The focus of the CJD Newsletter is to support and reinforce the purpose and mission of CJD; which is to promote the understanding of our entwined and shared history and to come to the realization that we have more similarities than differences. The understanding comes when we listen to and hear each other. This also builds trust and respect that develops into a deep and abiding friendship that strengthens both of our faiths. 

Therefore, the theme of March and April’s Newsletter is “how would a lay Catholic explain Easter to a Jewish friend and how would that Jewish friend explain Passover to the Catholic friend.” The Catholic explanation of Easter will be in March’s newsletter and the Jewish explanation of Passover will be in April’s newsletter.

Deacon Dick Surrusco from St. Agnes Catholic Church offered this explanation of Easter.

Simply put, Easter is the annual commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, overcoming death and rising to new life.  Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God- God become man.  And the story of Easter, the story of his resurrection, can be understood first as a story of hope, hope that is available to all of us through Jesus' ultimate act of saving love on the cross. Easter is also about grace,  about a God who gives us more than we deserve so that we might offer that grace to others. Finally,  Easter is about atonement, bringing back together what has been broken apart- restoring our connection to God and to one another, an at-one-ment  with God and with each other.

For Catholics,  Easter represents the fulfillment of the Jewish Scriptures and the revealing of God's saving plan for all mankind. In the days before Easter Sunday, our Scriptures follow Jesus, an observant Jew, as he journeys to Jerusalem to share the Passover meal with his friends. Beginning with Thursday, a day we call 'holy', we remember that at their 'last supper' together, Jesus gave his disciples his very self- body and blood, soul and divinity-  under the appearances of the Passover bread and wine that he took, blessed, and shared with them.  "As often as you do this", Jesus said, "do this in remembrance of me." This is our Sacrament of sacraments, the Eucharist, the heart of the Catholic Mass.  

After their meal he was captured by the authorities, and the next day, on Friday, he was crucified. His body was laid in a borrowed tomb through Saturday,  and on the morning of the third day, Sunday,  he appeared again to his disciples.  This is the joy of the Easter proclamation-"Christ is risen, he is risen indeed."  This is the mystery of our faith- that Christ has died, Christ is risen, and that Christ will come again. This is who we are, an Easter people- striving each day to live, witness and share the love and  good news of Jesus Christ.

Our final program is scheduled for

Sunday, March 17, at 2:30 pm at 

Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center

The topic is:

INTERFAITH MARRIAGE

A LIFE IN DIALOGUE

According to the Pew Research Center, currently one-in-five U.S. adults were raised in interfaith homes. 

The same Pew research reports that 42% of all currently married secular, meaning non-Orthodox, Jewish respondents indicate they have a non-Jewish spouse. Among those who have gotten married since 2010, 61% are intermarried.

The Diocese of Trenton, NJ, reports that in the Catholic Church today, interfaith marriages account for nearly one fourth of all Catholic marriages. And in areas of the U.S. with proportionately fewer Catholics, as many as 40% of married Catholics may be in ecumenical or interfaith marriages.

Please join us for an interesting and informative afternoon exploring the challenges and rewards of interfaith marriage. We are honored to have the Very Reverend Robert Kantor, Pastor of St. Agnes Church and Rabbi Frank Muller of Naples, as our moderators. They will offer further insights and perspectives to this topic.

A brief question and answer session will follow their presentation. Refreshments will be served.

Please Register for this free program below.

Presented by the Catholic Jewish Dialogue of Collier County.

In our December 2023 Newsletter we began our segment on individuals and programs in our community who are helping to heal and repair our broken world and make a difference in our lives. We are fortunate to know and connect with these individuals and programs on a personal and professional level. This is how the repair work begins, by building a foundation of a relationship based on respect, trust and friendship.

Our HEALER AND HELPER of the Month is Maggie Brady, Fr. Bob’s longtime Office Manager at St. Agnes Catholic Church. Maggie has been highly efficient at getting our program announcements professionally formatted. Once they are approved by our co-chairs, the announcements are distributed to all of the parishes in Naples for inclusion in their weekly bulletins. Without Maggie’s contributions our attendance would be considerably reduced. Thank you Maggie from the bottom of our hearts.

In January, we asked about your view of the meaning of resolutions. We were interested in knowing how you can make your resolutions; which many of you defined as your actions or your goals, attainable and integrate them into your life. We heard from a number of you who expressed what helps you remain focused in the direction of your changes, your hopes, your decisions and your aims.

“Well I’m not one who makes resolutions anymore. But the last few years that I made any they were basically the same “ to be a better person “. Making that a life time resolution has been a challenge. What I have learned on this journey (and it is a journey)are the following: Waking up with gratitude. Grateful makes me feel better and I need that feeling to become better. 

Start with baby steps. Do something good for someone else everyday. It may be small and insignificant but hopefully good for someone else. Some I have tried have become a habit!

Reflect daily (and this was hard) on what you did or didn’t do. If it’s good, do more or better next time, continue it, or add to it. If you didn’t make a conscious attempt to do something, you need to ask why and go back to the beginning. Like I said it’s a journey you need to travel one day at a time. Remembering to “reflect” everyday is hard.”

-Cely W

We invite you to share this newsletter with family, friends and any group or organization that will facilitate active listening and thoughtful

dialogue about this topic. 



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We invite you to share this newsletter with family, friends and any group or organization that will facilitate active listening and thoughtful dialogue about this topic. 

Your constructive feedback is always welcomed.