Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., February 29, 2008 Adar1 23, 5768 | | Israel Time: 01:36 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Rosner's Domain
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Advertising
Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File
Pope Benedict XVI (AP)
Last update - 18:39 07/02/2008
Vatican rejects criticism of new prayer for Jewish conversion
By Adi Schwartz, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Jews, ADL, Christianity 

The top Vatican cardinal in charge of relations with Jews on Thursday denied that a new prayer for their conversion was offensive and said Catholics had the right to pray as they wish.

The Vatican had come under fire from Jewish groups in recent days for changing its Good Friday service to include a prayer urging God to let Jews "recognize Jesus Christ as savior of all men."

Earlier this week, Pope Benedict ordered changes to a Latin prayer for Jews at traditionalist Good Friday services, deleting a reference to their "blindness" over Christ.
Advertisement
Cardinal Walter Kasper spoke in an interview in a leading Italian newspaper a day after world Jewish leaders said the new prayer could set back inter-religious dialogue by decades.

"We think that reasonably this prayer cannot be an obstacle to dialogue because it reflects the faith of the Church and, furthermore, Jews have prayers in their liturgical texts that we Catholics don't like,"

"I must say that I don't understand why Jews cannot accept that we can make use of our freedom to formulate our prayers," Kasper, a German, told the Corriere della Sera.

"One must accept and respect differences," said the cardinal.

In a separate interview with Vatican Radio, Kasper said: "The Holy Father wanted to say 'yes, Jesus Christ is the savior of all men, including the Jews'."

He added: "But this does not mean we are embarking on a mission [to convert Jews]. We are giving witness to our faith."

The Anti-Defamation League on Thursday called the revision to the prayer "cosmetic revisions," saying that the prayer is still "deeply troubling" because of its call to convert Jews.

Apart from the deletion of the word "blindness," the new prayer - which has retained the name 'Prayer for Conversion of the Jews' - also excludes a former a phrase that asked God to "remove the veil from their hearts".

Instead, the new prayer hopes that Jews will recognize Christ. According to an unofficial translation from Latin, the new prayer says in part:

"Let us also pray for the Jews. So that God our Lord enlightens their hearts so that they recognize Jesus Christ savior of all men."

The prayer also asks God that "all Israel be saved."

Jewish groups had protested against the old prayer and had asked the Pope to change it. The groups complained last year when the Pope issued a decree allowing a wider use of the old-style Latin Mass and a missal, or prayer book, that was phased out after the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, which met from 1962 to 1965.

"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," ADL Director Abraham H. Foxman said in a statement.

"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," adds the statement.

In a letter to Pope Benedict in late January, the ADL said it worried the new prayer "would be devastating to the deepening relationship and dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Jewish people."

Related articles:
  • Pope nixes reference to Jews` `blindness` over Jesus in prayer
  • Wiesenthal Center urges Vatican to quickly remove offensive prayer
  • Vatican: We may drop revived prayer offensive to Jews

    More Jewish World news and features
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Power to the people
    Egypt plans to provide all of Gaza's electricity, to wean dependency on Israel.
    Calculated escalation
    Hamas has been trying for some time to create a balance of deterrence with Israel.
      1.   It is a laugh a minute 11:19  |  Natallie Durson 07/02/08
      2.   Vatican 11:36  |  Naim S. Mahlab 07/02/08
      3.   Has the ADL read... 11:45  |  Maureen Ann 07/02/08
      4.   They`re not welcomed 12:10  |  Riyad 07/02/08
      5.   Mumbo jumbo 12:28  |  Ofer Maimon 07/02/08
      6.   it is none of our businness 12:29  |  amihai 07/02/08
      7.   Riyad....speaking like a true christian... 12:35  |  Ofer Maimon 07/02/08
      8.   There is nothing wrong with praying for Jews 12:38  |  Edith 07/02/08
      9.   2#Riyad 12:40  |  HS 07/02/08
      10.   Release the overloaded V.A.T.ican coffers 12:44  |  Reb 07/02/08
      11.   2 12:47  |  No Generalizer 07/02/08
      12.   Why only Jews? 12:48  |  Somebody 07/02/08
      13.   Pope should pray that Muslims see the light 12:50  |  Petra 07/02/08
      14.   Tolerance according to the words of Natallie & Riyad! 12:57  |  Ruth Fisher 07/02/08
      15.   # 2 Riyad ASK THE POPE TO PRAY FOR YOU SICKO 13:02  |  Petra 07/02/08
      16.   Who cares what they pray? 13:07  |  D Hirod 07/02/08
      17.   It is a 2000 years old bloody laugh, Mss.Natallie Durson 13:12  |  Luis U, Talavera 07/02/08
      18.   Natalie 13:15  |  Educator 07/02/08
      19.   ADL has no problem with US evangelicals wanting conversion. 13:16  |  Michael 07/02/08
      20.   ADL slams Vatican over revised `prayer for conversion of Jews` 13:16  |  G. Zang 07/02/08
      21.   #8 petra, muslims dont need to worship wood 13:18  |  unlike you. 07/02/08
      22.   Petra, historically speaking Jews killed more gentiles 13:19  |  Ukranian 07/02/08
      23.   Indrajaya 13:21  |  Nik Miller 07/02/08
      24.   PRAYERS SHOULD FIT WITH THE FACTS ON THE GROUND 13:23  |  indrajaya 07/02/08
      25.   Dear Gd, I ask that you help our poor Christian friend to realize 13:36  |  Jew 07/02/08
      26.   Given its sordid history, ADL should be dissolved 13:41  |  Tim 07/02/08
      27.   it is crazy 13:49  |  jack 07/02/08
      28.   #19 ukranian 13:56  |  danny 07/02/08
      29.   God, how you Jews WHINE!!! 13:57  |  Clickfool 07/02/08
      30.   Prayers 14:01  |  ABL 07/02/08
      31.   As if the last article was`nt enough 14:03  |  Dror 07/02/08
      32.   #10 14:14  |  Moshe 07/02/08
      33.   Keep waiting buddy 14:26  |  Baz Mann 07/02/08
      34.   The Vatican `s Prayer revisions 14:29  |  Stephen 07/02/08
      35.   Jack, what does that mean??? For goyim/unblessed? 14:30  |  Translate please 07/02/08
      36.   indrajaya 14:31  |  caroline 07/02/08
      37.   The ADL can go F itself. 14:32  |  POP 07/02/08
      38.   petra 14:34  |  caroline 07/02/08
      39.   Clickfool-How you gentiles drink and blame it all on the Jews 14:35  |  Sam 07/02/08
      40.   The Vatican and the life of Brian 14:39  |  Michael 07/02/08
      41.   Turn About is Fair Play 14:41  |  Dr. Jonathan Levy 07/02/08
      42.   the home of anti semitism and adl are surprised? 14:42  |  v hardman 07/02/08
      43.   What`s the problem ? 14:46  |  Shloimie 07/02/08
      44.   Let them ask for what they want..... 14:48  |  Jewish State 07/02/08
      45.   Does the Pope understand that Jesus IS the Word that Jews strive 14:52  |  to live by 07/02/08
      46.   24#, a free translation of a prayer 14:54  |  jac 07/02/08
      47.   When we are at it - What about the Pessah Haggadah? 14:56  |  Tamir 07/02/08
      48.   Durson`s incredible ignorance is showing 14:58  |  Sam 07/02/08
      49.   Catholic church 14:58  |  Said 07/02/08
      50.   Pope demands Jews not to be called chosen people! 15:04  |  Toronto`s Finest 07/02/08
      51.   if you dont`like the prayer don`t accept their $$$ 15:05  |  nobodysacred 07/02/08
      52.   His Holiness Benedict XVI Calls on the ADL 15:06  |  Yaakov Sullivan 07/02/08
      53.   Palestinians should demand correction: "save Palestine" 15:06  |  nobodysacred 07/02/08
      54.   Somebody, somewhere, they do 15:12  |  Yaakov Sullivan 07/02/08
      55.   Jew in Jerusalem:This is precisely why... 15:14  |  Yaakov Sullivan 07/02/08
      56.   does anyone here realize... 15:17  |  a Catholic 07/02/08
      57.   Well Dror of Haifa Certainly Is Clear 15:21  |  Yaakov Sullivan 07/02/08
      58.   Personally,I am not impressed by the 3 monotheistic faiths, 15:23  |  lakshmi 07/02/08
      59.   does anyone realize.... 15:25  |  a Catholic 07/02/08
      60.   to #34, translation:"GOYIM"=nations or peuple 15:26  |  jack 07/02/08
      61.   Natalie Durston 15:29  |  Alberto from T A 07/02/08
      62.   Arrogance at its grossest! 15:32  |  Aidan 07/02/08
      63.   Death or Cake? 15:41  |  Wade 07/02/08
      64.   Danny #27 Vs Ukranian #19 15:43  |  kameel 07/02/08
      65.   How about "Jesus being a Jew and punished by crucifixion by Roman 15:52  |  r 07/02/08
      66.   If a tree falls in the forest.............. 15:58  |  Avrum 07/02/08
      67.   #2 Riyad 16:01  |  Ray 07/02/08
      68.   Baz Mann, they Do and They Dont 16:04  |  Yaakov Sullivan 07/02/08
      69.   Pope `s face 16:06  |  Pedro 07/02/08
      70.   2 Riyad, Moslems & the world. 16:25  |  curious 07/02/08