It’s been a tough week for Jew/Vatican relations. First, Benedict XVI, His current Holiness (and former member of the Hitler Youth), sparked outrage by trying to elevate Pope Pius XII (aka "Hitler’s Pope") to sainthood. Then, his Pope-ness sent out a press release rationalizing the decision. It explained how Pius #12′s actions aren’t, like, actually relevant to the sainthood process: " . . . 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." Huh.
Look how cute in his little Hitler Youth outfit!
Finally, a US court just dismissed a lawsuit by Holocaust survivors against the Vatican for laundering stolen assets during the war. Keep in mind that the court didn’t actually clear the Vatican of anything. They just upheld a lower court’s ruling that, as a foreign country, Pope-land is immune to such things. Engaging in commercial activities in the US would void the immunity, but the argument didn’t fly.
"The reason we’re disappointed," Attorney Jonathan Levy told reporters, "is that the court found that dealing in gold teeth from concentration camps was not a commercial act."
Things have always been a little shaky with Pope Benedict. Remember how he welcomed that Holocaust-denying Bishop back into the fold? Or when he reinstated the Latin-language Tridentine Mass? Calling for the conversion of Jews, it was reformed about 40 years ago, but Benedict brought it back.
So what else could damage to this already messed-up relationship?
Stay tuned. Next week, the Pope will make communion even more authentic and Christ-like by replacing the wine with the blood of Jewish men. (This would also, incidentally, solve a lot of transubstantiation problems, potentially bringing a few Protestants back to Catholicism.)
About the Author
Steven enjoys alliteration and quirky line drawings. His turn-offs include broken links, enriched uranium and Holocaust denial.
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18 comments
atwar
Dec 31, 2009
This little article is pathetic.
First of all, read Rabbi David Dalin’s famous book “The Myth of Hitler’s Pope” which absolutely annihilates the claim that Pius XII was only a passive and aloof spectator during World War II. Dalin shows that not only did
pavel
Dec 31, 2009
just a sidenote -
[ ] stevenm knows the difference between beatification and canonization.
PeterW
Dec 31, 2009
Zolli converted out of spite, because he was ostracized by the Roman Jewish community. See
PeterW
Dec 31, 2009
On Wednesday, February 14, 1945, the day after Zolli was baptized, Chaplain Meyer Berman of the British Forces and Chaplain Jacob Hochman of the American Forces visited him at home. According to their report (Vorwaerts, March 7, 1945 p. 2), Zolli spoke of
Puck
Jan 3, 2010
Sure Pius was all about saving the Jews, as long as they were willing to convert, see that was the deal he was offering…we’ll hide you, but only if you renounce your faith…otherwise it’s to Roseanne’s Kitchen with you.
Joining the Nazi Youth hardl
onetruechurch
Jan 17, 2010
First of all I think you are forgetting something…..ITS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS. This is an internal Roman Catholic decision. His Holiness should not care how OUR liturgy or OUR saints affect the Jewish people, or any other heretic. We do not concern ou
Puck
Jan 18, 2010
Catholic Church doesn’t concern itself with others internal affairs?
That’ll be quite a news flash to most of the world.
Isn’t there some child somewhere the Pope could better spend his time molesting rather than stirring up inter-faith angst.
onetruechurch
Jan 23, 2010
I said internal affairs of “other religions”. If the “others” you are refering to is the government policies of the world, then you are correct. The Pope has a moral obligation to teach THE FAITH. He is obligated to speak up when the secular world goes a
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Jack
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Pope is now being sued in England, Levy is the solicitor:
http://www.zimbio.com/Pope+Benedict+XVI/articles/W60cn7BKAlf/Pope+Sued+England+Over+Pedophilia