Wiesenthal Center: Modifying Latin Mass Would Be Gesture Of Respect To Other Faiths

WIESENTHAL CENTER: MODIFYING LATIN MASS WOULD BE“GESTURE OF RESPECT TO OTHER FAITHS”

Following a press report today, the Simon Wiesenthal Center expressed hope that Pope Benedict will modifythe segment of the Latin Good Friday Mass that is offensive to Jews. The said liturgy asks God to remove the "veil" from Jewish hearts so that they would recognize JesusChrist and also speaks of the "blindness" of the Jewish people so that they can "be delivered from their darkness."

"Such a decision by the Pope will be welcomed as a gesture of respect and understanding for Judaism and other faiths and will show the Jewish community that the warm relationshipestablished by Pope Benedict's predecessor continues," said Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center is one of the largest international Jewish human rights organizations with over400,000 member families in the United States. It is an NGO at international agencies including the United Nations, UNESCO, the OSCE, and the Council ofEurope.

For more information, contact the Center's Public Relations department, 310-772-2468.