Catalyst, June 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 New York’s Carnegie Hall. Golda Meir, future Israeli... [Read more...]
NBC’s “Today Show” (3/21/00) DR. DONOHUE: …I think the Catholics have to own up to the fact that they didn’t do enough during the Holocaust. The is a grand collective act of contrition. On the other hand, you know, Catholics are not a punching bag. And there are some people who want to keep upping the ante. It’s like it’s never... [Read more...]
by Robert P. Lockwood April, 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 during the war years. As Golda Meir, future... [Read more...]
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 during the war years. As Golda Meir, future Israeli... [Read more...]
By Ronald Rychlak, Ph.D. (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 of Pope Pius XII and the role of the Vatican in responding to the horror of the Nazi Holocaust during World War II. The committee‘s... [Read more...]
By Robert P. Lockwood (March 2000) Pope John Paul II recently issued a half-hearted apology for Catholics’ failure to oppose the torture and killing of six million Jews during the horrible Holocaust, but at the same time he tried to excuse Pius XII, the pope at the time, for his silence and collaboration.” – Dr. Al Snyder writing... [Read more...]
By Sr. Margherita Marchione, Ph.D. Pope Pius XII was not a German collaborator nor was he pro-Nazi. Neither was he inactive nor silent. As a member of the Catholic Church, I resent the blatant accusations against the diplomacy of the Pope and the Church during World War II. This is not only indecent journalism but it also an injustice toward a man... [Read more...]
by Robert P. Lockwood (3/2000) In October, 1992 Cardinal Paul Poupard presented to Pope John Paul II the results of the papal-requested Pontifical Academy study of the famous 1633 trial of Galileo.1 He reported the study’s conclusion that at the time of the trial, “theologians…. failed to grasp the profound non-literal meaning of the Scriptures... [Read more...]
Today the full House was scheduled to vote on the selection of the new House Chaplain. But House Speaker Dennis Hastert has postponed the vote until next month. Catholic League president William Donohue voiced his concerns over this decision today: “Since Christmas we have known that the full House was scheduled to vote on the House Chaplain on... [Read more...]
In mid-December, within the space of three days, three network television shows featured lines that were offensive to Catholics. In the December 13 episode of the CBS sitcom, “Becker,” there was a segment about a Christmas pageant that revolved around Joseph and Mary. Dr. Becker, played by Ted Danson, at one point told the man dressed as... [Read more...]