Post by Marya Dabrowski on Apr 23, 2017 14:11:06 GMT -5
From the book Yours is a Precious Witness, which tells of Italian Catholics during WWII
Cardinal Paolo Dezza, S.J., summarized a very confidential report of an audience with Pope Pius XII. It appeared in the June 26, 1981, issue of the Osservatore della Domenica: "In December of 1942, I gave a retreat for the Holy Father in the Vatican. On that occasion I had a long audience in which Pius XII, speaking about the Nazi atrocities in Germany and in the other occupied countries, manifested his sorrow, his anguish. He said: 'They lament that the Pope does not speak. But the Pope cannot speak. If he were to speak, things would be worse.' And he reminded me that he had recently sent three letters in which he deplored the Nazi atrocities: one to the person he defined as 'the heroic Archbishop of Cracow,' the future Cardinal Sapieha, and the others to two bishiops in Poland. 'They responded,' he said, 'thanking me, but telling me that they could not publish those letters because it would aggravate the situation.' And he cited the example of Pius X who, when confronted with a problem in Russia, said: "You must keep silence in order to avoid worse evils."'
"And even on this occasion, the inaccuracy of those who say that he kept silence because he wanted to support the Nazis against the Russians and Communism appears very clear. I recall that he told me: 'Yes, the danger of Communism exists; however, at this moment the danger of Nazism is greater.' And he spoke to me about what the Nazis would do if they were victorious. I remember he used the phrase: 'The want to destroy the Church and crush her like a toad. For the Pope there will be no place in the new Europe. They say that he should go to America. But I am not afraid and I shall remain here.' And he said this in a very firm and sure manner that one could clearly understand that if the Pope kept silence, it was not for fear or personal interest, but only just for fear of aggravating the situation of the oppressed. While speaking to me about the threats of invasion of the Vatican, he was absolutely tranquil, certain ,trusting in Providence. Speaking to me about speaking out he was full of angish. 'If I speak,' he felt, 'I shall harm them.'"
"Therefore, even if historically one could discuss whether it would have been better to speak more or speak more strongly, what is beyond discussion is that if Pope Pius XII did not speak more strongly it was purely for this reason, not for fear or any other interest.
"The other part of the conversation that impressed me was that he spoke about all he had done and was doing to help the oppressed. I recall that he spoke about the first steps he attempted to make, in agreement with the German cardinals, but with no results; then about the conversations he had with Ribbentrop when he came to Rome, but with no results. At any rate he continued to do whatever he could. His one preoccupation was to avoid entering into political or military questions and to remain within the sphere of that which was the duty of the Holy See. In this regard, I recall that when the Germans occupied Rome in 1943 (I was rector of the Pontifical Gregorian University and it was I who accpted the refugees), Pius XII said to me: 'Father, avoid accepting the military because, since the Gregoriana is a pontifical house and belongs to the Holy See, we must be out of politics. But for the others, help them willingly; poor, persecuted Jews.'"
"And even on this occasion, the inaccuracy of those who say that he kept silence because he wanted to support the Nazis against the Russians and Communism appears very clear. I recall that he told me: 'Yes, the danger of Communism exists; however, at this moment the danger of Nazism is greater.' And he spoke to me about what the Nazis would do if they were victorious. I remember he used the phrase: 'The want to destroy the Church and crush her like a toad. For the Pope there will be no place in the new Europe. They say that he should go to America. But I am not afraid and I shall remain here.' And he said this in a very firm and sure manner that one could clearly understand that if the Pope kept silence, it was not for fear or personal interest, but only just for fear of aggravating the situation of the oppressed. While speaking to me about the threats of invasion of the Vatican, he was absolutely tranquil, certain ,trusting in Providence. Speaking to me about speaking out he was full of angish. 'If I speak,' he felt, 'I shall harm them.'"
"Therefore, even if historically one could discuss whether it would have been better to speak more or speak more strongly, what is beyond discussion is that if Pope Pius XII did not speak more strongly it was purely for this reason, not for fear or any other interest.
"The other part of the conversation that impressed me was that he spoke about all he had done and was doing to help the oppressed. I recall that he spoke about the first steps he attempted to make, in agreement with the German cardinals, but with no results; then about the conversations he had with Ribbentrop when he came to Rome, but with no results. At any rate he continued to do whatever he could. His one preoccupation was to avoid entering into political or military questions and to remain within the sphere of that which was the duty of the Holy See. In this regard, I recall that when the Germans occupied Rome in 1943 (I was rector of the Pontifical Gregorian University and it was I who accpted the refugees), Pius XII said to me: 'Father, avoid accepting the military because, since the Gregoriana is a pontifical house and belongs to the Holy See, we must be out of politics. But for the others, help them willingly; poor, persecuted Jews.'"