Vatican defends Pope Pius XII against Jewish criticism

December 23, 2009

Responding to public complaints by some Jewish leaders, the Vatican has released a statement explaining that by declaring Pope Pius XII “venerable,” the Church does not intend to cut off critical discussion of policy decisions that Pontiff made during World War II. At the same time the Vatican statement defends Pope Pius XII against charges that he failed to defend Jewish people from the Holocaust.

The Vatican statement, released on December 23 by Father Federico Lombardi, the director of the Vatican press office, suggests that the process leading to beatification is generally understood by knowledgable Catholics, but “may merit certain explanation for the larger public, in particular the Jewish public who are understandably very sensitive to all things concerning the historical period of World War II and the Holocaust.”

In declaring that an individual practiced “heroic virtue,” the Vatican statement continues, the Church is affirming “the witness of Christian life that the person showed,” but not necessarily commenting in any way on “the historical impact of all his operative decisions.” Citing the words of the late Pope John Paul II—spoken as he explained the beatification of another controversial Pontiff, Pope Pius IX—the statement said:

In beatifying one of her sons, the Church does not celebrate the specific historical decisions he may have made, but rather points to him as someone to be imitated and venerated because of his virtues, in praise of the divine grace which shines resplendently in them.

The Vatican statement welcomed a continued study of the role that Pope Pius XII played during World War II. However the statement pointed out: “In any case, Pius XII's attention to and concern for the fate of the Jews-- something which is certainly relevant in the evaluation of his virtues-- are widely testified and recognized, also by many Jews.”

The Vatican also said that although Popes John Paul II and Pius XII were declared venerable on the same day, their causes for beatification are separate, and there is “no reason to imagine that any future beatification will take place together.”

 

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Further information:

• Note concerning Decree on the Heroic Virtues of Pius XII (VIS)
• SPECIAL: Popes Pius XII, John Paul II declared 'venerable' (CWN, Dec 12/19)
• Jewish leaders criticize declaration of Pius XII’s heroic virtue (CWN, 12/21)