I read with great interest the review of Professor Gavin D'Costa's book Vatican II: Catholic Doctrines on Jews and Muslims (22 November). However I was greatly surprised that there was no mention of the most important Vatican decision about Jews in modern history. I refer of course to the suppression of the Feast of the Circumcision of Jesus on 1 January. It was done discreetly and without explanation; that is to say the festival was simply absent from the Missal which promulgated the reformed Roman Rite a few years after the Council.
The omission is all the more surprising since it was one of the oldest festivals in our liturgy. It is so ancient that it antedates all the major divisions of Christendom, and is still celebrated by the Anglican, Lutheran and Orthodox Churches, to mention only the best known.
Its significance theologically and didactically was that until the latter half of the twentieth century, one billion or so Catholics were reminded once a year that Jesus was a Jew by religion as well as by race. Liturgy is a far more effective way of teaching people than conciliar Decrees, particularly as the Catholic Church values the presence of many millions of illiterate members within our ranks. The removal of that festival from the annual liturgical cycle will eventually outweigh the effect of any favourable statements about Jews in the Conciliar documents.
One hopes sincerely that it was not a latter day manifestation of anti-Semitism, which has already done far too much damage in the history of our Church.
Dr Michael M. Winter, London N19
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