by Robert P. Lockwood (book review, 1/2001) When John Cornwell’s book Hitler’s Pope[1] was released in the United States in 1999 it generated intense media coverage. Cornwell painted Pope Pius XII (1939-1958) as virtually a silent collaborator in the face of Nazi Germany’s "Final Solution." While the alleged "silence" of Pius XII was central to media coverage, Cornwell’s [...]
by William A. Donohue (Catalyst 11/2001) The war on Pius XII hit a new low when Commentary magazine published a piece by Kevin Madigan in its October issue. In the article, "What the Vatican Knew About the Holocaust, and When," Madigan argues, "The Vicar of Christ knew enough, but did not care enough, to speak more forcefully or [...]
by Robert P. Lockwood Pope Pius XII (1939-1958), as Secretary of State to Pius XI and as pope, faced Nazi Germany with a remarkable consistency. The Nazis considered him an implacable foe,(1) and he was hailed both during and after World War II as the strongest voice – often the only voice – speaking out in [...]
by Ronald Rychlak (Catalyst 12/2000) The role of Pope Pius XII during the 1930s and World War II has become a matter of international intrigue. Like most governments, the Vatican, keeps its records closed until after the death of all involved. The files are now open up through 1922. However, due to interest in this era, [...]
by Ronald Rychlak (11/2000) A Response to: The Vatican and the Holocaust: A Preliminary Report by the International Catholic-Jewish Historical Commission By Professor Ronald J. Rychlak, author of Hitler, the War and the Pope(Our Sunday Visitor, 2000) In October 2000, the International Catholic-Jewish Historical Commission released to great publicity a “preliminary report” of its investigation into the actions [...]
By Sr. Margherita Marchione, M.P.F. (11/2000) author of Yours is a Precious Witness: Memoirs of Jews and Catholics in Wartime Italy, (1997) and Pope Pius XII: Architect for Peace, (Paulist Press, 2000). In the last 30 years, above all with the pontificate of John Paul II, giant steps have been made toward progress in dialogue between Jews and Catholics. [...]
by Robert P. Lockwood (Catalyst 6/2000) For nearly 20 years after World War II, Pope Pius XII (1939-1958) was honored by the world for his actions in saving countless Jewish lives in the face of the Nazi Holocaust. His death on October 9, 1958 brought a moment of silence from Leonard Bernstein while he conducted at [...]
by Ronald Rychlak (Catalyst 5/2000) The March 19 broadcast of CBS Television’s "60 Minutes" profiled Hitler’s Pope: The Secret History of Pius XII, by John Cornwell (Viking Press, 1999). As the title suggests, that book presents a very cynical portrait of Pope Pius XII. Like many print reviews, "60 Minutes" started by discussing Cornwell’s claim that he [...]
by Robert P. Lockwood (4/2000) The general charge against Pope Pius XII is that he maintained a “continued attitude of silence” in the face of Nazism and the horror of the Holocaust. Was the Pope silent? Pope Pius XII was not silent in the face of Nazism, either before he was elected pope in 1939 or [...]
by Ronald Rychlak (Catalyst 12/1999) John Cornwell's new book, Hitler's Pope: The Secret History of Pius XII, turns out to be a deeply flawed attack on Pope John Paul II. That's right, the final chapter is actually an attack on the current plaintiff. Cornwell is disturbed by John Paul's "conservative" positions on celibate clergy, women priests, artificial [...]
