Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Ind., made a stunning condemnation of antisemitism on Wednesday. In an oblique but  thoroughgoing rebuke to the Jew-hatred promoted by E. Michael Jones,  who lives in the diocese Bishop Rhoades serves, the bishop declared that  Catholics “recognize that the anti-Judaism and antisemitism of past  centuries contributed to the rise of the Nazi project to exterminate  Jews.”

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He  then warned the Catholic faithful in his diocese (and the rest of the  world) that “all must take care, lest in catechizing or in preaching the  Word of God, they teach anything which is not in accord with the truth  of the Gospel or the spirit of Christ.”

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“Unfortunately,”  Rhoades declared, “there has been a rise in recent years of anti-Jewish  and antisemitic rhetoric in our society” and “there have been incidents  of violence by hateful speech about Jews. The Church has firmly  condemned such rhetoric and violence.”

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He  added, “We must never forget that Judaism was the religion of Jesus,  Mary, and Joseph, the apostles, and of the early disciples who spread  the good news of Christ to the world,” and that the Jewish people “are  Jesus’ own family.”

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Rhoades reiterated that Nostra Aetate (“In Our Age”), a document issued by the Second Vatican Council, “rejected the charge that Jews were ‘Christ killers.’”

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This  and other teachings, he said, “are not optional for Catholics, but  require our consent as true expressions of our faith. Negative language  towards Jews as a people, a culture, or religion is not acceptable.”

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In  an implied reference to commentators such as the virulent antisemitic  writer E. Michael Jones, who resides in the bishop’s diocese, the Feb.  19 statement declared: “Some writers today do not present Jews or  Judaism in a respectful or theologically correct manner” and “the  Catholic church offers no shelter to anti-Jewish bias, regardless of its  content or expression. This applies to racist statements against Jews,  to antisemitism, or to any religious opinion that denigrates Jews or  Judaism.”

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The  statement offers a badly needed counterpoint to Jones, who has  described Jews as “the group that is responsible for virtually every  social ill in our day — from wars in the Middle East to pornography and  gay marriage at home” and the people “around whose evil machinations the  axis of history turns.”

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After  11 Jews were murdered at a synagogue in Pittsburgh in 2018, Jones  argued that Jews had invited the violence perpetrated against them. “You  have undermined the moral order and now don’t be surprised if people  start acting out their aggression towards you,” Jones warned. “And don’t  blame me.”

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Rhoades  warned the Catholic faithful that “in this age of social media, people  read or listen to all kinds of opinions expressed about Judaism and the  Jewish people on Internet blogs, websites, and the like. Some are filled  with false and hateful rhetoric, opposed to the very spirit of  Christianity. As Catholics, we must reject any that express or can lead  to contempt for Jews.”

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“The Jews are not our enemies,” wrote Bishop Rhoades.

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Bishop Rhoades’ statement comes after CAMERA corresponded with him about the antisemitic writings of E. Michael Jones.