By David Alexander
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An assembly representingConservative rabbis worldwide expressed dismay on Tuesday overa revised Roman Catholic prayer calling for the conversion ofJews and voted to ask the Vatican to clarify the text'smeaning.
The Rabbinical Assembly, which represents 1,600Conservative rabbis worldwide, said it was "dismayed and deeplydisturbed to learn of reports that Pope Benedict XVI hasrevised the 1962 text of the Latin Mass, retaining the rubric,'For the conversion of the Jews.'"
In a resolution approved after an hour of debate over twodays, the group praised improved Jewish-Catholic relations overthe past 40 years and agreed to "seek clarification from theVatican of the meaning and status of the new text for the LatinMass which will be heard in Catholic Churches on Good Friday."
Conservative Judaism is one of the main branches of thereligion in many countries worldwide, along with Orthodox andReform Judaism.
The Good Friday prayer in Latin would be heard by very fewRoman Catholic congregations worldwide, but Jewish groups haveexpressed disappointment over its language, viewing it as astep backward after decades of improvement in ties between Jewsand Catholics.
Reforms in the 1960s led to the church dropping referencesto conversion of Jews in Good Friday prayers and were seen bymany Jews and Catholics as "affirming that God's covenant withthe Jewish people has never been revoked," the rabbis said.
Pope Benedict, who will visit the United States in Apriljust a few weeks after Good Friday, touched off a controversylast year when he agreed to make the old-style Latin Mass moreavailable for traditionalists along with a missal, or prayerbook, that had been phased out in reforms of the 1960s.
The pope had agreed not to use the traditional Latin prayerbecause of its references to Jews' "blindness" over Christ andother language considered offensive. The new prayer releasedlast week, however, included a reference asking God to helpJews "acknowledge Jesus Christ as the saviour."
During their debate over the issue at an assembly inWashington, Conservative rabbis wanted their resolution toexpress concern about the prayer but without damaging steadilyimproving ties with the Church, those who attended said.
"I'm pleased with it. It does reflect the fact that we'vehad good relations with the Church for the past 40 years," saidRabbi Alvin Berkun, the outgoing president of the RabbinicalAssembly and a long-time participant in inter-faith dialogue.
"I think it's respectful but registers the fact that theJewish community has a concern," he added. "We can't sit idlyby when we see a step back in the relationship."
Berkun said the dispute over the prayer would not have animpact on the pope's visit to Washington and New York, whichwill include meetings with the Jewish community.
"None of this is going to interfere with the reception thatthe Jewish community is going to offer him during his trip tothe United States," he said.
(Editing by Stuart Grudgings)
