60th anniversary of Israeli Hebrew-speaking Catholic Community.
This year, the Saint James Vicariate for Hebrew Speaking Catholics in Israel is celebrating the sixtieth anniversary of its community. On December 14, 1954, the Latin Patriarchal Vicar for Israel, Mgr. Vergani, together with Father Joseph Stiassny (Father of Sion), Father Jean-Roger Héné (Assumptionist), Mr. Martin Weinhoben and Ms. Yosha Bergman, announced the creation of the Work.
In 1955, Latin Patriarch Gori promulgated the Statutes of the Work of Saint James. This foundational document defined the goals of the work:
– to develop Catholic communities;
– to ensure among the faithful a solid Christian spirit sensitive to “the mystery of Israel” (Romans 11:25), steeped in both a Biblical formation and a spirituality sensitive to Jewish-Christian culture;
– to work for the full integration of Jews who have become Catholics in the Church and in Israeli society;
– to continue to sensitize the Church to her Jewish roots;
– to combat all forms of anti-Semitism.
To date, many Christians (among them brothers and sisters of Sion) from Jerusalem and neighborhood have been attending Masses at Hebrew Speaking community namely “Kehila” (Hebrew name for “community”).
