Page 13 - October 7 - Teresa Pirola

I am realistic about my writings: they have amounted to a small voice speaking into a tornado, with about as much impact. But they have come from the place of conscience, and I believe they contain words that have needed to be said, and still need to be said.
The articles are presented chronologically. Most ended up in the public domain: either published by a handful of Australian Catholic publications or simply posted on my blog site and shared on social media. Yet not all the articles have seen the light of day before now. Sometimes this was due to my procrastination as I wrestled with intra-church dynamics. There were times when the war wore me down. When I lost heart. Or when life’s busyness overtook deadlines. Thus, the book reflects my struggles as well as concerted efforts to live the teaching of Nostra Aetate, the document of the Second Vatican Council on the church’s relations with non-Christian religions. We all like to think that we would have been a voice of justice for our Jewish friends and neighbours if we had lived in the time of Nazi Germany. Fortunately, we don’t live in Nazi Germany. Yet, even in tolerant Australia and in a church that gave us Nostra Aetate, I have discovered that public expressions of solidarity with Jews or compassion for Israelis, post–October 7, have not been the acceptable ‘way’ in many Catholic circles.
This in itself has been a deep learning. I better understand now how antisemitism works, even among good people and faithful believers. It seems that societies will always find a reason to blame the Jews (or to stay silent when Jews are targeted)—whether it be for religious, ethnic, economic, social or political reasons. Once upon a time, Jews were readily falsely blamed for killing Christ and poisoning wells, for causing economic ruin and seeking global domination.
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