The January/February edition of Catalyst carried a story on the launching of the Catholic-Jewish Holocaust Commission. In it we noted that one of the Catholic scholars, Father John Morley, had labeled the work of Father Peter Gumpel, the realtor of the cause of Pius XII, as being “biased.” As we now know from Father Morley, the context in which the “biased” remark was made is quite different from what was conveyed.
Father Morley has expressly said that he has “admiration for his [Father Gumpel’s] dedication and years of research.” The “biased” comment was made in reference to Father Morley congratulating Father Gumpel for being positively biased toward the good cause of promoting the virtue of Pius XII. There is, of course, a world of difference between John Cornwell’s negative bias against Pius XII, and a bias born of admiration.
We are sorry for conveying the wrong message, and we wish Father Morley, who teaches in the Department of Religious Studies at Seton Hall University, all the best in his work dealing with this sensitive subject. We are also proud to note that Father Morley is a member of the Catholic League.
