Vatican II Documentary Film Features ADL Interfaith Affairs Director
New York, NY, September 16, 1998…A new documentary about the Second Vatican
Council held in Rome from 1962 to 1965 features Rabbi Leon Klenicki Director of Interfaith
Affairs and Co-Liaison to the Vatican for the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).
"Reflections on Vatican II is a unique contribution to a popular knowledge
about the impact of Vatican II on religion in general and particularly the interreligious
relationship," said Rabbi Klenicki, who also acted as a consultant for the film.
"I hope that its viewing fosters religious knowledge as well as ecumenical and
interfaith dialogue. This is my hope for the 21st century."
Facing the challenges of a new time, bishops convened for Vatican II to cover all the
aspects of religious life from ritual to prayer, from theology to family life and focused
on the meaning and future of the interfaith dialogue. Vatican II was the first ecumenical
council to be held in 93 years and the only one in Church history to bring together all
the world’s Roman Catholic bishops.
Rabbi Klenicki is a recognized expert on interreligious dialogue. He has participated
in numerous national and international conferences, and his writings have been published
worldwide. His latest publications include Pope John Paul II on Jews and Judaism,
1979-1995, a collection of papal speeches and documents published by ADL and Crossroad
Publishing Company, and a volume commemorating the 30th anniversary of the
Vatican II document, Nostra Aetate (No. 4) on Judaism, In Our Time: The Flowering of
Jewish-Catholic Dialogue.
The Public Broadcasting System began airing Reflections on Vatican II, the
two-hour Vatican II Productions documentary distributed through Lyricks Studios, in August
and will continue throughout the months of September and October. Check your local
listings for times.
