.- Cardinal Andrea Cordero Lanza di Montezemolo, who signed the diplomatic relations agreement with Israel in the name of the Holy See, told reporters this week that in his personal opinion, certain attempts to “interfere” with the beatification cause of Pope Pius XII are “tiresome.”
According to the Ansa news agency, the cardinal made his statements to reporters during a gathering to present a series of initiatives that are part of the celebration of the Pauline Year.
He was referring to the statements by Israel’s Social Affairs Minister Yitzhak Herzog, who called the eventual beatification of the late Pontiff “unacceptable” during an interview with the Haaretz newspaper.
According to Cardinal Montezemolo, who is currently archpriest of the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, the Holy See is displaying “a responsible attitude” towards the controversy surrounding the beatification of Pius XII, but “some attempts to interfere in the internal affairs of the Church are tiresome.”
“These are judgments from outsiders. The Pope is sensible and he opted for a period of reflection, but there is no need to bother him with statements to force him to go one way or another,” the cardinal added.
