We remember the late Msgr. John Oesterreicher, who was born 100 years ago, on 2. February 1904 in the town Libau in Moravia (now Czech Republic). Born as a Jew he converted to Catholicism, was ordained priest in 1927 and became chaplain in various parishes in the Archdiocese of Vienna. 1938 after the annexion of Austria by the Third Reich he emigrated to Paris and further came to the States in 1940. Soon he became scholar in Jewish Christian Studies in New York and in 1953 he founded the Institute of Judaeo-Christian Studies at Seton Hall University. He was one of the motivators of the declaration “Nostra Aetate” on II. Vatican Council, which officially gave Christian Jewish Relations a complete new direction. All his life he was an ardent Zionist.

For Rev. John Pawlikowski, President of the International Council of Christians and Jews Msgr. John Oesterreicher „was a central figure in the development of the contemporary Christian-Jewish dialogue. His influence in seeing NOSTRA AETATE to successful passage at Vatican Council II was indispensable. We continue to remain in its debt.“
The following article honouring Msgr. Oesterreicher’s merits is reprinted with friendly permission of The Catholic Advocate (November 19, 2003), Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey, U.S.A. (edit.)



At the beginning of November the Institute of Judaeo-Christian Studies celebrated its 50th anniversary.
The Institute began with the arrival of the late Msgr. John Oesterreicher at Seton Hall in 1953. Msgr. Oesterreciher had been born an Austrian Jew. He had become a Catholic and then a priest. He was a thorn in the side of the Nazi regime and had to flee Austria, and then France, until he arrived in the United States, where he was befriended by the great bishop John J. Dougherty and welcomed at Seton Hall by the president at that time, Msgr. John L. McNulty.
I remember Father Oesterreicher very well in those days. I can say for certain that he was not the most popular priest on campus. And it was for two reasons.
The first was personal. Father Oesterreicher was not a benign personality. He had a brilliant mind. He had strong opinions. And if a person were to carelessly make a general statement he would be quick to point out a particular weakness in the statement. His European training demanded precision of thought. I personally learned to be careful with him. In a debate he took no prisoners. He was a man to be respected but not one that American priests would love.
Secondly, while there was not an overt anti-Semitism among priests, there was not much enthusiasm for intellectual intercourse with Jews. Catholics were Catholics. Jews were Jews. Period. That was it, even though individually almost every Catholic priest had Jewish friends.
I remember very well the jokes that were made when Father Oesterreicher produced his book Walls Are Crumbling, subtitled, “Seven Jewish Philosophers Discover Christ.” Some of the guys would pronounce the name of the book with a pseudo-German accent—“Vawls Are Krumbling.” They weren’t mean. They were just uninterested, and some were annoyed at the thought of Jewish-Christian relationships.
All of this was before Vatican II. Msgr. Oesterreicher was instrumental in influencing the Council in producing the document on the Jews that clearly stated the Catholic position in relation to the Jewish people. In that document the Church “decries hatred, persecutions, displays of anti-Semitism staged against the Jews at whatever time in history and by whomsoever.”
Since that time dialogue with the Jews has been an ongoing venture. Seton Hall’s Institute has inspired at least 30 other Institutes. The Masters Program in Judaeo-Christian Studies has been imitated around the world.
But I have to admit, it has not been easy. Many Jews are very similar to the good Monsignor. In dialogue the gloves are off. The Jews have stored up grievances for over 1500 years. And they are more than ready to air them.
For example, in our own archdiocesan interfaith dialogue with the Jews, a few of the topics that have been covered are: the Inquisition, the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492, Passion Plays, the holocaust, anti-Semitism in the Christian Scripture and the liturgy, Kurt Waldheim, Pius IX, Pius XII, Edith Stein and the conversion of Jews.
Right now, interfaith marriage is a hotly contested topic among the Jewish people.
John Oesterreicher never left his Jewish roots. He was a “sabra”— tough on the outside, soft of the inside.
I have found many of my Jewish friends to be just like John. We can argue fiercely at times. But nevertheless, just as I loved John Oesterreicher, I can go to the mat with my Jewish friends and love them as I did the good Monsignor. We have learned in many areas “to agree to disagree.” That’s what dialogue is all about.