Journeys / From another faith / Step 6 of 7
On this page
Quick answers to related questions
All 7 steps in From another faith You’re on step 6
- 1. Welcome, as you are
- 2. One God, not three
- 3. Jesus: prophet, and more
- 4. The cross and the empty tomb
- 5. Mary, honored by both
- 6. For Jewish visitors, and every faith
- 7. If you want to know more
A letter from Paul
St. Paul, himself a Jew, wrote about his own people with grief and love, listing the gifts God had given them.
“who are Israelites; whose is the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service, and the promises; of whom are the fathers, and from whom is Christ as concerning the flesh, who is over all, God, blessed forever. Amen.”
You’ll need
- Ten minutes.
Remember No one is a stranger here.
Key points
- The Jewish people were the first to hear the Word of God. CCC 839
- The passion can’t be charged against all Jews then or today. Nostra Aetate 4 CCC 597
- All peoples form one community, with one origin and one end. CCC 842
What the Church teaches
Jesus was Jewish. So was His mother, and so were all twelve apostles. Christianity makes no sense without the people of Israel. If you’re Jewish, or Hindu, or Buddhist, or walking another path, this step is for you.
If you follow another tradition
The Council wrote: “The Catholic Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in these religions.” Nostra Aetate 2 The Church sees all peoples as one community, with one origin and one final goal, God. CCC 842
Hindu visitors
Of Hinduism the Council said that in it people “contemplate the divine mystery and express it through an inexhaustible abundance of myths and through searching philosophical inquiry.” Nostra Aetate 2
Buddhist visitors
Of Buddhism it said that, in its various forms, it “realizes the radical insufficiency of this changeable world.” Nostra Aetate 2
Sikh visitors, and every other path
The Council did not name the Sikh faith or many others, and we will not speak for them. It spoke of all religions together.
It said that “other religions found everywhere try to counter the restlessness of the human heart, each in its own manner.” Nostra Aetate 2 The Church considers all goodness and truth in them “a preparation for the Gospel.” CCC 843
And it’s honest about its own mission: it “ever must proclaim Christ.” Nostra Aetate 2 Respect and conviction, together. Nostra Aetate 2
What does your tradition say about Jesus? And what would you want a Catholic to understand about your faith?
Try this, this week
- Read Nostra Aetate 4. The Church’s own words to and about the Jewish people.
More from the voices of the revival
Why Be Catholic? (w/ Fr. Mike Schmitz)Fr. Mike Schmitz · Ascension Presents · May 27, 2026 · 12 minYouTube
From the official channels of the teachers named. Links checked 10 October 2026; each film was matched to this topic by its title and channel, so treat it as a starting point. Scripture and the Catechism cited on this page are the authority. All videos by topic.
If this is hard
If your family has suffered at the hands of Christians, the Church itself names that hatred and condemns it. You’re welcome to take this slowly.
Common questions
Tap a question to open it. Every answer is cited.
Step 6 of 7 · From another faith
Would you like to see Catholic worship for yourself, as a guest?
Step 7: If you want to know moreTake it with you
Printable one-page cardDownload card (A4 PDF)Download card (US Letter PDF)Short link: stoneandincense.com/go/af6
When you’re ready
Every journey here ends with real people, not a website. No pressure, ever.
Your real next step
This page can’t give you the sacraments. A parish can.
We’re just pointing. People walk with you. Find a Catholic parish near you, go to a Mass, or just ask a priest for ten minutes. You don’t need to have it figured out.
Sources on this page
How we know · 5 Catechism paragraphs · 1 Bible passage · 2 Church documents
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 121, 597, 839, 842, 843 (official text on vatican.va).
- Scripture (World English Bible, Catholic edition, public domain; modern verse numbers, Douay-Rheims numbers in brackets where they differ): Romans 9:4-5.
- Nostra Aetate (Vatican II, Declaration on Non-Christian Religions, 1965), vatican.va.
- We Remember: A Reflection on the Shoah (Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews, 1998), vatican.va.
- Video: “Why Be Catholic?,” Ascension Presents, YouTube (supporting material, not a teaching source).
Excerpts from the English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for use in the United States of America Copyright © 1994, United States Catholic Conference, Inc. – Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Used with Permission. English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church: Modifications from the Editio Typica copyright © 1997, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops – Libreria Editrice Vaticana.
Stone & Incense restates Church teaching in plain words and cites every teaching claim. Our own wording is not an official Church text. Found a mistake? Report an errorCorrections.