photo: Catholic Church England and Wales – Creative Commons

The Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas joins our friends in the Catholic community—and all people of faith and conscience—in mourning the passing of Pope Francis, a good and faithful friend of the Jewish people. 

As a Catholic priest and friend wrote to us: “There is witness in his continuing to serve with such great love and devotion even when ill.” The timing of his passing—just after the Easter celebration, which this year concluded alongside the final day of Passover—feels deeply resonant, a moment of spiritual confluence marked by devotion, humility, and service. 

In the spirit of Nostra Aetate, we remember with love Pope Francis’s tireless work to deepen the friendship between Catholics and Jews, and his affirmation that we are brothers and sisters in faith.  

We are especially moved to recall the book On Heaven and Earth, co-authored by Pope Francis and his dear friend Rabbi Abraham Skorka of Buenos Aires. Their decades of friendship and theological dialogue—on belief, life, love, history, and the human condition—offered a model of deep understanding between our two communities. 

As we grieve, we also look to the future. In November 2025, Rabbi Skorka will visit Minnesota, joining our Jewish and Catholic communities to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate in partnership. We look forward to inviting the public to join us as we reflect together on Pope Francis’s enduring legacy and the ongoing promise of interfaith friendship. More details will be shared in the months ahead. 

Our hearts are with the Catholic community in this time of sadness and remembrance. 

May the memory of Pope Francis be for a blessing.