George Voinovich: “I rise to strongly encourage my colleagues in the Senate to support this resolution recognizing the 40th anniversary of…”

“I rise to strongly encourage my colleagues in the Senate to support this resolution recognizing the 40th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council's Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions, Nostra Aetate, and the continuing need for mutual interreligious respect and dialogue. October 28, 2005 marked the 40th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, which means ``in our time.'' On October 28, 1965, Nostra Aetate affirmed the respect of the Roman Catholic Church for Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, and Judaism, and called upon all Catholics to engage in dialogue and cooperation with the followers of other religions. Nostra Aetate states that the Roman Catholic Church, moved by the Gospel's spiritual love, decries hatred, persecution, and displays of anti-Semitism directed at Jews at any time and by anyone. As stated in the resolution, Nostra Aetate marked a new relationship between Catholics and Jews worldwide and opened a chapter in Jewish-Christian relations that is unprecedented in its closeness and warmth. With Nostra Aetate, Pope John Paul VI called on all Catholics not only to decry the persecution of people of non-Christian religions, but also to love and respect them. As it is stated in a passage from Nostra Aetate: ``In our time, when day by day mankind is being drawn closer together, and the ties between different peoples are becoming stronger, the Church examines more closely its relationship to non-Christian religions.…”