Direct order from Pius XII to protect Jews uncovered by researchers

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Pope Pius XII

Rome, Italy, Mar 6, 2009 / 01:52 pm (CNA).- Father Peter Gumpel, the promoter of Pope Pius XII’s cause of beatification, revealed this week that he has uncovered new proof of the Pope’s efforts to protect Jews from the Nazis. The evidence consists of a note from the archives of a Roman monastery that mentions an order from the Holy Father to give shelter to persecuted Jews.

In statements to Vatican Radio, Father Gumpel said the note from the archives of the Augustinian Nuns of the Roman Monastery reads: “The Holy Father wishes to save his children, the Jews as well, and orders that the Monasteries provide hospitality to these persecuted people.” The note is from November of 1943 and includes a list of 24 people taken in by the monastery in response to the Holy Father’s request.

Father Gumpel said the importance of the find is that it is a written document.

“There are numerous oral testimonies, not only of nuns and priests, but also of others” about the work of Pope Pius XII, but “often there is a lack of contemporary written statements, which has provided those who continue attacking Pius XII the opportunity to respond with, ‘There are no documents that he ever acted during the raids against the Roman Jews on October 16, 1942.”

“This is completely false; the only thing it reveals is that in times of persecution and in situations like those of that time in Rome, a prudent person did not put things into ‘black and white,’ as there was a danger that they would fall into enemy hands and that later on even more hostile measures would be taken against the Catholic Church,” the priest said.

“The saving work of Pius XII,” he went on, “which many Jewish fronts bore witness to, was carried out through personal messengers—priests—who were sent to different institutions and Catholic homes here, in Rome, to universities, seminaries, parishes, convents, religious homes, always with the message: ‘Open your doors to all those persecuted by the Nazis,’ which first of all would mean the Jews.”

Father Gumpel said there are many who claim they would believe “in the work of Pius XII in support of the Jews if only we had a written document.’ Well, two written documents exist: one was sent to Bishop Nicolini of Assisi, who showed it to his collaborator, Father Brugnazzi; both were recognized afterwards by the Yad Vashem as ‘righteous among the nations’.”

“Here in Rome,” he said, “we now have this document from the archives of the Augustinian Cloistered Nuns” as “a subsequent confirmation that could be useful against those who persistently denigrate Pius XII and attack the Catholic Church.”

Comments: 13

Subscriber comments:

Published by: Stephanie N.
Silver Spring, MD 03/11/2009 02:02 PM EST

How one is to meet the criteria in order to be a saint in the Catholic Church? Should a politician or a president of The United States be a saint for fighting the Nazi and therefore subsequently saving many lives of the Jewish people? Did Pope Pius Xii personally save any Jews and shelter them in Vatican? I read the Inside Vatican magazine and I acknowledged that Pope Pius Xii was a good man. But a saint?

Published by: John C
Falls Church, Virginia 03/10/2009 03:48 PM EST

Re. Mr. Roberto Alvarez-Perez, calling those who oppose the beatification of Pope Pius XII enemies of the Church is unfair. I hope that you would agree on our Church did have bad leaders in the history. The current Pontiff Pope Benedict XVI will do the right thing if Pope Pius XII is to be beatified. The Church needs PROOF and INVESTIGATION in order to beatify and canonize a saint. Francis Xavier T did raised valid questions and he placed no criticism on Pope Pius Xii. We have no question that the Pope tried and was a good person and elegant writer. It was you who wants silence members of the Church who raise questions.

Published by: Prof. S
NH/US 03/10/2009 09:19 AM EST

RE: STEVE JACKSON:: That it took so long to find the note is irrelevant in determining the document's authenticity. The process of unearthing empirical evidence as proof of historical events is often long and slow; this is especially true in cases involving the church, as it will first seek to verify the veracity of any and all evidence prior to making certain discoveries public.

Published by: Roberto Alvarez-Perez
Miami, FL USA 03/09/2009 07:15 PM EST

Pope Pius XII did not convert Hitler, nor did anyone else. However, even Hitler himself referred to Pope Pius XII as "the only man who disobeyed him."
Obviously there are people who are not well informed about the testimony of the people personally saved by Pope XII and the gratitude of celebrities such as Golda Meir (aka Golda Mabovitch or Golda Meyerson), the 4th Prime Minister of Israel, for the thousands of Jews saved by Pope Pius XII. When the Roman Rabbi Israel Zolli coverted to Catholicism, he chose his name (Eugenio) in honor of and gratitude to Pope Pius XII (Eugenio Pacelli). Many others Jews did the same by naming their children Pius or Eugenio.
The calumnies and the fabricated stories came later, all unfounded. However, the leaders of the Church until recently were not strong enough to stand up to the enemies of the Church and make things straight. It got to the point that those enemies of the Church demanded proofs, just like in a regular courtroom in America.
May the Holy Ghost enlighten those who oppose the beatification and canonization of Pope Eugenio Pacelli and show them the truth, because those who know the truth have waited long enough to see His Holiness Pius XII elevated to the altars. He has not only been persecuted by the official enemies of the Church but by many uninformed Catholics as well.

Published by: Steve Jackson
akron, OH, USA 03/09/2009 07:38 AM EST

The document is probably a fake. Why else would it have taken so long to materialize?

Published by: Peggy
Olmsted Falls/OH/USA 03/09/2009 07:26 AM EST

I am proud and pleased to note that the raids Pius XII tried, desparately, I believe, to save all children, including Jews, threatened by this evil. Thank you Jesus.

Published by: Mphasa Rampeta
Lesotho 03/09/2009 07:23 AM EST

If it were possible to publish those papers, that would do the Church a very good deal, the enemies of the Church would be at least be silinced. There are even some religions which are very much against the Catholic Church,and are every now and then thinking what they can blame the Church for.

Published by: Peter Xavier
California 03/09/2009 01:42 AM EST

I hope and pray that at least now people will see how much good was done by the Roman Catholic Church alone. And how many lives were saved thanks to the courage of Pope Pius XII.

Published by: Raybo
Essex Ct 03/07/2009 02:21 PM EST

I would guess we will not hear apologies from Susan Zuccotti or her ilk for the trash they spew out trying to destroy this saintly Pope.

Published by: Bro Aloysius Mary
Vinemont, AL, USA 03/06/2009 08:47 PM EST

I thank God for this most illustrious son of Peter - a diligent shepard the like of which has not been seen since his passing.

Published by: Roberto Alvarez-Perez
Miami, FL, USA 03/06/2009 06:45 PM EST

"Blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake." Matthew 5:10

There is no doubt His Holiness Pius XII has been persecuted by those who claim the he turn his back to the sufferings of the Jews under the Nazis. The testimony of those directly saved by H.H. Pius XII was not enough. The persecutors want proofs: proofs in writing. Well the proofs are surfacing. Divine Justine has manifested clearly and has cleansed the name of a holy man soiled by the calumnies of the enemies of the Church. Those enemies saw an opportunity to attack the Church in the person of one of Her Pontiffs.

Let us pray to the Holy Ghost so that the enemies of the Church may not hinder the process of beatification and ultimately canonization of H.H. Pius XII. May those in charge of the process by strengthened by the example of Eugenio Pacelli and do not allow his enemies to influence their decisions.

Published by: Pat Villaescusa
Medford, OR 03/06/2009 05:16 PM EST

Pius XII has been so maliciously maligned that hopefully this new document will help to give him and the Catholic church the credit deserved for heroic efforts during WWII.

Published by: Francis Xavier T
Washington, D.C. 03/06/2009 04:05 PM EST

Did Pope Pius XII convert Hitler? Was he brave to speak up against the evil of Nazi? How many Jews did he personally save or was he merely an elegent writer? Why should the Church support Pope Pius XII for beatification???????

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