Posted September 30, 2016

On the eve of the Jewish high holidays, Archbishop Charles Chaput wrote a letter of prayerful support Sept. 30 to the Jewish community in the Philadelphia area. Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, begins Monday, Oct. 3. Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, begins Wednesday, Oct. 12.

“I would like to extend my prayerful best wishes to the local Jewish community as you observe the solemn days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. In doing so, I offer as well the prayers and solidarity of the clergy and parishioners of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia,” Archbishop Chaput wrote.

“In our troubled times, it is especially beneficial to recall the blessings of Providence, to examine one’s response to divine love, and to seek heavenly guidance for the future. Fostering the welfare of our neighbor is always a particularly important response to divine love. Sadly we find no shortage in our day of people who require special attention, like the victims of war and natural disasters. We must all pray that those in need will find us to be authentic bearers of our Heavenly Father’s love.”

The archbishop concluded his letter saying, “May these solemn days be for the local Jewish community a time of consolation and renewed commitment.”