Posted on 04/03/2010 9:09:05 PM PDT by pissant
ROME – On Good Friday, two days before Easter, a prayer titled “Let us Pray for the Conversion of the Jews” was recited in Latin by traditionalist Catholic congregations in Italy, plus 16 sections of the Society of Saint Pius.
The ultra-conservative society, whose excommunication was lifted by Pope Benedict XVI last year, has yet to be fully reintegrated into the Catholic Church, because of its refusal to accept the reforms of the Second Vatican Council.
In 2007, in an effort to bring the traditionalist elements of the Church back into the fold, Benedict issued a “Motu Proprio” declaration allowing wider use of the 1962, pre-Vatican II Roman Missal containing this prayer, which was previously restricted to small groups. Three years ago only 30 Italian churches were affected by that decision, as opposed to the 118 that regularly use the liturgy today.
The word “conversion,” however, was not supposed to have been part of the title of this traditionalist Good Friday prayer. The official text, personally revised by the pope after Israel’s Chief Rabbinate expressed concerns regarding its content, was circulated in a note by Cardinal Bertone, theVatican’s secretary of state, in February 2008, bearing a new official title – “Oremus et pro Iudaeis,” or “Let us Pray for the Jews.” However, quite unexpectedly, that title has been changed to “Let us Pray for the Conversion of the Jews” in the brand new luxury re-edition of the missal currently flying off the shelves in Vatican bookstores.
(Excerpt) Read more at jpost.com ...
Christians in evangelical denominations commonly pray for evangelism across the entire world. Very few seem to get bent out of shape about that. Is this simply the Catholic counterpart of Jews for Jesus?
Ummm, ok... do you also pray for the conversion of the Hindus? Buddhists? Muslims?
Actually we do. We also pray for the conversion of atheists, Catholics and other Christians - we are all sinners and need conversion of out hearts. This is a tempest in a teapot.
Heard a factoid from an evangelical theology professor once. Jews who grow up in Catholic neighborhoods usually become Protestants as adults.
After looking at the different versions of the prayer at the wikipedia page, the new versions seems entirely watered down: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Friday_Prayer_for_the_Jews
Would you say that Gandhi and Einstein “knew no better through no fault of their own” in not believing in the divinity of Jesus?
I think that is playing with words to evade an inconvenient issue of religious doctrine.
I’m with you, Druby. I am a proud Jew, and I have NO need to convert to any other religion to achieve communion with G-d. I would highly resent any attempt by anyone to either imply that my religion was somehow deficient and needed to be changed or that I could not reach G-d through my own religion, only through theirs.
As for thanking G-d that I was not born a gentile, in the Jewish prayerbook, I see that this has been quoted out of context (of course!) by others in this thread. It actually refers to the fact that Jews are required to perform certain religious precepts (mitzvos) which are not required to be performed by non-Jews, and we are thanking G-d for the privilege of having to perform these mitzvos. Also, male Jews are required to perform mitzvos that Jewish women are exempt from, and thus male Jews thank G-d that they were not born women, in gratitude for the extra mitvos they are to perform. NOT because they are putting down women, and NOT because they are putting down non-Jews.
When you have the WHOLE story, not just bits and pieces, it certainly puts a far different spin on things.
As for you FReepers who think I need a different religion, kindly take yours and stuff it wherever you see fit. We’ve been fine for 5,000 years without YOU.
At the time of redemption, all, including devout Christians, will come to understand the true meaning of the unity of God.
Don't fall for the propaganda of the athiestic far Left, who despise both religious Catholics and Jews alike.
Question the questioner.
Some Jews become Muslims, and others become Nazis.
And a large number voted for Barry Obama.
Yes I know, lots of people become lots of things.
Point is, there is nothing unheard of about a Jew converting to Christianity.
Jesus was a Jew. So were all of the disciples.
I will continue to pray for you and all others, because I care. If I didn't care, I wouldn't.
If you don't believe, where is the harm?
I would think that if you believed that we are following the wrong path, you would include us in your prayers.
God took on a human form, Jesus Christ, who was also a practicing Jew. Tomorrow, we celebrate His Resurrection from the dead. This Jew, Jesus, bridges all Christians to His Jewish heritage, making it our heritage also.
Please pray for me, as I, a person with feet of clay, need all the prayers that I can get!
Point well taken!
And just what is that supposed to imply? That non-Jews have not converted to Islam? How many Jews do you know of who were Nazis? There were barely any Orthodox Jews who voted for Obama. The vast majority of Jews who unfortunately voted for Obama were those who were assimiliated Jews, to whom a close relationship to their political party is more important than a close relationship to their authentic G-d. You show the world what a moron you are by such idiotic comments.
Yes, and some of my best friends are observant Jews who studied the history and tenents of traditional Judaism in order to officially convert from Christianity to Judaism.
Divide is happening, but conquering is in the future if we don't shape up and get a grip.
Maybe our form of worship is different than yours, but our God is the same.
“And just what is that supposed to imply?”
It was obviously supposed to imply that not everything every Jew does, including conversion to Christianity, is supportable by logical and carefully considered thought.
“You show the world what a moron you are by such idiotic comments.”
An excellent illustration of the previous sentence!
I know, people convert to Judaism. Hall of Famer Rod Carew comes to mind (hat tip to Adam Sandler’s Hannukah song). Also Dr. Laura, but I think she unconverted after she converted. . .
Not quite. From the Third Chapter of the First Letter of Saint Peter:
18 Because Christ also died once for our sins, the just for the unjust: that he might offer us to God, being put to death indeed in the flesh, but enlivened in the spirit, 19 In which also coming he preached to those spirits that were in prison: 20 Which had been some time incredulous, when they waited for the patience of God in the days of Noe, when the ark was a building: wherein a few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water.
Between His Death and Resurrection, Jesus descended to the realm of the dead, bringing His message of salvation to those who were dead and yet not damned to Hell. So your argument doesn't stand.
Exactimo...:) They’re hitting us when we’re down already. We all need to stay focused as they’re working overtime on dividing us. The forthcoming tea parties next...
“And people here wonder why Jews are suspicious of evangelicals’ support for Israel.”
Or why they vote for democrats and secularists, instead of for those aforementioned evangelicals who express support for Israel.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.