Admittedly John Cornwell's work is polemic in style, as is Daniel Jonah Goldhagen's "A Moral Reckoning." I have both works, in addition to Michael Phayer, Guenter Lewy, Dr. Susan Zuccotti and others. Cornwell's contention that Pope Pius XII, "was instrumental in negotiating an accord that helped the Nazis rise to unhindered power - that sealed the fate of the Jews in Europe," is beyond dispute. 'The abdication of German political Catholicism in 1933, negotiated and imposed from the Vatican by Eugenio Pacelli (later Pope Pius XII) with the agreement of Pope Pius XI, ensured that Nazism could rise unopposed by the most powerful Catholic community in the world', according to Cornwell. "(The) failure to utter a candid word about the Final Solution in progress proclaimed to the world that the Vicar of Christ was not moved to pity and anger. From this point of view he was the ideal Pope for Hitler's unspeakable plan. He was Hitler's pawn. He was Hitler's Pope." Dr. Wistrich disagrees?

This is the religion that is suppose to be supplant Judaism. Anyone who can't see through the pagan compromises of this religion and the absurdity of their designated saints are in deep trouble.

Is there nobody smart and courageous enough among the Zionist PR-specialists who could advise the political establishment that the eternal rehashing of the facts of the Holocaust, rather than making people more receptive to them, slowly makes them more insensible? Many young people of different nationalities interested in international politics -with neither outspoken leftist nor rightist sympathies - say that they are sick and tired of this Holocaust rehashing strategy to justifiy the injustice committed in the name of the Zionist ideology. Is this how you want to impress the future political elites of different countries?

Let us dispense for a moment with Pius XII's failure to act during the war and let's have a look at Pius XII's post-war actions. Here's what he did: Operated a ratline which enabled thousands of wanted war criminals to flee Europe on Vatican passports. Do you think that a Nazi collaborator is deserving of sainthood? Whatever you may say or think about the Vatican's activity (or inactivity) during the War, the fact remains that the Vatican could not claim "ignorance" of the Holocaust from April 1945 on. Several thousand wanted Nazi war criminals were passed from church to church, from monastery to monastery, and ultimately left Europe, largely for Latin America, on passports issued by the Vatican. How do you account for that? It has absolutely nothing to do with Zionism, a subject upon which you have become very much a talking head. By the way, I am still waiting for an answer to my questions to you about Swiss culpability in the theft of Jewish bank accounts, the failure of Swiss insurance companies to honor the fully paid-up insurance policies taken out by desperate Jews in the 1930s, and Swiss accountability for converting to ingots millions of Jewish wedding bands and dental gold. Instead of preaching nonsense, why don't you answer my questions? Is it because you cannot? If that's the case, just come right on out and say that Switzerland behaved unconsionably. Your silence speaks volumes, and does not serve you in good stead.

#3: Your insensitive comments about Jewish feelings against this Pope are so typical of the antisemitic atmosphere in Geneva, Switzerland.

#4: The Sephardic synagogue in Geneva was attacked 1 year ago and severely destroyed by fire. So this SWiss guys comments from Geneva are not surprising.

Your country made money on other nations suffering and funded Nazi regime. I'd better tell us when Switzerland will return stolen in WW2 Jewish treasurers? And, please , don't use Marxist style ridiculous expressions like "Many young people of different nationalities..." You don't represent anybody beside your "sick and tired" personality.

How tiresome it is to listen to these ## 1-3. Hitler entered the second world war with the intention to win all out or go down taking with him as many as possible of his enemies and among the them preferably the Jews. Is there any sane and historically informed person who believes that Pius could have changed Hitler's mind through moral influence or public remonstrations? An open confrontation would in all probability not saved any more Jews but spelled imprisonement and death for many catholics. There certainly is a good argument for silent diplomacy considering the historical situation. Anyhow the Jewish leadership in the U.S. was of the same opinion for a long time. Please at least read Wikipedia articles about Pius and his times before you judge him. Furthermore I would say that it's not up to a non-catholic to reproach Pius if he in a difficult and critical situation thought that his primary concern was the wellfare of his own people and his own church? Otherwise that reproach could easily have the foul smell of hypocrisy.

That is without a doubt the stupidest argument I have ever heard presented. Doesn't your anti-semitic catholic brain have any room for reason. Who was this man? He claims to be and the catholic world declares him to be the vicor of Christ. Where does he have room in that title to reject segments of society in favor of "his people? Are not all people his people in that capacity? An what about doing the right thing? If a man claiming that title is incapable of voicing his opinion to the world of the injustices done to other men of whatever race, then he is totally unfit for the position he claims and holds, not to mention being declared a saint. The evil in your heart that justifies this mans inaction betrays your own and makes you totally unfit to even speak on the subject. You disgust me.

Nazi war criminals AFTER the war!!! When the world had seen what they had done, this "saintly"man begged the international community on behalf of these monsters AND HELPED them escape justice. So talk about bigotry...yes, Pope Pius XII's bigotry against Jews and his "brotherly love for rabid anti-Semites.""

Speaking to a Jewish audience, Pope Benedict's Jewish savior said the following: "(In the final days) all the nations will be gathered before (the king); and he will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and he will put the sheep on his right, and the goats on the left. "Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you.... 'For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited me in; naked, and you clothed me; I was sick, and you visited me; I was in prison, and you came to me.' "Then the righteous will answer him, 'lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you, or thirsty, and give you something to drink? 'And when did we see you a stranger, and invite you in, or naked, and clothe you? 'When did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?' "The king will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of mine (to my fellow Jews), even the least of them, you did it to me.....'

I freaked.....compared to the seventies, on a demagogic level, I thought I was in London

When Germany invaded Denmark, and promulgated the order that all Jews must wear a yellow Jewish star, the good non-Jewish citizens of Denmark stopped the Nazis cold by wearing yellow stars themselves. The vast majority of the concentration camps and death camps were located in very Catholic Poland. What do you suppose might have happened had if the pope announced that it is the duty of all Catholics to come to the aid of the Jews? Think of the impact such a simple announcement might have had in France, Austria and Germany? Are you suggesting, as I think you are in the penultimate paragraph of your post that it was perfectly alrigfht to gas and murder Jews, but the Catholic populations had to be protected at all costs? In the final paragraph of your post, you seem to be telling Jews that whether or not Pius XII is made a saint, it is a topic which Jews cannot address. That would be a two-way street, then, wouldn't it, and the Vatican should refrain from commenting on Israel's actions. Seems perfectly fair to me. If the Vatican wishes to comment on the actions of the State of Israel, they then need to account for their incredible silence during the Second World War and for assisting wanted Nazi war criminals (many of whom were sentenced to death in absentia in war crimes trials) to find new homes, mostly in Latin America, and providing them with Vatican passports. Your argument is not sustainable. It's the Vatican that has the odious smell of hypocrisy.

Has there ever REALLY been actual progress in relations from the Catholic Church? I mean "real" progress on the part of the church except mouthing toothless words?? The world mouths the words "never again" while the world does nothing about Iran? The world turned Israel into Pariahs and in so doing brought to the surface a lying in wait inherent Antisemitism. The Catholic Church pretended. They made no steps!!!

the reason pious is being held up as a "saint" is for his battle with communism - the true enemy of the catholic church. Jews were seen as a secondary thought - collateral damage - insignificant.

Yes, there has been progress. The Church no longer burns Jews at the stake. Other than that, there has been nothing.

So long as the Vatican / Pope supports the establishment of a Muslim-terror state in Israel - that is, the destruction of Israel - I do not believe we've made much progress. Vatican II re-affirms the Church is the "new people of God."

Pope John Paul 2nd was doing good work for Jewish - Catholic rapprochement. I think that's why 150 Jewish dignitaries from around the world came to pay their respects to him before he died. Shame he's gone...the new guy's not in the same league

From 1948 till the 9/10/1958, the state of Israel and all it's rabbis had the chance to pressure His Holiness Pope Pius PP. XII to come up front and explain his alleged anti-semitic activities, did any of them do just that, of course they didn't. Now they are all spouting off when the Vatican is proceeding with it's own business which means, mind your own.While he was alive, you had your chances, now let him rest in peace. You dish the dirt on anybody even on the current Pope, His Holiness Benedictus PP. XVI

All Pius XII's apologists should take a close look at the actions of his immediate predecessor - Pius XI. Pius XI loudly and publicly condemned Nazi racial policies during the 30's. He even had the text of that condemnation smuggled into Germany under the Gestapo's nose so it could be read from every church. Ironically, Pius XII was intimately involved in that effort as the Vatican's chief diplomat before he became pope. Once elevated to pope however, Pius XII lost his moral bearings. He didn't do a thing when Italian Jews were being deported from almost right under his window. He did step up to the plate and rescue another group of WWII refugees - fleeing Nazi war criminals. The Vatican under his watch helped thousands of them escape to S. America.

The Vatican was strong at the time, not like now, and still blamed the Jews collectively for the death of Christ. To take on Pope Pius Xll at that time would probably be like shooting yourself in the foot. What's the problem to open the archives now then if there's nothing to hide? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tayGZfRL8zg&feature=related

The Vatican was strong at the time, not like now, and still blamed the Jews collectively for the death of Christ. To have taken on Pope Pius Xll at that time would have probably been like shooting ourselves in the foot. What's the problem to open the archives now then if there's nothing to hide?

Nobody wants to hear the voice of the preacher in the desert, but neither disparaging him personnally nor sidestepping his unpleasant message by diverting attention from it with the help of hollow remarks, will make this message less pressing and urgent.

No, I'm not a Catholic, but a Christian and for the record I do not in any way condone the massmurder of defenseless civilians, elderly, women and children. Tne political and racial doctrines of National Socialism as well as its abominable historical actions are not in any way compatible with Christian faith and values. Hitler and his regime was the incarnation of evil. It would also have been wonderful to see Pius XII walking the streets of Rome with a yellow star on his coat, but his situation was not the same as the king of Denmark's. That the Danes protected "their" small number of Jews was a minor annoyance to Hitler compared with the use he had of Danish factories and farmers for the German war machine. And in the end the Jews of Denmark had to flee to Sweden to save their lives. My point was and is that Pius XII must be judged in his historical context, with a fair mind and with due consideration to his basic responsibilities the the religious community of which he was the elected leader. If the pope during the war years had openly condemned Hitler and his regime he would have been a serious threat against a desperate regime and been delt with according to that. To those accusers with shrill voices I repeat: why ask more of the Roman pontiff than of the American Jewish leadership? They were certainly very silent for a long time. And please remember that for political reasons Israel and American Jewish organizations have leaned heavily on the congress not to call the Armenian massmurder a genocide in order not to hurt important political relations to Turkey. It's not nice but I can understand the political necessity. A fair judgment of Pius could be that he wasn't up to the political challenges of his times and that he at certain points made the wrong decisions. Being prisoner of his own political and religious convictions his discernment was to some degree clouded. To that he is guilty. He said to little and too late, but in no way did he support the massmurder of innocents. The guilt of being inadequate in the face of Nazism and the holocaust he shares with practically the whole political and religious leadership of his times. Does that count as a merit to sainthood? I don't think so, but I'm not a Catholic. That some clergy were active in helping war criminals to flee justice after the war is to accepted as a historical fact, but the participation of the Vatican and the pope is yet to be proved as far as I know.

That is correct. However, I am not looking for an answer from Jesus; I'm asking you. So far, you have dodged the question rather artlessly, I might add. Unless and until you do come up with an aswer to my perfectly reasonable questions, please expect the overwhelming majority of intelligent and articulate posters here on YNet to discount you entirely as a fraudulent and hypocritical scoundrel. How difficult is that for you to understand?

Thank you for the name-calling! What the Swiss did or didn’t do in the past is none of my business, so don‘t expect me to answer your questions in this respect. For your infomation: many originally biblical expressions have become standard in sport, politics etc, where they have lost any Christian or Jewish meaning. The same holds for the expression ‘the call of the preacher in the desert’. It just refers to someone with a critical outside view on a content of a political or religious belief, a view unpleasant for the blind believers, but still pertinent. The Zionist ideology is such a belief system. I have very good reasons for having chosen it among others as subject of my crtitical observation. One major reason is my worry about the future fate of the Jewish people seriously endangered by the blindness and arrogance of this ideology. Ceterum censeo fraudem ideologiae sionensis esse detegendam.

American Jews strove mightily to acquaint the leadership of the United States with what was happening to the Jews of Europe. To no avail. The United States did not permit ships filled with Jewish refugees to find safe haven in the United States. Not just the United States -- countries in Central and South America refused to accept the Jews, too. The vessels had no choice but to return to Hamburg. Even the British did not allow the vessels into port. But the pope is supposed to embody a higher form of morality, isn't he? He is supposed to be a force for good, not a toadie of evildoers. Moreover, Pius XII was the infallible head of the Roman Catholic Church, not an American congressman. You do appreciate the difference, I trust. The so-called "vicar of Christ" had a moral obligation to speak out against a wrong. Pius XII did not. If you are suggesting, as I think you are, that it was politically unfeasible for Pius XII to address the issue of Jews being murdered by the millions, then he doubly doesn't deserve sainthood. Morality is morality; it has no political or religious affiliation. Pius XII acted amorally. Do you really believe that thousands of Vatican passports could be issued to wanted Nazi war criminals without the pope knowing? I don't know if you are aware of this, but Raoul Wallenberg, a Swede, saved several thousand Jews in Hungary. Swedish passports were issued to these Jews. I used to have no quarrel with Sweden. My work takes me there several times a year (mostly to Malmo), and I have always found the Swedes to be warm and welcoming people. I think the Swedish way of life has been hijacked by a very vocal and belligerent Moslem minority, but that is a subject for another day. To return to the topic at hand -- the Rioman Catholic church issued thousands of Vatican passports to wanted Nazi war criminals. My overarching question, then, is -- why didn't they issue thousands of Vatican passports to the Jews? I do apologize but I do not think I am being excessively harsh on Pius XII. It's just that making him a saint is a direct slap in the face to Jews. I am a first-generation American. Both my parents are concentration camp survivors; both were liberated while still in their teens. Try growing up with no grandparents, aunts, uncles or cousins. Try imagining it, at any rate. How favorably disposed would you be towards someone who COULD have saved millions of lives, yet chose not to?

The fully paid-up life insurance policies are still in effect. Absconded Jewish bank accounts do still belong to the descendants of the people who opened those accounts. The Swiss accepted dental gold and wedding rings which they melted down into ingots which were then shipped to the Third Reich. How can you stand yourself?

Steve, if this new pope represents the "new people of G-d," then you have no idea how grateful I am to have been born a Jew.

Its nice to see you are happy to be a Jew... I think its great that people have confidence in their religious beliefs. Oddly enough, the fact that you refer to yourself as a Jew is great but on another forum on this site I was called an anti semite from a guy because I referred to Jewish people as Jews! In my opinion, many of your comments are fair if you are a Jew but most of what you and many others say on here are unjust and extremely one sided. You believe that only your opinion and your facts are acceptable... thats ok if you want to make a point but I also believe we (as humans) need to try and open our minds to try to accept two sides to a story. Accepting partial information and partial truths for your own benefit is only good for one party. It doesn't make it true just because it suits your opinions. There are things that have been posted on this site from individuals that I think you need to take into consideration but I see you are quick to judge and you are extremely confident that your opinion is the correct one! There have been many many supportive comments made about Pius XII from very prominent and influential Jewish people. Most of them had more information than you or I do today so I believe their opinion is far more valid than ours! Nevertheless, I know you feel strongly based on what I have read so I am probably posting these comments and will be called an anti semite by several people on this site! I can't understand the mentality but it happens all the time. I have read and listened to many discussions about why Pius XII stayed relatively silent but there are also arguments to support that when he did attempt to vocalize his feelings there were immediate repurcussions both within the concentration camps and the church. I am not trying to play tit for tat but over the years, thousands upon thousands of people suffer from the hands of Israelis (although I am strongly in agreeance with the Israeli side) ... sometimes I think far too agressive and a disregard for life! I know this is another discussion but it is happening today and will tomorrow... somehow, in every single discussion with every single Jew... your opinions seem to always be the correct one and the one that matters the most! How can that be possible?