On "Hebrew Catholics" and Our Lady, Daughter of Zion

An interesting post--possibly odd reading for someone not familiar with some of the disputes within the bounds of Catholicism and those within hailing distance of the mothership (rad-trad, sedevacantists, spirit of Vatican IIers, etc.).  I liked this bit especially:

I was blessed to spend Saturday in St. Louis at the Hebrew Catholic conference...It was a great time and enjoyed meeting so many "Hebrew Catholics."

First of all, what is a Hebrew Catholic? A Hebrew Catholic simply a Catholic who is ethnically Jewish. There are Italian Catholics, Irish Catholics, Mexican Catholics, Polish Catholics, etc. Yes, there are also Hebrew Catholics. They prefer, I am told, the title "Hebrew" because it distinguishes them from non-Christian "Rabbinical Judaism," which is not the true "biblical Judaism" of Moses...

They also have a special love and devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. There is among them an intense devotion to the Miraculous Medal. It seems like everyone was wearing the Miraculous Medal. The reason for this is the miraculous conversion of the 19th century Jewish man Alphonse Ratisbonne who wore the Miraculous Medal on a dare. As he wore the Miraculous Medal, the Immaculate Mary appeared to him. Ratisbonne subsequently received baptism and was later ordained as a Catholic priest. Hence, our Immaculate Lady is integral to the Hebrew Catholic ethos.

I also noticed that Our Lady was beloved by the Hebrew Catholics especially under her title as Our Lady of Mount Carmel - for the obvious reason that Mount Carmel is in the Holy Land. Moreover, the Carmelite Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross' (Edith Stein's) attitude of suffering for the conversion of the Jewish people to Jesus Christ is essential to Hebrew Catholic identity.

Very cool.