[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 260 Introduced in House (IH)]







109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 260

   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.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 6, 2005

   Mr. Holt submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
          referred to the Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT 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.

Whereas 2005 marks the 40th anniversary of the promulgation of the Nostra 
        Aetate;
Whereas on October 28, 1965, after the overwhelmingly affirmative vote of the 
        Second Vatican Council of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Paul VI issued 
        the Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian 
        Religions, Nostra Aetate;
Whereas the Nostra Aetate affirms the need for mutual respect among all 
        religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam, and strongly 
        supports ``dialogue and collaboration with the followers of other 
        religions'';
Whereas the Nostra Aetate clearly states that ``No foundation therefore remains 
        for any theory or practice that leads to discrimination between man and 
        man or people and people, so far as their human dignity and the rights 
        flowing from it are concerned.'';
Whereas Pope Benedict XVI has said that ``Nostra Aetate has proven to be a 
        milestone on the road towards reconciliation of Christians with the 
        Jewish people. It makes clear that `God holds the Jews most dear for the 
        sake of their Fathers; He does not repent of the gifts He makes or of 
        the calls He issues''';
Whereas the Nostra Aetate made possible a new relationship between Catholics and 
        Jews worldwide and opened a historic chapter in Jewish-Christian 
        relations that is unprecedented in its closeness and warmth; and
Whereas the Nostra Aetate states that the Church ``decries hatred, persecution, 
        displays of anti-Semitism, directed against Jews at any time and by 
        anyone'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) recognizes the 40th anniversary of the Second Vatican 
        Council's Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-
        Christian Religions, Nostra Aetate;
            (2) recognizes and appreciates the religious diversity of 
        the United States and the world;
            (3) encourages the United States to serve in a role of 
        leadership in combating anti-Semitism in all its ugly forms and 
        ending religious intolerance and religious discrimination 
        worldwide;
            (4) acknowledges and supports the new relationship of 
        collaboration and dialogue that has grown between Jews and 
        Roman Catholics worldwide; and
            (5) requests the President--
                    (A) to issue a proclamation recognizing the 40th 
                anniversary of the Nostra Aetate and urging the people 
                of the United States to observe the anniversary with 
                appropriate ceremonies and activities; and
                    (B) to exert the leadership of the United States to 
                work toward ensuring that anti-Semitism and all forms 
                of religious hatred and racial bigotry are not 
                tolerated worldwide.
                                 <all>