Nostra Aetate" for "improving and intensifying the relations between Jews and Christians", "much still has to be done. We have to get to know each other more and much better. That’s why I promote a sincere and confident dialogue between Jews and Christians: that’s the only way to reach a shared interpretation of historical issues that are still open and above all to take a step forward in the theological interpretation of the relation between Hebraism and Christianity".
