A selection of quotes from Steven Kellmeyer's excellent Scriptural Catholicism site (http://catholic-scriptures.homepage.com). One could only hope that such testimony by Jewish individuals would dispel forever the lie that the Popes did nothing to stop the Nazis:

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The Church and the papacy have saved Jews as much and in as far as they could save Christians...Six million of my co-religionists have been murdered by the Nazis, but there could have been many more victims, had it not been for the efficacious intervention of Pius XII. ---- Dr. Raphael Cantoni, Head, Italian Jewish Assistance Committee quoted in Pinchas Lapide, "Three Popes and the Jews", p. 133

We share in the grief of humanity at the passing away of his Holiness Pope Pius XII. In a generation afflicted by wars and discords, he upheld the highest ideals of peace and compassion. When fearful martyrdom came to our people in the decade of the Nazi terror, the voice of the Pope was raised for the victims. The life of our times was enriched by a voice speaking out on the great moral truths above the tumult of daily conflict. We mourn a great servant of peace. --- Golda Meir, cited in Lapide, p. 227.

Only the Catholic Church protested against the Hitlerian onslaught on liberty. Up till then I had not been interested in the Church, but today I felt a great admiration for the Church, which alone has had the courage to struggle for spiritual truth and moral liberty ---Albert Einstein, 1940. Cited in Lapide, p. 251

Pius XII has spoken; Pius XII has condemned; Pius XII has acted... throughout those years of horror, when we listed to Vatican Radio and to the Pope's messages, we felt in communion with the Pope, in helping persecuted Jews and in fighting against Nazi violence. ---Fr. Michel Riquet, S.J. rescuer of six Jewish lives, and inmate of Dachau. Cited in Lapide, p. 254

When armed force ruled well-nigh omnipotent, and morality was at its lowest ebb, Pius XII commanded none of the former and could only appeal to the latter, in confronting, with bare hands, the full might of evil... Unable to cure the sickness of an entire civiliazation... the Pope, unlike many far mightier than he, alleviated, relieved, retrieved, appealed, petitioned - and saved as best he could by his own lights. Who but a prophet or a martyr could have done much more? ---Pinchas Lapide, "Three Popes and the Jews", p. 267

"What cannot be questioned is the integrity, the charity, and the deep commitment to humanity of Pius XII. It is idle to speculate about what more he could have done, for unlike most of the leaders of his day, he did very much." ---Joseph Lichten, International Affairs Dept. for the Anti-Defamation of B'nai B'rith. "Piux XII and the Holocaust. A Reader" p. 31

"No, no I say to you, it is impossible for a Christian to take part in anti-Semitism. It is inadmissible! Through Christ and in Christ we are spiritual progeny of Abraham. Spiritually, we are all Semites." ---Pius XI speaking to a group of German pilgrims, September 20, 1938, quoted in Robert Martin "Spiritual Semites: Catholics and Jews during World War II", p. 18.

"Go bury the delusive hope About His Holiness the Pope. For all he knows concerning Race Would get a schoolboy in disgrace. Old, muddle-headed, doddering, ill, His knowledge is precisely nil. And, gone in years, he can but keep His motley flock of piebald sheep; Since he regards both Blacks and Whites As children all with equal rights, As Christians all (what'er their hues), They're 'spiritually' not but Jews. The Vatican (e'en blockheads know) With verdigris is covered so, And wants, no doubt, the fathful band Of Christians who around it stand As far as 'ghostly welfare' goes To lead 'em by the (hooked) nose. A pretty picture all men know The firm of 'Judah-Rome and Co.' And 'Old Man' e'er can tell the tale And, sure, his pity will not fail. The banner is at last unfurled: 'Chief Rabbi of the Christian world'. ---- Nazi response to Pope Pius XI's September 20, 1938 remarks as translated by J. Derek Holmes in "The Papacy in the Modern World". pp. 116-117

"Repelled by Nazi totalitarianism and racism, [Cardinal Michael von] Faulhaber contributed to the failure of Hitler's Munich putsch (1923)... During the Nazi regime he delivered his famous sermons entitled 'Juadaism, Christianity, and Germany' which emphasized the Jewish background of Christianity and pointed out that the teachings of the New Testament logically followed those of the Old... Throught his sermons until the collapse (1945) of the Third Reich, Faulhaber vigorously criticized Nazism, despite governmental opposition. Attempts on his life were made in 1934 and 1938. Working with the U.S. occupation forces, he received the West German Republic's highest award, the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit" ---- Encyclopedia Britannica, 15th ed., micropaedia, vol. IV, p. 65.

"Fearlessly, [Cardinal Faulhaber] gave his famous series of Advent sermons in 1933 in which the Nazi racial ideology, with its vicious anti-Semitism, was refuted by a scholarly - and simultaneously deeply moving - treatment of the Old Testament. Nothing could have been a more obvious challenge to the Nazis than this exhortation to meditate on the beauties of the Jewish religion and its deep inner relatinoship to Christianity. The Nazis recognized this challenge and prohibited the printed and distribution of the sermons. In addition, they made it obvious that they were watching those who attended the sermons; yet the crowds were so great that loudspeakers had to be installed in two neighboring churches. The courage of their cardinal was, throughout the Hiterl period, a source of inspiration for the people of his archdiocese." ---Mary Alice Gallin, "German Resistance to Hitler: Ethical and Religious Factors", p. 210

"Hitler did not succeed in suppressing all vestiges of personal courage...there exist opponents of Hitler whose strength of sul and integrity is so great that, notwithstanding the calumnies with which the Nazis have tried to smear them, the Germans know that these men risk their lives and liberty...for these men are churchmen. Their every sermon and every pastoral letter is a political event in the Germany of today and no word of them is ever lost...[the German Catholic bishops] whose utternaces are a remarkably frank denunciation of Nazi treatment of the Jews and conquered people and their contempt for individual rights...to all practical intents and purposes Catholic oppostiion to Nazism has been much mor important and articulate than Protestant opposition... The uncomfortable truth is that neither Liberal bourgeoisie nor Labour has bred any anti-Nazi opponents who enjoy even a percentage of the veneration enjoyed by Faulhaber, archbishop of Munich... As a matter of fact, the Nazis have met their only major domestic defeat in their effort to destroy the Christian faith. In the midst of the debris of trade unions, Freemasons, lodges, and of the Socialist and Communist parties which have fallen before Hitelr as if they were papier-mache, organized Christianity still stands." ---Countess Waldeck, Jewish refugee, as quoted in Sir Arnold Lunn's "Is the Catholic Church Anti-Social?" p. 31.

"If we have been rescued; if Jews are still alive in Rome, come with us and thank the Pope in the Vatican." ---Jewish refugee quoted in Lapide, p. 131.

In 1944, Rabbi Zolli, the Chief Rabbi of Rome, and one of the foremost Old Testament scholars in the world, converted to Catholicism, along with his entire family. Rabbi Zolli took the name Eugenio in honor of the man who had demonstrated, by his example, the love of God on earth - the former Eugenio Pacelli, now Pope Pius XII. This spiritual journey is described in "Why I Became a Catholic." Eugenio Zolli died in poverty in 1956.

-- David Palm (djpalm64@yahoo.com), July 15, 1999

Answers

Now, tell me how many "Catholics" fought in this war?

The point being all the great quotes, all the good things done, still does not negate the question, how many?

-- Jamey (jcreel@hcsmail.com), July 16, 1999.

I actually don't know the point of your question. The answer is that many thousands of Catholics fought in the war. I'm guessing that your question has to do with pacifism; we hold that there is such a thing as a just war.

Did the Jehovah's Witnesses have any formal efforts to save Jews during WWII?

-- David Palm (djpalm64@yahoo.com), July 16, 1999.

The Holocaust is very near to my heart for I was in a Jewish home until the age of twelve due to loss of parents. I recall in our home the third floor was re-done into living quarters for the DP's coming to North America. With my own eyes I saw the tatoos of the death camps.

This area of involvement of the Catholic Church condoning the Holocaust etc: is based on fallacy hatred and plain ignorance. To David and others do not start to hurt one another on this topic.

All men were affected All religions were affected All mothers and children were affected. For those who are under the age of fifty you have been given in many cases a Hollywood version. To those of us over fifty we were directly invovled through family members at war.

My point being do not start to flap your gums about some info you have gained fourth hand. This I would find offensive along with other thinking sensitive people.

A play called The Sheriff written in the 60's by a German has done more damage to the Church then most realize. It was simply continued propaganda. The Neo-Naze movement is very strong in this country and has infiltrated all Church groups including Catholics.

Be wary I say of this subject and thank God for the lives we now have. This I implore you as a fellow follower of Jesus Christ The Son Of God The Father.+Peace+

-- jean bouchardRC (jeanb@cwk.imag.net), July 16, 1999.

What harm could possibly come from telling the truth about the Catholic Church and the Holocaust?

-- David Palm (djpalm64@yahoo.com), July 18, 1999.

David - Your are quite right in stating what harm from telling the truth. My concern is the tripe floating around regarding the help the Church gave and their being one of the very few entities who stood up the filth of the times. It is fodder for the fundalmentalists.+Peace+

-- jean bouchardRC (jeanb@cwk.imag.net), July 18, 1999.

David,

In answer to your question about Jehovah's witnesses: In about 1933 a formal letter was written to the Nazi government to aloow the Witnesses to do what they considered The God's work - preaching. Many people use this against them as sidinh with the Nazi's. However, looking at that in that perspective I consider to be hindsight. And, hindsight is 20/20.

Many JW's died in camps along with everyone else. A side note to this is that Witnesses where the only other ones "singled out" by the Nazi's. like the Jews. JW's had to wear a "purple triangle" on their clothing like the Jewish "Star of David."

There were not near as many put to death. Esstaments put the figures between 800-2000. Depending on whose figure's you go by. Of course there were not near as many as the Jewish. Many still died by standing up and not fighting in the Vermach(sp??).

My point about "fighting" is this, after many people found out what was going they refused to fight for Germany. And I do not believe in a "just war."

Catholicism is a huge organization. Many on both sides fought against one-another. Why? Were not they both "Christians?" Or not?

Why didn't the "church" just say to both sides - NO! There wou;d not have been a war - for at least Catholics anyway.

Protestants are just as quilty, so don't get me wrong. And, my point of view is also hindsight.

However, I can say I would not have in Kuwait fighting over oli either!

-- Jamey (jcreel@hcsmail.com), July 19, 1999.

We as followers of Christ surely must realize the agony of the Passion is still with us. Man being such a frail fearful kindred of the Father is still learng to come to Him who will love unconditionally.

History will show us the lessons learned from the Holocaust. I beleive it is already beginning through the handling of the Kosovo thugs. Hitler and his cronies were thugs without honour. +Peace+

-- jean bouchardRC (jeanb@cwk.imag.net), July 20, 1999.

It seems that Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli knew more than we think as diaries from those days are published.

MC Donald's diaries

Exercept from this site at Washington Post:

b> Published: April 22, 2004

WASHINGTON, April 21 - James G. McDonald was an American diplomat who knew every major public figure in the 1930's as Europe and later the rest of the world rushed to war. He was also, it turns out, a dedicated and precise diarist, recording his meetings with Hitler, Mussolini and Roosevelt and detailing his own impressions of Nazi intentions.

The previously unpublicized diaries, numbering more than 10,000 pages, are now in the possession of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and will be made public beginning Thursday. They show, for example, that Mr. McDonald believed as early 1933 that the Nazis were considering the mass killing of Europe's Jews.

The McDonald diaries also provide accounts of his entreaties to Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli, then the Vatican's secretary of state, to help Europe's Jews. Cardinal Pacelli became Pope Pius XII, and his behavior during the Holocaust years has produced its own emotional debate as the Roman Catholic Church considers his eligibility for sainthood.

Mr. McDonald, who spoke German fluently and whose mother was German, toured Germany in April 1933 and reported that a friend of his from Harvard said fellow Nazis were planning the elimination of Jews from Germany.

He met on April 3 with the friend, Ernst (Putzi) Hanfstängl. Mr. Hanfstängl was part of Hitler's entourage and was, according to his own writings, enthralled with the Nazi leader.

...... Five days later, Mr. McDonald met with Hitler in his office and got a softer view. Hitler said he was not making war on Jews as such, but on Communists and Socialists. Like many who met Hitler in that period, Mr. McDonald noted that he had striking, hypnotic eyes.

Weeks after meeting Hitler, Mr. McDonald conferred with Roosevelt in the White House about his views of what was happening in Germany.

Richard D. Breitman, a historian of the Holocaust at American University, said in an interview that the McDonald diaries were not conclusive as to when the Nazis decided on the mass killing of the European Jews. "But they remind people that the idea of killing Jews was there at the beginning of the Nazi regime," he said.

The Nazi leaders generally did not put their plans in writing, fueling the debate over when their full intentions for the Jews became clear. The diaries also show Cardinal Pacelli as someone who expressed sympathy for the Jews to Mr. McDonald, but was mainly concerned with the church's problems with the German government.

After an Aug. 14, 1933, meeting with Cardinal Pacelli, Mr. McDonald wrote to Felix Warburg, a financier and friend, that he was "deeply disappointed in the attitude" of the cardinal. He said that during an hourlong meeting, Cardinal Pacelli was "noncommittal but left me with the definite impression that no vigorous cooperation could be expected from that direction."

But in 1935, after similar meetings, Mr. McDonald recorded that he finally got Cardinal Pacelli's attention when he offered him a quid pro quo; in exchange for helping Jewish refugees from the Saar region, Mr. McDonald offered to help the Vatican deal with a left- wing government in Mexico that was hostile to the church.

Mr. Hochberg, the museum historian, said it appeared that some Catholics did help Jewish refugees after a referendum in which the Saar voted to join Germany, but that it was unclear if Cardinal Pacelli played any role. Nor is there any evidence, he said, that the Vatican received help in dealing with the Mexican government.

The Christian Yahwist

-- Elpidio gonzalez (egonval@yahoo.com), April 21, 2004.