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The Southern Cross, Page 4 Thursday, May 4, 2000 By Father Michael J. Kavanaugh he recent visit of Pope John Paul II to the Middle East, and especially to the nation of Israel, was the fulfillment of his own long-held desire to make a pilgrimage as pope to that part of the world which is sacred to Christians, Jews, and Moslems. His visits to a variety of holy places—the Basi lica of the Annunciation in Nazareth, and the Western Wall of the courtyard of the great Temple of Solomon—provided him with an opportunity for personal prayer and reflection during this Jubilee Year in which the focus of the Catholic Church is on forgiveness and reconcilia tion between individuals, communities, nations, and peoples. One of the most moving moments on his jour ney came when John Paul prayed at Yad Vashem, the memorial in Israel to those who were execut ed by the Nazis during World War II. Having lived himself under the persecution of the Nazis (and later the Communists) in his native Poland and having had many Jewish friends during his childhood days in Wadowice, this pope is keenly aware of the sufferings of the Jews and all the “undesirables” targeted by the Nazi regime for extermination. This pilgrimage by a Catholic pope to a site commemorating the Jews who died in World War II understandably stirred up memories and dis cussion of the life of another pope, Pius XII, who was the leader of the Catholic Church from 1939 to 1958. Despite overwhelming documentary evi dence to the contrary, many news stories in a variety of media have perpetuated the myth that Pope Pius XII was “silent” in the face of the effort of the Nazi government to exterminate the Jews, and that he and the Catholic Church may even have given tacit approval to the elimination A tale of two popes of the Jewish people in continental Europe. The evidence, taken directly from the Vatican Archives, has been published in twelve volumes under the title Actes et Documents du Saint-Siege relatifs a la Seconde Guerre Mondiale (The Holy See’s Acts and Documents regarding the Second World War) and proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that Pope Pius XII and the leaders of the Church, especially her diplomatic representatives in virtually every capital city in Europe, actively and forcefully campaigned for peace, for just treatment of prisoners and refugees, and for those persecuted simply because of their ethnicity or religion. “The evidence . . . proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that Pope Pius XII and the leaders of the Church actively and forcefully campaigned for peace, for just treatment of prisoners and refugees, and for, those persecuted simply because of their ethnicity or religion. ” Trained as a diplomat and, therefore, accus tomed to disappointments, refusals, and failures, Pope Pius did not harbor any illusions about his ability to influence the course of evil chosen by the Nazi government in Berlin. Warned by the Red Cross that public protests gained nothing and could actually harm those he was trying to assist, Pius chose a more subtle, and arguably more effective, approach for expressing his opposition to the evils of World War II, including the execution of the Jews. Robert M. W. Kempner, the former United Nations Delegate to the Tribunal of War Crimes at Nuremberg and a person well aware of the mentality of the Nazi leaders, wrote, “Any propa ganda attempt undertaken by the Catholic Church against Hitler’s Reich would not only have been a provoked suicide, but would have hastened the execution of still more Jews and priests.” Pope Pius XII was not silent in the face of the Holocaust or the horrors of World War n. In an editorial published on Christmas Day, 1941, the New York Times praised him for his efforts, say ing, “The voice of Pius XII is a lonely voice in the silence and darkness enveloping Europe this Christmas.... He is about the only ruler left on the continent of Europe who dares to raise is voice at all.” Pius was not an anti-Semite as some have ac cused, nor was he a cooperator with the Nazi regime. In 1937, while serving as the Vatican’s Secretary of State, he helped draft an encyclical for Pope Pius XI condemning Nazism as un- Christian. The encyclical Mit brennender Sorge was smuggled into Germany, printed there, and read from the pulpits of Catholic Churches across the country. Pope John Paul’s visit to the Holy Land in this Jubilee Year of reconciliation has helped push open a door between Christians and Jews that has been barred for centuries by persecution, mis trust, and oppression. False accusations against his predecessor, Pope Pius XII, can only harm this moment of healing and perpetuate animosity and rancor where mutual respect and understand ing should, by God’s grace, prevail. Father Michael J. Kavanaugh is pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes, Port Wentworth, and Saint Boniface, Springfield, as well as diocesan Director of Ecumenism. 601 E. Liberty St. Savannah, GA 31401-5196 Thanks Bishop J. Kevin Boland received the following letter from the Executive Director of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development: Dear Bishop Boland: On behalf of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, I am writ ing to thank you and all of the faithful of the Diocese of Savannah for your very generous contribution of $33,022.96. This support reflects the strong commitment of Catholics in Savannah to helping the poor help themselves to create better lives and stronger communities. Over the past thirty years, through your generous support, the Catholic Campaign has consistently strengthened its efforts to “help people help themselves.” CCHD-funded groups uphold the sacredness of human life and dignity by encouraging self-sufficiency and by alerting all citizens to the root causes of poverty and other injustices in our communities. Among the accomplishments reported by CCHD-funded groups during the past year were: ► Families moved into their first homes in newly constructed affordable housing. ► Young people in the Midwest persuaded their city council to demolish dilapidated buildings that provided haven for drug dealers. ► Coal-mining families worked together to prevent and clean up envi ronmental damage caused by mining. ► Six hundred people from diverse backgrounds in a northeast city met with the mayor and chief of police to improve police/community relations. In his World Day of Peace Message for the Year 2000, Pope John Paul II called on all of us to build peace “day by day with [God’s] help, through FAX: (912) 238-2339 E-mail: DClark5735@aol.com works of justice and love. “At the beginning of a new century, the one issue which most challenges our human and Christian consciences is the poverty of countless millions of men and women ... Let us look at the poor not as a problem, but as peo ple who can become the principal builders of a new and more human future for everyone.” The people of Savannah have joined in solidarity with the poor of our country with their gifts to the Catholic Campaign for Human Develop ment. We are grateful for your leadership and for the invaluable coopera tion of your Diocesan Director, Sister Jacqueline Griffith, SSJ, whose part nership with us makes the CCHD’s mission a reality. This contribution represents a 34% increase over last year's gift. Many thanks to your clergy, religious, and laity for this increase which is essential to meeting the needs of the poor. Gratefully in Our Lord, Rev. Robert J. Vitillo Executive Director Catholic Campaign for Human Development On Elian Dear Editor: I enjoy reading The Southern Cross, and it is past time for me to say so. The editorial regarding the inexcusable SWAT team Miami raid (4/27) should tweak concern in all of us. Thanks for your good work. John Henry Murphy Savannah Letters