Pope praises the bond uniting the Catholic Church with the people of Israel

Pope Leo XIV reaffirmed the Catholic Church's spiritual bond with the people of Israel during an interfaith gathering in Buenos Aires, a statement that drew particular attention from Jewish leaders amid growing antisemitism in Europe and elsewhere.“Following the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, I wish to reaffirm the spiritual bond that unites the Church with the people of Israel,” and “our sincere respect for what is holy and true in the different religious traditions,” the Pope said Nov. 9 during a meeting with representatives of various religious communities at San Martín Palace, Argentina's Foreign Ministry headquarters. The Second Vatican Council, from 1962 to 1965, shaped the church's strategies for dealing with the modern era.“The statement was a pleasant surprise to us, especially at a time when antisemitism is resurfacing, as it is in Europe,” Isaac Sacca, chief rabbi of the Sephardic Community of Buenos Aires, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “That is very meaningful to our people,” he said.“The meeting was moving on several levels,” added Sacca, who is also the president of Menora, a Jewish youth organization. “All the different religious communities that coexist in harmony and peace in Argentina came together and showed themselves as they truly are before the pope.”Addressing around 100 religious leaders, Leo highlighted Argentina's history of religious and cultural diversity, describing the country…