The sick anti-Catholic fetish continues.
Posted on 09/18/2008 4:09:34 PM PDT by tcg
When one approaches the figure of Pius XII "free from ideological prejudices", one must recognize his "courageous and paternal dedication" to saving, wherever possible, the greatest possible number of Jews, which included working "secretly and silently". A congress organized by the Pave the Way Foundation 50 years after the death of Pope Pacelli gave Benedict XVI the opportunity to recall the "historical truth" about Pius XII's efforts to save Jews, which were recognized after the war by many Jewish figures, including 80 delegates of concentration camp survivors.
"So much has been written and said" about Pius XII, the pope noted, over the past five decades, "and not all of the genuine facets of his diverse pastoral activity have been examined in a just light". "When one draws close to this noble Pope, free from ideological prejudices", he continued, "in addition to being struck by his lofty spiritual and human character one is also captivated by the example of his life and the extraordinary richness of his teaching. One can also come to appreciate the human wisdom and pastoral intensity which guided him in his long years of ministry, especially in providing organized assistance to the Jewish people".
"Thanks to the vast quantity of documented material which you have gathered", Benedict XVI told those present, "supported by many authoritative testimonies, your symposium offers to the public forum the possibility of knowing more fully what Pius XII achieved for the Jews persecuted by the Nazi and fascist regimes.
(Excerpt) Read more at catholic.org ...
“...it is up to them to provide solid, verifiable historical evidence for the claims that they are making...”
Yes, indeed.
Cornwell is a known anti-Catholic liar.
This, I think, summarizes the whole crux of the matter. Pius XII worked behind the scenes to help as many Jews as possible escape persecution. If had spoken out publicly, he would have undermined these efforts and would have invited even more Nazi reprisals upon the Jews.
Those who criticize Pius XII for supposedly remaining silent or doing "nothing" are ignorant of history and they lack any real perspective on what the circumstances of those times were like. They think that words would have ended the Holocaust but, in reality, it was the Allies' defeat of the Nazis that ended the Holocaust. Unfortunately, the Pope didn't have an army at his disposal but he did what he could do in a very real and practical way to aid the victims of the war, including the Jews.
This is correct.-—I know from ones who lived that time in history. I happened to be a “gentile” in a large city high school that was comprised of about 95% Jewish kids, whose parents had been fortunate enough to escape the horrors of the Third Reich, but had been forced to leave relatives behind. Mingling with them and their parents, I learned of many things first-hand. My experience of sharing in their stories has been a great benefit for me. I also know personally of a number of them who converted to the Catholic Church in light of what they endured.
Of course I have given away my age saying that I was in high school at that time!
God bless.
ROE
Revisionist history is Rome's specialty. Six million Jews died right under that Roman nose.
The sick anti-Catholic fetish continues.
After Hitler came to power in January 1933, he made the concordat negotiations with Pacelli a priority. The negotiations proceeded over six months with constant shuttle diplomacy between the Vatican and Berlin. Hitler spent more time on this treaty than on any other item of foreign diplomacy during his dictatorship. The Reich Concordat granted Pacelli the right to impose the new Code of Canon Law on Catholics in Germany and promised a number of measures favorable to Catholic education, including new schools. In exchange, Pacelli collaborated in the withdrawal of Catholics from political and social activity. The negotiations were conducted in secret by Pacelli, Kaas, and Hitler's deputy chancellor, Franz von Papen, over the heads of German bishops and the faithful. The Catholic Church in Germany had no say in setting the conditions. In the end, Hitler insisted that his signature on the concordat would depend on the Center Party's voting for the Enabling Act, the legislation that was to give him dictatorial powers. It was Kaas, chairman of the party but completely in thrall to Pacelli, who bullied the delegates into acceptance. Next, Hitler insisted on the "voluntary" disbanding of the Center Party, the last truly parliamentary force in Germany. Again, Pacelli was the prime mover in this tragic Catholic surrender. The fact that the party voluntarily disbanded itself, rather than go down fighting, had a profound psychological effect, depriving Germany of the last democratic focus of potential noncompliance and resistance: In the political vacuum created by its surrender, Catholics in the millions joined the Nazi Party, believing that it had the support of the Pope. The German bishops capitulated to Pacelli's policy of centralization, and German Catholic democrats found themselves politically leaderless. After the Reich Concordat was signed, Pacelli declared it an unparalleled triumph for the Holy See. In an article in L 'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican-controlled newspaper, he announced that the treaty, indicated the total recognition and acceptance of the church's law by the German state. But Hitler was the true victor and the Jews were the concordat's first victims. On July 14, 1933, after the initialing of the treaty, the Cabinet minutes record Hitler as saying that the concordat hadcreated an atmosphere of confidence that would be "especially significant in the struggle against international Jewry." He was claiming that the Catholic Church had publicly given its blessing, at home and abroad, to the policies of National Socialism, including its anti-Semitic stand. At the same time, under the terms of the concordat, Catholic criticism of acts deemed political by the Nazis, could now be regarded as "foreign interference." The great German Catholic Church, at the insistence of Rome, fell silent. In the future all complaints against the Nazis would be channeled through Pacelli......Hitler proved to be the only chancellor prepared to grant Pacelli the sort of authoritarian concordat he was seeking. But the price was to be catastrophic for Catholic Germany and for Germany as a whole.
What Cornwell discovered sickened him. To his credit, he wrote the truth.
I think it was Harleyd who said last week that because Rome concocted its "infallibility" doctrine, Rome can NEVER admit to a mistake, and thus Rome is destined to pridefully repeat its many errors.
Reformata et semper reformanda. Post tenebras lux.
“I don’t know if it is just “ignorant” slander or deliberate slander. I just know that Pope Pius the XII has been unjustly and wrongfully vilified on this forum.”
As a neutral observer here I just wonder how or what the Pope could have done? From what I understand the holocaust was barely acknowledged by any interested parties. Apparently there was a real lack of information, so why blame a Pope for something that even the Allies were either unaware of not interested in?
As a neutral observer
I doubt this is a subject any of us should be "neutral" about. Certainly not many people in power in the 1930's were "neutral" either.
I’m neutral in terms of being able to judge the actions of the Pope.
******************
Indeed. The Pope, after all, has no armies. That being said, it is my understanding that he did a great deal, albeit for the most part behind the scenes.
This particlar thread subject has been brought up numerous times. The same arguments against the life and character of Pope Pius XII have been dredged up numerous times. Those who have made an effort to bring accuracy to the story have been brushed off and ignored.
It has always been my understanding that there is a moral obligation for people who claim to belong to Christ Jesus to adhere to truth in all things insofar as they are able to do so—that is is ignoble to participate in character assassination without certain proof and clear necessity.
It’s not only tiresome but distressing to see unsubstantiated accusations being made repeatedly.
Submission is not the answer to such tactics.
In God’s good time, “All that is hidden will be revealed”.
I could not agree more.
One who engages in continued outright lying to destroy the name of a holy man, who’s very actions demonstrated the love of Christ in action, has no claim to the name Christian.
This hatred of everything related to Christ’s Church, the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, is emblematic of a very sick heart.
It is incumbent upon us all to pray for such as these that their hearts be converted to Christ.
Indeed. This is a doctrine that was developed late, has no support in early or mid century writings, and even the Orthodox have never supported it. It is also probably one of the biggest mistakes the Church has ever made. Now they cannot admit they need to revisit a particular Church teaching. Just read some of the teachings around the 13th century and you can understand the problems the Catholics have. Any Catholics want to join the Crusades and fight against the Muslims? Most of official Church doctrine are never talked about and certainly never discussed. (Look at what happened to the Pope in Germany.)
If the Church wishes to change a doctrine like the Atonement, they simply have someone write some gooblely-gook, another modify the idea, then another, and then after three or four hundred years-POOF-the Church fathers have been in agreement all the time. Errors upon errors.
So is Nancy Pelosi. It turns out this is not a good measure of Catholic knowledge, especially when ulterior motives are afoot.
...whom Rome trusted with unparalleled access to "secret Vatican files."
It's an outright lie.
This is fitting, since Cornwell is a liar.
Christ promised to preserve the Catholic Church from error, and the Holy Spirit guides Her to keep this promise.
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