CIRDIC

The Centre d'initiative pour les relations et le dialogue entre juifs et chrétiens (CIRDIC) is a French Catholic association dedicated to international documentation and teaching aimed at fostering mutual knowledge and dialogue between Jews and Christians. It succeeded the Paris branch of the Service d'information et de documentation juifs-chrétiens (SIDIC) in 2016, with its statutes filed on 2 July 2016. The SIDIC itself had been created in the wake of the Second Vatican Council's declaration Nostra Ætate (1965), when a group of bishops and experts met in Rome on 12–13 November 1965 at the Maison des Sœurs néerlandaises de Béthanie, piazza Navona. That meeting decided to constitute the Service international de documentation judéo-chrétienne (SIDIC), and Father Cornelius Rijk was appointed to lead it; from 1966 he was the first secretary of the commission for relations between the Catholic Church and Judaism. The SIDIC began by creating a specialised library, organising meetings and seminars, and from 1967 publishing the bilingual French-English SIDIC review. It was first housed at the Maison des sœurs de Sion, via Garibaldi, and from 1970 in central Rome at the Palazzo Doria Pamphilj, via del Plebiscito. After Father Rijk's premature death in 1979, leadership passed to Mario Colombo of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions and later to various Sisters of Sion. The SIDIC collaborated with Jewish-Christian dialogue associations internationally and locally, notably contributing in 1980 to the creation and organisation in Italy of the Camaldoli Jewish-Christian Meetings. Among its international meetings were those on 'The link between people, land and religion in Jewish and Christian tradition' (1975), 'Man in the perspective of the Kingdom' (1978), 'The People of God of the Old Covenant never revoked by God' (1991), and the last on 'Good and Evil after Auschwitz' (1997). In 2002 the Rome SIDIC donated its book and document heritage and moved to the Pontifical Gregorian University, Piazza della Pilotta, where the new Cardinal Bea Centre for Judaic Studies is located. Publication of the review ceased in 2003, and on 20 April 2009 the Congregation of the Sisters of Notre-Dame de Sion announced the definitive closure of the Rome SIDIC effective 15 July 2009. The Paris SIDIC dissolved in 2015 in favour of a new association, the CIRDIC, whose statutes were filed on 2 July 2016. Its president is Father Patrick Desbois, and its director is Brother Louis-Marie Coudray osb, director of the National Service for Relations with Judaism (SNRJ) of the Conference of Bishops of France. The CIRDIC continues the SIDIC's mission through documentation, teaching and dialogue initiatives, and its website publishes historical and educational material on Jewish-Christian relations, including reflections on the Shoah, antisemitism and interreligious dialogue.

The CIRDIC (Centre d'initiative pour les relations et le dialogue entre juifs et chrétiens) is a French Catholic association that succeeded the Paris branch of the Service d'information et de documentation juifs-chrétiens (SIDIC) in 2016. Its statutes were filed on 2 July 2016. The SIDIC had been created in the aftermath of the Second Vatican Council's declaration Nostra Ætate (1965). On 12–13 November 1965, a group of bishops and experts met in Rome at the Maison des Sœurs néerlandaises de Béthanie, piazza Navona, to discuss the application of the declaration. Present were, among others, Léon-Arthur Elchinger (Bishop of Strasbourg), Thomas Holland (Bishop of Salford, England), Francis Peter Leipzig (Bishop of Baker, Oregon), the Dutch NNSS Ramselaar and Cornelius Rijk, Fathers Eckert of Cologne and Bruno Hussar of Jerusalem, Father René Laurentin, and three sisters from the General Council of the Congregation of the Sisters of Notre-Dame de Sion: Sister Edward Berkeley, Sister Magda Manipoud, and Sister Marie-Dominique Gros. It was at this meeting that the constitution of the Service international de documentation judéo-chrétienne (SIDIC) was decided. Father Cornelius Rijk was appointed to lead the centre, in concert with the Sisters of Sion; from 1966 he was the first secretary of the commission for relations between the Catholic Church and Judaism. The centre began by creating a specialised library, organising meetings and seminars, and from 1967 publishing the SIDIC review in a bilingual French and English edition. It was first housed at the Maison des sœurs de Sion, via Garibaldi, and from 1970 in central Rome, in an apartment of the Palazzo Doria Pamphilj, via del Plebiscito. After the premature death of Father Cornelius Rijk in 1979, leadership was assumed by Mario Colombo of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions, and later by various Sisters of Sion. The SIDIC collaborated with associations for Jewish-Christian dialogue in a series of meetings and research at international and local levels; its contribution was essential in 1980 in the creation and organisation in Italy of the Camaldoli Jewish-Christian Meetings. Among the international meetings organised by the SIDIC were those on 'The link between people, land and religion in Jewish and Christian tradition' (1975), 'Man in the perspective of the Kingdom' (1978), 'The People of God of the Old Covenant never revoked by God' (1991), and the last on 'Good and Evil after Auschwitz' (1997). Among the personalities who collaborated with the SIDIC were Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, Emanuele Testa, Michael Fitzgerald, Grand Rabbi Elio Toaff, Augusto Segre, Grand Rabbi Riccardo Di Segni, Antonio Ammassari, Alberto Piattelli, Pierre Lenhardt, André Chouraqui, Colette Kessler, Bruno Hussar, Pier Francesco Fumagalli, Carmine Di Sante, Enzo Bianchi, Roberto Della Rocca, and Rina Geftman. In 2002, the Rome SIDIC donated its heritage of books and documents and transferred its seat to the Pontifical Gregorian University, Piazza della Pilotta, where the new Cardinal Bea Centre for Judaic Studies (Centro Cardinal Bea per gli Studi Giudaici) is located. Cardinal Augustin Bea had been one of the actors in Jewish-Christian relations by creating this first study centre in the 1950s, before Vatican II. In 2003, publication of the review ceased, though its texts remain available on the website. On 20 April 2009, the Congregation of the Sisters of Notre-Dame de Sion announced the definitive closure of the Rome SIDIC, effective from 15 July 2009. The Paris SIDIC dissolved in 2015 in favour of a new association, the CIRDIC (Centre d'initiatives pour les relations et le dialogue entre juifs et chrétiens). Its statutes were filed on 2 July 2016. The president is Father Patrick Desbois, and the director is Brother Louis-Marie Coudray osb, director of the National Service for Relations with Judaism (SNRJ) of the Conference of Bishops of France. The CIRDIC continues the mission of documentation, teaching and dialogue, and its website publishes historical and educational material on Jewish-Christian relations, including reflections on the Shoah, antisemitism and interreligious dialogue.

• 2016

  Statutes of the CIRDIC filed on 2 July 2016.

• 2015

  The Paris SIDIC dissolves in favour of a new association, the CIRDIC.

• 2009

  On 20 April, the Congregation of the Sisters of Notre-Dame de Sion announces the definitive closure of the Rome SIDIC, effective 15 July 2009.

• 2003

  Publication of the SIDIC review ceases.

• 2002

  Rome SIDIC donates its book and document heritage and transfers its seat to the Pontifical Gregorian University.

• 1997

  Last international meeting, on 'Good and Evil after Auschwitz'.

• 1991

  International meeting on 'The People of God of the Old Covenant never revoked by God'.

• 1980

  SIDIC contributes essentially to the creation and organisation in Italy of the Camaldoli Jewish-Christian Meetings.

• 1979

  Death of Father Cornelius Rijk; leadership assumed by Mario Colombo and later by Sisters of Sion.

• 1978

  International meeting on 'Man in the perspective of the Kingdom'.

• 1975

  International meeting on 'The link between people, land and religion in Jewish and Christian tradition'.

• 1970

  SIDIC moves to central Rome, in an apartment of the Palazzo Doria Pamphilj, via del Plebiscito.

• 1967

  SIDIC begins publishing its bilingual French-English review.

• 1966

  Father Cornelius Rijk becomes the first secretary of the commission for relations between the Catholic Church and Judaism.

• 1965

  Meeting in Rome on 12–13 November decides to constitute the Service international de documentation judéo-chrétienne (SIDIC).

A Catholic association for international documentation and teaching that promotes mutual knowledge and dialogue between Jews and Christians, continuing the legacy of the SIDIC.

• SIDIC review

  Bilingual French-English review published from 1967; publication ceased in 2003.

• Specialised library and documentation centre

  Library and documentation on Jewish-Christian relations, initially created by SIDIC.

• Educational courses and seminars

  Courses and sessions on Judaism, Jewish interpretation of Scriptures, Hebrew, Talmud, Midrash, history of Israel and Jewish liturgy, taught by Jewish and Christian professors.

1. 1CIRDIC – Centre d'Initiatives pour les Relations et le Dialogue entre Juifs et Chrétienscirdic.fr
2. 2Histoire – CIRDICcirdic.fr
3. 3Shoah – CIRDICcirdic.fr
4. 4Antisémitisme – CIRDICcirdic.fr
5. 5CIRDIC – Wikidatawikidata.org
6. 6Centre d'initiative pour les relations et le dialogue entre juifs et chrétiens – Wikipédiafr.wikipedia.org