Silent, Pope Pius XII and the Roman Catholic Church were not.
Pope Pius XII and the Roman Catholic Church did much throughout the war to bring the worlds attention to the plight of the Jews of Europe, to reverse the genocidal policies and practices of Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy and the regimes operating in the conquered countries of Europe, and to assist tens of thousands of Jews to survive and escape these regimes and their death camps. This is proved simply by looking at the New York Times of the period. The Times reported that the pope was not silent concerning the Jews, and applauded him for what he did do and say--often. Whatever the editorial policy of the Times or the background of the reporters and their work, the newspaper itself proved that the pope was not silent, and that the Church was quite active during the war.
Following the war, numerous tributes were made to the Pope by members of the Jewish Community world-wide. On December 1, 1944 the Times reported that the World Jewish Congress publicly thanked the Holy Sees protection of Jews, especially in Hungary; in October, 1945, the World Jewish Congress made a financial gift to the Vatican in recognition of the Vaticans work to save the Jews; in May, 1955, the Israel Philharmonic played at the Vatican as a gesture of thanks to the pope for his services to Jews during the war. At the popes death, numerous tributes were made, so many that the Times could list only the names of their authors in the October 9, 10, and 11 issues. For example, in the October 9, 1958 issue: Rabbi Maurice N. Eisendrath, President of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (p. 24, 2); the Synagogue Council of America (p. 21, 12); in the October 9, 1958 issue: Bernard Baruch; Rabbi Theodore L. Adams, president of the Synagogue Council of America; Irving M. Engel, president of he American Jewish Committee, and Jacob Blaustein and Joseph M. Proshauer, honorary presidents, (p. 12, 1); Rabbi Joachim Prinz, president of the American Jewish Congress; Dr. Israel Goldstein, chairman of the Western Hemisphere Executive of the World Jewish Congress; Rabbi Alan Steinech, president of the New York Board of Rabbis; Mrs. Moise S. Cahn, president of the National Council of Jewish Women; Rabbi Jacob P. Rudin, president of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, (p.12, 1); in the October 10, 1958 issue: Rabbi Emanual Rockman, president of the Rabbinical Council of America; Isaac H. Herzog (p. 13, 2); October 11, 1958 issue among the tributes was one by the Jewish Labor Committee (p. 2, 5). All referred to the work the Pope and the Vatican had done to save the Jew and humanity during the Second World War. In the October 12, 1958 number, the Times reported the numerous memorial services for the late pope in the synagogues of New York City. (p. 5, 1-2) On October 10, 1958, the Times reported that Leonard Bernstein began the performance of the New York Philharmonic the previous evening with a tribute by Harold C. Schonberg, and by Mr. Bernstein asking the audience to stand in silence for one minute, in tribute to Pius XII. (p. 35, 4)
Among the very many tributes to Pope Pius XII printed or mentioned by the Times, there was only one negative, coming from Paris. The communist official organ LHumanite accused the late pope of allowing his doctrinal condemnation of Marxist atheism to be transformed into an arm of anti-Soviet policy in Europe and the world. While the pope had spoken out against the arms race, the communist paper contended, criticism should be made against the pope for not having taken a stand against the Nazi concentration camps during the war. (N.Y. Times, October 11, 1958, p. 2, 4-5) The origin of the false accusation that Pope Pius XII had been silent concerning the Holocaust, was Soviet Russia. It was propaganda for communist ends.
As seen in the news reports and editorials of the New York Times during the war years, contemporary evidence shows everyone knew the pope was speaking about the Jews in his numerous condemnations of Nazi policies. It was clear the pope was speaking about their situation and trials, but in religious terms. He spoke on a higher moral level than merely condemning individual actions. The condemnations were clear, and were understood by his contemporaries. The pope and the Church had not been silent.
The efforts to save the Jews by Popes Pius XI and Pius XII, and by the Catholic hierarchies of Europe were only part of a greater good the Church tried to accomplish: the protection of all human persons. This was threatened by the enslavement by totalitarian governments of all peoples of the world. The attempted extermination of the Jews and of the Church by the Nazi government was very real. The Churchs work was to uphold and defend the foundational truth that the human person is the image of God.
Stalins cynical question about the popes power was an important one: How many divisions has the Pope? Stalin was correct then and now: the pope may condemn moral wrongs in the world, but he has no military might to support his words. Pius XII did strongly and clearly condemn the Nazi and Fascist government extermination of the European Jewish community. But he had only words and prayers in his armory. Hitler was moved by neither; he respected only guns and armies. None but Hitler and the Allied forces could stop the killing. Hitler refused; the Allies arrived too late.
We must never forget the tragedy of the Holocaust of World War II. We must, likewise, never forget the efforts of Pius XI and Pius XII to save the Jews and to save mankind from debasement and destruction at the hands of the Nazi machine and the totalitarian governments.
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. Plus I am not realy in the mood to refute that anti-Catholic tripe.
