Religion: Easier for Converts

Roman Catholic ritual is growing more and more diplomatic. The late Pope Pius XII changed the translation of Latin liturgy for Good Friday from “Let us pray for the perfidious Jews [Oremus pro perfidis Judaeis]” to “Let us pray for the unbelieving Jews” (the sense perfidis once had). The present Pope dropped the qualifying word entirely. Last week the Vatican announced that at Pope John’s direction the term perfidy will also be eliminated from the ritual used in baptizing adults from Judaism and other non-Catholic faiths.

The Sacred Congregation of Rites is considering other changes in the baptismal liturgy. Under the old formula, codified in 1614, the priest called upon ex-pagans to “hold idols in horror, reject images,” ex-Jews to “hold in horror and reject Hebrew superstition,” ex-Moslems to “reject the wicked sect of infidelity,” and ex-Protestants to “hold in horror wicked heresy, reject the nefarious sect of impious [name of denomination].” To make things easier for converts, much of this language may soon be toned down.