8.127.7. Didn’t the Catholic Church use to pray for the conversion of the Jews? Why did the Vatican II liturgy remove this prayer from the Easter Vigil?
Yes, for centuries, the Catholic Church prayed explicitly for the conversion of the Jews during the Solemn Intercessions of the Easter Vigil. The traditional Latin liturgy included the prayer:
“Oremus et pro perfidis Judaeis…
Let us also pray for the faithless Jews: that Almighty God may remove the veil from their hearts, so that they too may acknowledge Jesus Christ our Lord.”
This prayer was grounded in St. Paul’s teaching in 2 Corinthians 3:14–16, which says that the Jews have a veil over their hearts when the Old Testament is read, and that this veil is only removed when they turn to Christ.
What changed?
The significant shift began after Vatican II, with the promulgation of the new Easter Vigil liturgy in 1969 under Paul VI, as part of the Novus Ordo Missae reforms led by Annibale Bugnini. This revised liturgy removed the explicit language about the “veil” over the hearts of the Jews and eliminated the direct call for their conversion.
Instead, the 1969 text now reads:
“Let us pray for the Jewish people, the first to hear the word of God… May they continue to grow in the love of his name and in faithfulness to his covenant.”
This is a theological rupture. Rather than recognizing that the Old Covenant has been fulfilled and superseded by the New Covenant in Christ (see Hebrews 8:6–13), this new language implies that the Jewish people are still in a valid salvific covenant with God, which contradicts Catholic teaching.
The Danger of the Change
This is not simply a “change of tone” or “updated wording.” It reflects a new doctrine: the heresy known as “dual-covenant theology” — the idea that Jews can be saved through the Mosaic Covenant without belief in Jesus Christ. This was condemned by the Church throughout history. Consider these traditional teachings:
“[The Church] firmly believes, professes, and preaches that none of those existing outside the Catholic Church… whether Jews or heretics or schismatics, can become partakers of eternal life.”
“The Holy Roman Church firmly believes… that the legal prescriptions of the Old Testament… ceased, and that the New Law has succeeded them.”
When asked about efforts to convert Jews, Pope Pius X responded
“The Church has never ceased to do so. She regards this endeavor as a sacred duty.”
The Role of Bugnini
While these changes happened under Pope Paul VI, it is historically documented that Archbishop Annibale Bugnini, the architect of the post-Vatican II liturgical revolution, was the driving force behind these revisions. He surrounded himself with ecumenically-minded reformers and even six Protestant observers when drafting the new liturgy. His stated goal was to:
“remove anything that might be a stumbling block to our separated brethren.”
Thus, the Easter Vigil — the holiest night of the year — became a platform for appeasing interreligious sensitivities, rather than proclaiming the truth of Christ’s Kingship and the Jews’ need for conversion.
Continuity vs. Disruption
The traditional liturgy was not motivated by hatred, as modernists allege, but by charity rooted in truth: the desire that all men, including the Jews, come to the knowledge of Christ and be saved (1 Timothy 2:4).
By contrast, the post-Vatican II liturgy promotes false charity — affirming people in error rather than lovingly calling them to truth. This is a spiritual betrayal.
| Category | Traditional Catholic View | Post-Vatican II View | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holy Week Liturgy | Prays for the conversion of the Jews | Removed references to their unbelief and need for conversion | Charity means desiring salvation, not affirming error |
| Theology of Covenant | Old Covenant has ceased and been replaced by the New | Implies Jews remain in a valid covenant | This is dual-covenant theology — a condemned heresy |
| Scriptural Basis | Veil over hearts (2 Cor 3:14–16); salvation only in Christ (Acts 4:12) | No reference to Scripture; vague humanistic appeals | Silences God’s word for political correctness |
| Pastoral Intent | Evangelize and convert for eternal salvation | Avoid offense, promote interfaith harmony | Truth sacrificed for diplomacy |
| Liturgical Architect | Traditional prayers codified over centuries | Bugnini-led committee with ecumenical agenda | Form reflects belief: new liturgy = new theology |
Summary:
The removal of prayers for the conversion of the Jews from the post-Vatican II Easter Vigil marks one of the clearest ruptures between traditional Catholicism and the modernist religion promoted by the Novus Ordo hierarchy.
For centuries, the Church, following the command of Christ and the teaching of the Apostles, lovingly urged the Jews to embrace the Messiah. Liturgically, this was expressed in the Good Friday and Holy Saturday prayers for their conversion. Far from being antisemitic, these prayers were acts of spiritual charity, rooted in the belief that “there is no other name under heaven given to men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
However, after Vatican II, a new theology emerged. It sought not to convert, but to “dialogue.” The new Easter Vigil prayers speak of the Jews continuing in fidelity to “their covenant” — implying the Old Covenant is still salvific, despite Hebrews 8:13 clearly stating it is obsolete. This teaching, known as dual-covenant theology, is heretical and a complete reversal of Catholic Tradition.
The architect of these liturgical changes was Annibale Bugnini, a radical liturgist with deep ecumenical sympathies. Though officially approved by Paul VI, many believe Bugnini’s influence was deliberately obscured. These reforms were not superficial; they represented a doctrinal shift — one that denied the Church’s duty to evangelize all nations, including the Jews.
Modern defenders of these changes claim they were meant to reduce offense and promote peace. But false peace at the expense of truth is spiritual suicide. The Church's mission is not diplomacy, but salvation. Any liturgy that fails to call all men to Christ, including the Jews, fails in its supernatural mission.
The faithful must recognize that the removal of these prayers is not just an unfortunate editing decision. It reveals a counterfeit religion — one that denies Christ's universal kingship and the Church’s missionary mandate. The only remedy is to reject the Novus Ordo religion entirely and return to the traditional Catholic Faith, which prays for the salvation of all, including our “elder brothers” — not by flattery, but by calling them to the one true fold of Christ.