Pope Benedict on Saturday put his wartime predecessor Pope Pius XII, accused by Jews of turning a blind eye to the Holocaust, back on the road to Roman Catholic sainthood.
VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict on Saturday put his wartime predecessor Pope Pius XII, accused by Jews of turning a blind eye to the Holocaust, back on the road to Roman Catholic sainthood.
Jewish groups had asked the pope to freeze the process that could lead to eventual sainthood until more Second World War archives could be studied.
The pope approved a decree on Saturday recognising Pius’ “heroic virtues”, meaning he will have the title “venerable”. It puts Pius two steps away from sainthood. First he must be beatified and then canonised.
Elan Steinberg, vice president of the American Gathering of Jewish Holocaust Survivors and their Descendants, called the decision “profoundly insensitive and thoughtless”, coming a day after the site of the Auschwitz death camp was desecrated.
He was referring to Friday’s theft of the notorious metal sign above the entrance of the former Nazi death camp that reads “arbeit macht frei” (Work Makes You Free).
“We are left bereft in our feelings,” Steinberg told Reuters from New York, adding that it went against private assurances the Vatican had given the Jewish community.
“I am puzzled and concerned by the decision, especially as it seems rather undiplomatic in light of the pending visit of the Pope to the Rome synagogue in three weeks’ time,” Rabbi David Rosen, International Director of Inter-religious Relations of the American Jewish Committee, told Reuters.
Tags: Church Life, Israel
December 21st, 2009 at 1:26 pm
Many of my best friends were brought up in the Roman tradition, but they have been programmed down the decades to view the Orthodox and various Reformed Faiths – from Moravoians to Methodoists – as separatewd brethren. In all fairness, things have altered to what they once were. when I was young. For example:It is no longer a sin for Romans to enter Non Roman church services. We are no longer viewed as heretics to feel pity for but rather, today, as fellow Christyians who have somehow wanmdered from the, assumed, only true church – supposedly? – founded on Peter!
Well, from the clear teachings of the New Testament, the true Church of Christ had James as it’s first among equials! Its Council – under the guidamnce of the Holy Spirit, had Peter sent off to Babylon which was a centre of Jewish culture outide of Palestine. It was Paul who received his commision to evangelise the Gentiles, and he appropriately found himself in Rome – where he was eventually martyred. No mention is made of any apostles coming to his rescue there. He prayed that such sinfulness would not be apportioned to them! Well, if Peter had been the first bishop of Rome – for no less than 25 years! – then why on earth did he not come to defend and confort his fellow apostle in the time of his need?
The fact is that the whole Roman concept of Pius the 12th being in direct succession to Peter the fisherman – the one who was married and affirmed: ‘silver and gold I have none; but what power I haver I give you. In the name of Jesus of Nazareth: take up your matress and start walking again’ Well, his possesions and power were in marked contrast to either Pius the 12th or Benedict! These appear to deck themselves with scarlet and gold, but cannot make the lame walk!
No disrespects – and I don’t wish to be uncharitable – but there is surely a great chasm between the life style, teachings and example of the Roman hieracrchy and that of the lowly yet militant Jesus Of Nazareth And as for the claims of their branch of Christendom, it appears in much marked contrast to that of the earliest of churches: which was founded on the confession of Peter – not Peter himself! – when Peter had affirmed to Jesus: ‘You are the messiah, and the son of the living God’.
John Cornwall’s book: Hotler’s Pope, is well worthy of reading by my Roman catholic friends. We can all learn from each other, and – of couirse – John Cornwallis an ex Jesuit priest and – as far as I know – still in fellowship with his church. We need to show true charity to one another as fellow Christians; and we need to be able to show where we agree on basics necessary for salvation; and on lesser points to agree to differ. Folk such as John Cornwall SJ, are to be admired rather than tortured on a rack as would have been the practice of an assumed infallible church concerning faith and morals. during past centuries
Yes, much of the past bigotry has gone and I’m glad to say that not only are New Testament practising Christians no longer being degradred – at the least – as heretics; but we now find many Protestant hymns regularly used in the Roman churches!
Indeed, it is my opinion that whereas Pope John the 23rd was a breath of fresh air, and cut out a whole lot of past unbiblical; practice, following on from Pius the 12th; very sadly, this Pope is undoing such work and taking his adherents back towards the dark ages of bigotry and enslavement.
With blessings upon all of you!