Patrick Buchanan assailed Abraham Foxman’s criticism of the Vatican revival of the Latin Mass.In an article published Tuesday on the conservative Web site Human Events, Buchanan challenged the Anti-Defamation League national director’s understanding of Catholicism based on the ADL statement that it was “hurtful and insulting” for Catholics to pray for the conversion of Jews.”What is Abe talking about?” Buchanan, a conservative commentator and erstwhile presidential candidate, wrote. “Does he not know that Catholics are required to pray for the conversion of all peoples to Catholicism and Christ? Who duped Abe into thinking this requirement was suspended by Vatican II?”Buchanan was referring to the Church council in 1965 that absolved the Jews of responsibility for the death of Jesus and enacted several liberal reforms.He went on to say that it would be anti-Semitic not to pray for Jewish conversion if one truly believed that Jesus was the only path to heaven.”Indeed, if one believes, as devout Catholics do, that Christ and his Church hold the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, it would be anti-Semitic not to pray for the conversation of the Jews,” Buchanan wrote. “Even Abe.”Pope Benedict XVI’s decision Saturday to permit the use of the Latin Mass, which in its liturgy prays for the conversion of the Jews, has generated significant concern among Jewish groups that Catholic-Jewish relations could be set back.
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