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The National Catholic Center for Holocaust Education, located on the third floor of the administration building at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, serves as a hub for dialogue and education on the Holocaust. Among the exhibits at the center is the Typewriter Project, which prompts visitors to ponder the role of good people during challenging times. The center houses a collection of photographs depicting the Holocaust, or "Shoah," aiming to promote Holocaust education at all levels of Catholic education, counter antisemitism, and facilitate Jewish-Christian understanding.
Established in 1987 by Sister Gemma Del Duca and Sister Mary Noel Kernan, both Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill, the center was one of the pioneering institutions of its kind in the United States. "This is a period of history that should never be forgotten," Sister Gemma emphasized. Holocaust Remembrance Day, or Yom Hashoah, falls on April 23-24.
Sister Gemma, who was 13 when World War II ended, discovered the Holocaust's significance later in life. During her studies at Seton Hill College, reading the diary of Anne Frank deepened her understanding of the tragedy. In 1975, she traveled to Israel to study Jewish-Christian relations, an experience that led her to co-found Tel Gamaliel near Jerusalem, with Father Isaac Jacob. Sister Gemma's work in Jewish-Catholic relations led to the establishment of the center at Seton Hill, supported by the university's president, JoAnne Boyle.
The center offers educational programs, including studies, exhibits, and conferences, while facilitating remembrance events like Kristallnacht observances. Despite the absence of Holocaust survivors in the area, the center provides access to testimonial films, highlighting the lasting impact of history's lessons.
Local and global events underscore the ongoing relevance of the center's mission. Antisemitism surfaced close to home with the 2018 shooting at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. Sister Gemma and others gathered in solidarity at a nearby synagogue. Internationally, antisemitism surged during the Israel-Hamas conflict in October 2023. Sister Gemma sees a role for Catholics in countering antisemitism and advocating for Jewish-Christian unity. "Here in the United States, we could reach out more to our Jewish sisters and brothers," she said.
The center also remembers Catholics and other Christians who suffered during the Holocaust, honoring their faith and sacrifices as part of a broader historical and religious memory.
Maryann Gogniat Eidemiller provides this report for OSV News.
