Pope Benedict XVI will visit the main Jewish synagogue in Rome soon — on January 17, which is now being called the Church’s annual “Day of Dialogue with Judaism”.

Rome’s chief Rabbi, Riccardo di Segni, praises the forthcoming visit as a “milestone”, saying he has “great expectations”.

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One expectation of the Jews seems to be that the Pope will let them dictate who will and who won’t be made saints.

They complained again recently, when the Pope brought the sainthood of Pius XII a step closer.

And last year they were telling the Pope what prayers are OK for Catholics to pray and what aren’t.

On Good Fridays, Catholics pray for the conversion of Jews to Christ — a prayer asking that “God our Lord enlighten their hearts that they may know Jesus Christ, Saviour of men”.

In the face of Jewish complaints, the Pope, would you believe, obediently changed the wording of this prayer. But apparently not obediently enough, because the Italian Rabbis still boycotted last year’s “Day of Dialogue” in protest against the Pope’s inadequate subservience.

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This is all nonsense.

Jesus himself spent his whole life trying to convert Jews.

His last words to his disciples included, “Go and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded.”

The idea that Jews don’t need to convert to Christ is not part of the Christian religion — but its opposite.

If those calling themselves Christians love the Jewish people, then they MUST want them to receive all the benefits that God offers to mankind.

To interpret such a desire as hatred for Jews just doesn’t add up.