[Jewbacca]

This forum has seen some amazingly hostile threads on the issue of that pope’s role/non-role in the Shoa, largely possible due to lack of solid information.

If there is nothing of concern (and I suspect there is not; given the pope’s situation in Mussolini’s Italy he was effectively impotent) there is no harm in opening the archives.

The openess will put the damper on the rumors that thrive when information is lacking.

[markomalley]

The openess will put the damper on the rumors that thrive when information is lacking.

That is an incredibly naive statement.

Sorry, but it is. People form their opinions and, once formed, do not let facts trouble them. Look at the Global Warming debacle for a classic example (or at any number of FR religion threads).

[ArrogantBustard]

See #4 ... I wonder if any of your friends or neighbours are among the Jews the Church hid or helped to escape ... or perhaps if any are children, grandchildren or great grandchildren of same.

Last I heard, the Archives are open and being catalogued.

[Campion]

The opening of the archives is in progress.

But, no, it won't put a stop to the calumnies against Pius XII, sorry to say, no matter what it contains. For some people, the Pope is guilty until proven innocent, and cannot be proven innocent.