Priest removed for asking parishioners to pray for the conversion of Jews. This was at St. Stanislaus Kostka Church, Adams, Diocese of Springfield, in Massachusetts. Mark Dupont, a spokesman for the diocese, said the intention that appeared last weekend was found to be “incompatible” with Catholic teaching “and our relationship with the Jewish people.” “As soon as the Bishop was informed of this announcement he directed that it should be changed, which it has been,” Dupont said by email, in response to questions. “We recognize and affirm the Jewish people are God’s chosen, the people to whom the Lord our God spoke first,” Dupont said. “We stand with them as brothers and sisters in our common God.” https://www.berkshireeagle.com/news...cle_239f9986-629a-11ec-a87a-df1d71edcd93.html I believe Saint John, the Apostle, would disagree.
St. Matthew too, and, unless Matthew was lying, Jesus: "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit." Understandable really. Conversion of the Jews will signal the imminent second coming of Jesus. That some Bishops would rather it be postponed tells us all we need to know about them. The wheat and chaff are becoming ever more easy to distinguish. Then again, maybe the Bishop doesn't believe in the power of prayer. Or maybe he's a Universalist. Who was it said that the Great Apostasy would begin at the top?
Not saying he is one, but modernists do not see the need for conversion." I'm okay you're okay. I may get there by route 30 and you may get there by route 201 but it doesn't matter. We will all get there." ( Malachi Martin's explanation of the modernist thought on conversion)
It's probably for exactly the reason we think it is ... but I'm keeping in mind that there's been a HUGE uptick in violence against our Jewish friends in / around the New York City area. There's a lot of disturbed people out there, who might misinterpret the message as "GET THE JEWS" ... whether said disturbed persons care either way. I think priests / pastors should simply present The Gospel as "this is freely available to all" and avoid referencing particular groups.
It is so very sad. Rather than showing love for the Lord's first chosen, I think that it does them a great disservice not to encourage prayers for their conversion. Roy Schoeman has some lovely prayers on his website: https://salvationisfromthejews.com/prayers.html It's even more sad that a priest should be removed for encouraging what has always been encouraged by the Church. Be that as it may, there's nothing to stop,us praying that the Jews and all mankind will come to know and love our Lord and Saviour Jesus.
