One need merely read the accolades that poured in from around the world upon his death in 1958, describing his work on behalf of the Jews of Europe. For close to two decades after the war, Jewish praise and gratitude for Pius XII’s efforts on behalf of European Jewry were virtually unanimous.
Yet, in the here and now, we find him all but kicked to the curb by so many people, including Jews.
If one takes the time to investigate the truth of Pope Pius XII’s pontificate from 1939-1945, there are numerous documents and orders that were secreted out of the Vatican instructing cardinals, bishops, priests and religious communities to do everything possible to assist in spiriting Jews away from the Nazis. The supposed “silence” of Pius XII was a means of protecting his plans to get Jews to safety.
Pius’ decision to quiet things down allowed him to exercise his plan to safeguard Jews without shedding undue light upon the clerics and religious throughout Europe who were doing his bidding to get Jews to safety.
Is it a double-edged sword? Definitely! But it is one that needs to be put into serious context of the time.
Fr. Tim Nelligan,
Ottawa, Ont.
Our world
Re: Year-long program created for encyclical (May 24):
On Page 160 of Laudato Si’, Pope Francis rightly states, “What kind of world do we want to leave to those who come after us, to children who are now growing up?” Here’s our response.
We want a world where parents can transmit the full and uncompromising faith from one generation to next.
We want a world that protects the first human environment, the unborn baby in the womb, in the same way we should protect the Earth from desecration.
We want a world that protects the most vulnerable, the sick, the disabled and the old, not offer them euthanasia in the name of “choice” and “end-of-life care.”
We want schools free of the tyranny of gender identity and the unnecessary sexualization of children.
We want to have the freedom to continue to build the traditional family and marriage as planned by God.
We want a world with the freedom to pray and worship in the public square.
We want a world that respects life as a gift from God; where life is sacred and cannot be ended at will. We want a world where life is the only choice.
Lou Iacobelli,
Toronto
Chinese enablers
I do not wish to sound callous when I say that Canada and her allies must reconsider all dealings with the Chinese regime following the pandemic.
There have been wild speculations about the cause of the coronavirus epidemic. What is logical and demonstrable is that the regime knowingly allowed its infected citizens and foreign tourists to pass its borders, thereby enabling the virus to spread and claim many lives.
The act is a violation of humanitarian and WHO principles. We must ask our governments why they continue to deal with a regime that shows no regard for human life; that uses its profits from Western companies to build up an aggressive military force.
Christopher Mansour,
Barrie, Ont.