Q,
It's good to see you again. I don't think it's ever a good idea to suggest that xenophobic, triumphalist statements are enlightened. And when the pope speaks his piece it's not exactly the same as you or I doing so. We don't have the same authority. In the same way if the president of the United States called all members of a particular country with somewhat similar values blind we would (hopefully) see a lot of members of the US holding him accountable. But that has nothing to do with my opinion on what the pope said, only my opinion on how you're reacting to what Poh said. My opinion on the pope is from this thread:
http://www.comparative-religion.com/forum/mass-in-latin-again-7519.html
where I said: "I did a little searching around the Catholic blogosphere and it looks like this has been taken a little out of context. It's not that the English mass is being replaced, but that the Latin mass, which had been forbidden, is being allowed for those communities that want it who had unfairly had it taken away. In that light I don't really think the references to Judaism are so heinous. There's nothing enforced to say that they should be said. And most religions have some triumphalist liturgy, including Judaism. See the Aleinu player.
As one catholic blogger pointed out, there are other triumphalist references in Catholic liturgy as well. In her opinion there needs to be a change in those words too, but to me as a Jew it's really not an issue. Jewish-Catholic relations are pretty good. I don't see that changing. Michael Lerner had a very different view but it was only sent via e-mail, followed by affirming comments by a Catholic and then discussion and disagreement from people who didn't like what he originally said. But unfortunately it doesn't seem to have been published to the web, just e-mailed. If anyone would like a copy let me know and I'll fwd it to you."
And Thomas seems to have generally affirmed that read of the pope's statement, which leaves your post as an example of why the pope's words should be taken more seriously than mine or yours or Poh's. There are many who would jump to defend them even if they are triumphalist, demeaning or xenophobic (which in this case I don't believe they were, just a courtesy to those who'd been robbed of their familiar practice.)
Dauer