Robert Leiber, the personal secretary of the Pope, received a letter from Lother Koenig, a Jesuit who participated in the German anti-Nazi resistance. As many as 6,000 Jews and Poles were being killed every day at the Belzec camp near Rava-Ruska, a town that was once in Poland but is now in western Ukraine, according to Koenig.
Source: The Guardian
The letter casts doubt on the Catholic Church’s assertion that it was unable to condemn Nazi atrocities because it was unable to confirm reports brought to the Vatican by British and Polish envoys.
It is now clear that Pius XII, after receiving a thorough report from a reasonably reliable source, decided to keep quiet. Pius XII either read the letter directly or received information about its contents via his right-hand man, Leiber, according to Vatican archivist Giovanni Coco.
Why did the mighty Pope stand by and do nothing when the terrible atrocities were committed? He was most likely afraid that if he spoke out, the Nazis would attack Catholics. It’s also likely that he thought the Axis would triumph in the conflict. Perhaps he only feared for his own safety.
Source: First Post
In any case, by remaining silent, he gave the Nazis more license to commit their heinous crimes against humanity. ‘Then they came for the Jews/And I did not cry out/Because I was not a Jew/Then they came for me/And there was no one left/To speak out for me,’ German pastor Martin Niemu00f6ller said, appropriately highlighting the guilt of those who remained silent. It’s time for the Vatican to examine Pius XII’s actions during the Holocaust openly and objectively. No matter how unpleasant it may be, the truth must be revealed.
What do you think about this? Comment below.
