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Catholic
Prayers for the Conversion of the Jews (all from "kosher" Catholic
sources!):
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From
the First Vatican Council (1868):
The undersigned
Fathers of the Council
humbly yet urgently
beseechingly pray that the Holy Ecumenical Council of the Vatican deign
to come
to the aid of the unfortunate nation of Israel with an entirely
paternal
invitation; that is, that it express the wish that, finally exhausted
by a wait
no less futile than long, the Israelites hasten to recognize the
Messiah, our
Savior Jesus Christ, truly promised to Abraham and announced by Moses;
thus
completing and crowning, not changing, the religion of Moses.
On
one
hand, the
undersigned Fathers have the very firm confidence that the holy Council
will
have compassion on the Israelites, because they are always very dear to
God on
account of their fathers, and because it is from them that the Christ
was born
according to the flesh.
On the other hand, the same Fathers
share the sweet and
intimate hope that this ardent desire of tenderness and honor will be,
with the
aid of the Holy Spirit, well received by many of the sons of Abraham,
because
the obstacles which have held them back until now appear to be
disappearing
more and more, the ancient wall of separation now having fallen.
Would
that
they then speedily acclaim the Christ, saying “Hosanna to the Son of
David! Blessed be He who comes in the
name of the Lord!”
Would
that they hurl themselves into
the arms of the
Immaculate Virgin Mary, even now their sister according to the flesh,
who
wishes likewise to be their mother according to grace as she is ours!
AMEN
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From
the Catholic Breviary for the Week of Christian Unity, Day 6 (omitted
in the newest version of the Breviary):
O
God, who manifests your mercy and compassion towards all peoples, have
mercy upon the Jewish race, from the beginning Your chosen people. You
selected them alone out of all the nations of the world to be the
custodians of your sacred teachings. From them you raised up Prophets
and Patriarchs to announce the coming of the Redeemer. You willed that
Your only Son Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, should be a Jew
according to the flesh, born of a Jewish maiden in the land of promise.
Listen to the prayers we offer you today for the conversion of the
Jewish people. Grant that they may come safely to a knowledge and love
of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah foretold by their prophets, and
that they may walk with us in the way of salvation. AMEN.
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Prayer
to St. Paul for the Conversion of the Jews:
O holy Apostle Paul
of Tarsus, from your glorious place in heaven, look
down upon the race you loved so well. True it is that many of them
remained deaf to your ringing words of truth, and that some of them
even stirred up persecution against you and your fellow believers, but
you were so devoted to your people that you willed to become a castaway
for the sake of their conversion. Now that you are glorious in heaven,
obtain for your brethren the grace of repentance and conversion, so
that they may finally take their rightful place in the great family of
the Catholic Church. AMEN.
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Prayer
of the Congregation of Our Lady of Sion (sadly no longer used
by the Congregation):
God
of all goodness and Father of mercies, we beseech Thee, through the
Immaculate Heart of Mary, and by the intercession of the Patriarchs and
holy Apostles, to cast a look of compassion upon the children of
Israel, that they may be brought to the knowledge of our only Savior,
Jesus Christ, and may partake of the precious fruits of the Redemption.
"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." AMEN.
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