Yet more on the Good Friday prayer
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- February
- 5
Here is a statement, just released, from Bishop Richard J. Sklba, chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs:
The Holy Father has heard with appreciation the concerns of the Jewish community that the prayers of Good Friday should reflect the relationship between Jews and the Church put forward in Nostra Aetate, and implemented by the late Pope John Paul II. As Vatican II states, ‘God holds the Jews most dear for the sake of their Fathers; He does not repent of the gifts He makes or of the calls He issues – such is the witness of the Apostle’ (NA, no. 4).
The Holy Father has chosen to omit from his revision any language from the various editions of the (Latin) Missal of 1962 that have long been associated with negative images of Jews. For example, there are no references to the ‘blindness of the Jews,’ to the ‘lifting of a veil from their heart,’ or to their ‘being pulled from darkness.’
Pope Benedict XVI has chosen to present the relationship of the Church and the Jews within the mystery of salvation as found in Saint Paul’s Letter to the Romans (cf. Rom 11:11-32). Central to the concerns of the Holy Father is the clear articulation that salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ and his Church. It is a faith that must never be imposed but always freely chosen.
The Catholic Church in the United States remains steadfastly committed to deepening its bonds of friendship and mutual understanding with the Jewish community.
Alas, Abe Foxman of the ADL is not satisfied. Here is his statement:
While we appreciate that some of the deprecatory language has been removed from a new version of the Good Friday prayer for the Conversion of Jews in the 1962 Roman Missal, we are deeply troubled and disappointed that the framework and intention to petition God for Jews to accept Jesus as Lord was kept intact.
Alterations of language without change to the 1962 prayer’s conversionary intent amount to cosmetic revisions, while retaining the most troubling aspect for Jews, namely the desire to end the distinctive Jewish way of life. Still named the “Prayer for Conversion of the Jews,â€? it is a major departure from the teachings and actions of Pope Paul VI, Pope John Paul II, and numerous authoritative Catholic documents, including Nostra Aetate.
This entry was posted
on Tuesday, February 5th, 2008 at 6:32 pm by Gary Stern.
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The world of religion, we don't have to tell you, is vast. The purpose of this blog is for Stern to note, flag and comment on some of the more interesting religious developments on the scene – weighty and quirky, somber and laughable, far away and just down the road. He won't interpret Scripture, take sides in conflicts or judge anyone. But he will take advantage of the journalist's license to observe.
The ADL and that loud mouth Foxman not happy,, there’s a shock, he wont be happy until the renunciation of Christ as the Savior is an intertrgral part of Church teaching.. Foxman can (and will) go straight to Hell… Hey Abe I still dont see you revising your anti Christian prayers..
The first commentator must certainly feel right at home with many pre-Vatican II attitudes about other religions. Perhaps the writer can also identify with times such as the Inquisition, since he/she has clearly appointed themselves both judge & jury: (“Foxman can (and will) go straight to Hell…”) Certainly revealing is that hell is spelled with a capital “h.”
Regardless, I agree with Mr. Foxman, that the “clean-up” is merely cosmetic and betrays a frightening underlying trend in current papal teaching. If one thinks about it, much of these recent matters of concern began with the publication of “Dominus Iesus.” While promulgated under the patronage of John Paul II, late in his pontificate, it is well known that the document was crafted by the present pontiff.
And yes, the allowance for this prayer, (which is quite different from that of the present rite found in the 1970 Missal), does a great disservice to the efforts of both Popes Paul VI and John Paul II, and a strong departure from their teachings.
If a conditional “re-instatement” of the Tridentine Rite was to be made at all, it should have been done exclusive of the “Paschal Triduum,” three days during which the church is to particularly pray together as one community. Indeed, the “liturgical instructions” say that the ritual is to be considered as “one service” from the start of the Holy Thursday evening mass, until the conclusion of the Easter Vigil. To make this evident, no greeting or dismissal is given between these services.
I have been wondering from the beginning, when and how it might be appropriate, to celebrate the rites of the Triduum in accordance with Tridentine practices, under the currently stated conditions for the use of the 1962 Missal.
When and in which parishes is there going to be an opportunity to celebrate this archaic rite, if the current missal is to be considered “normative” as the directive says? It is my understanding that there generally can be only one celebration of the Triduum in each parish church.
Unfortunately, debate surrounding this “Prayer for the Conversion of the Jews” and the old rite in general is not bringing up positive impressions of the church’s positions. I hope that 40 years of progress does not lead to 150 years of regression.
Most comfort can be taken in the doubt that there will be many serious and lasting requests for the celebration of the old missal in the majority of parishes in the US or in other countries. Too much has happened, and this for the good, in the four decades since the liturgical changes.
Hey Mr. Metropolitan yes I did spell Hell with a capital H, for I truly believe Mr. Foxman is going there. His organization is anti-Catholic/Christian. He and his organization support abortion, contraception, “gay marriage”, . More importantly he denies Christ and expects us Catholics to bend to the will of the ADL rather than to Our Lords. TO quote Our Divine Savior “he that denies me before man, I shall deny before the Father”. Abe has been doing that for years, and he ignores the fact that there are legions of orthodox Jew who recite anti-Christian prayers every day.
You say ” Prayer for the Conversion of the Jewsâ€? and the old rite in general is not bringing up positive impressions of the church’s positions.. SO what is most important is the Church’s public image to others, rather than preaching the Word as commanded by Our Lord himself. 40 years of progess for whom?? IN the past 40 years my Church has been decimated by sexual scandal, declining vocations, weak priests too afraid to preach on the Church Moral teachings, Mass attendance below 30% ( as opposed to over 70% before VII), finally the Liturgy has been scandalized by such idiocies as clown masses, rock masses, and guitar playing nuns . Now we have a Pontiff who knows exactly whats going on, and he is restoring the Solmenity of the Mass through the Tridentine Rite. If this bothers non-Catholics, they can go to their own liturgies/services and let us have our own.
I really don’t get where Mr. Foxman is coming from. The prayers are not anti-semetic at all. I would in fact say that his request and the commenst like the one from the Metropilitan above are unabashadley anti-Catholic. Catholics and in fact all Chrsitians believe that Jesus was a Jew born over 2000 years ago, but at the same time he was divine, the Son of God. He came to the Jewish people first in order to save them and to fulfill the Covenant that God made with the Jewish people. Some heard and belived in Jesus. The first Christians were converted Jews.
What is so wrong in praying that Jews of today come to the fullness of belief like many of their brthren did some 2000 years ago? As Catholics, we believe Jesus is the Way to the Father. Now, if a Jew does not believe this, no-one will compell him to believe, but if we truly love that person, we should pray that they come to belief in the Lord.
These prayers cause no harm to the Jewish people and if they see some offense they need to also view it from the zChristian perspective.
Peace/Shalom
Here is an outline of recent history:
http://www.liturgy.co.nz/worship/matters.html