The Church and two dictators

From Robert Whitcomb's "Digital Diary,'' in GoLocal24.com

David I. Kertzer’s?latest book, The Pope at War: The Secret History of Pius XII, Mussolini, and Hitler, is distressing.?Mr. Kertzer is a professor of social science, anthropology and Italian studies at?Brown University.

Based on his meticulous research, some of it made possible by the estimable Pope Francis’s?recent brave opening up of Vatican archives, the book displays?Fascist-friendly Pius XII’s obsession with protecting the power, property and prerogatives of the Vatican instead of keeping the teachings of Jesus front and center. But yes, you can understand his fear.

As for the Holocaust, Pius XII’s main concern was saving Jews who had converted to Catholicism or were children of Catholic-Jewish “mixed marriages.’’ Some converts became Catholic because they had come to sincerely accept the Church’s teachings, but many, probably most,?because they were trying to save themselves and their children from being murdered by the Nazis and their allies.

Pius XII – a curious mix of narcissism, asceticism,?workaholism, timidity, power drive?and industrial-strength hypocrisy -- kept mostly mum and vague about the mass murder of Europe’s Jews. But then, he had very fond feelings for Germany. And now he’s headed for sainthood….

If only Pius XII’s immediate predecessor, Pius XI, who strongly spoke out against Fascist (Mussolini) and Nazi (Hitler) tyranny, hadn’t died shortly before World War II broke out with the Nazi invasion of Poland.

I’ve often had deep distrust of organized, bureaucratic religion. Mr. Kertzer’s book amplified that. ?All too often some religious organizations’ main interest is in perpetuating their political and economic powers above all else. Consider those rich Trump-the-Traitor-worshipping “evangelist” con men with their mega churches and TV shows….